Minor Prophets: Jonah and Praying Through

 

JONAH—2

When You’re Waiting on God

 

Jonah 1:17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.  

• Chap 1—Jonah ran from God – theme

• Chap 2—Jonah prayed to God – theme

 

Jonah 2:1 From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.  

• Fishy Prayers

• Deep Sea Drama

• A Whale of Prayer

 

Jonah 1:17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah … 

• Not the Lord provided a life jacket! 

  • Speedboat! Island! Mermaid! 

    • Imagine you’re overboard—Giant fish swims your way …

    • Something like a whale swallows you!

  • Doesn’t feel like a Praise Report—Feels like Punishment!

  • WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY FEELINGS!

  • WALK BY WORD, NOT WORRY 

  • God … Why—Letting this happen? Why—Punishing me?

I. We tend to think—Pain’s always punishment.

• To Jonah … The big fish seemed—Nothing but … Problem!

• Who provided the fish? (Main character: The Lord provided)

1. Sometimes what we call a problem, God calls provision.

• The vehicle to get Jonah where he needed to be was the problem that swallowed him! 

• God provides—Fish swallows—Jonah never planned—Fish food!

2. Not what I wanted!—

• Can you relate? — I never chose this!

• God doesn’t always give us what we want, but God gives us what we need.  (What we need most … Is Him!)

 

3. 1st time prayer is mentioned in the story is for Jonah.

   • Jonah 2:1From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.  

   • Jonah 1:4 But the Lord[a]sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten [b]the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.

 

Q. Are we sleeping through the last wind of the Spirit while the world cries out to know God, but only has idols? 

4. Jonah is by himself— man cannot help him! 

   • About to drown

   • Helpless!

     1. Couldn’t do a single thing to save his life.

     2. Pride can’t help

        1. College degree 

        2. Money 

        3. Connections Friends 

        4. Family 

5. Jonah got to this place … (You will too) … Only the Lord could help him!

 

II. Jonah—Helpless …

1. Just because Jonah was Helpless—Didn’t mean he was Hopeless!

   1. Was Jonah in trouble, yes? Some of you relate?

      1. Marriage in Trouble

      2. Trouble Financially 

      3. Trouble with Health 

      4. Kids in Trouble

   2. God does not cause the trouble for us: Sin, Fallen World, The Enemy does that! 

   3. God allows the trouble only at a level that brings us back to Him in prayer and repentance. 

 

2. No matter why trouble … Your fault or not…

   1. The Bible says in James 5:13Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. 

      1. Everyone says… It’s time to pray! 

      2. James doesn’t say Time/Worry?

      3. Time to complain?

      4. Time/Blame?

      5. It’s time to pray!

 

What did Jonah pray?

 

Jonah 2:2 He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead, I called for help, and you listened to my cry.  

 

Rest/Chapter: Prayer Jonah prays … 

 

III. You may say … Don’t know what to pray! Pray God’s Word!

• Do exactly what Jonah did! … Jonah 2—Jonah prayed—Psalms!

 

          Jonah 2                                          Psalms

 

I called to the Lord and he                  I call out to the Lord and he

answered me. Jonah 2:2                       answers me. Psalm 3:4

 

Deep in the realm of the dead,          You will not abandon me to the

I called for help. Jonah 2:2                   realm of the dead. Psalm 16:10

 

I have been banished from                 I am cut off from your sight.

your sight. Jonah 2:4                             Psalm 31:22

 

The waters closed over me …               The waters have come up to my

Jonah 2:5                                                   neck.Psalm 69:1

 

Those who cling to worthless               I hate those who cling to worthless

idols … Jonah 2:8                                      idols. Psalm 31:6

 

What I have vowed I will make        I will fulfill my vows to the Lord.

good. Jonah 2:9                            Psalm 116:14

 

1. Jonah cried out to the Lord

• The Lord listened to his cry!

  

2. Spoiler alert—Moment Jonah prayed … Nothing big happened.

   1. Jonah cried out to God—Vs 1—God heard him

   2. No visible miracle.

   3. Jonah prays—Vs 1 … Don’t see the miracle until—Vs 10.

3. Makes Vs 9—Even more meaningful—Vs 9—Jonah says …But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed, I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ (2:9)

4. Mentions the right order of things: 

   1. Praise before the miracle—How many know this? 

   2. It’s easy to praise God after a miracle.

   3. Takes faith to praise God before the miracle. 

      1. Someone here is gonna praise God, with verse 9—Kind/faith!

IV. Question: Still stuck/Belly—Your praise/Real praise! Praise before—Provision.

• Point: Praising God—WHO he is—Not just WHAT he’s done!

1. Praise with/ Vs 9—Faith! … (Jonah continues in the same verse …)

• 9 … What I have vowed, I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ Jonah 2:9

• What I have vowed, I will make good.

• Jonah didn’t make excuses—He made it right.

• Word for someone here … Not doing what’s right …

• Shorter Time? Stop blaming whatever you’re blaming—Whoever.

• Shorter Time? Make it right! Make it right! Make it right!

2. Ultimately, Jonah prayed—Jonah praised …

• Finally—Vs 10…And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Jonah 2:10

 

3. Vomited gross—For 3 days—3 nights—Belly/Fish!

   1. Vs 1—Jonah prayed—Didn’t see—Thing.

   2. (Vs 2—Kept praying) (V3—Kept praying) (V4—Kept praying) (V5—Kept praying)

   3. Someone—Been pray—Not seeing—Remind …

4. While you’re waiting, God’s still working.

   1. Just b/c you don’t see something, doesn’t mean—God …

   2. Right time … God commands the Fish—

      1. To vomit Jonah

      2. Reminds us

         1. When—Not God’s time—Can’t force it!

         2. When—Is God’s time—Can’t stop it!

   3. Notice the phrase 3 days—3 nights—Heard?

• Foreshadowing—Jesus—NT—Matt 12

• When Pharisees ask Jesus—Sign …

 

39 [Jesus] answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matt 12:39-40

 

5. Remember —Jonah said … Salvation comes from the Lord. Jonah 2:9

   1. When Jonah didn’t deserve it, God saved him.

   2. When Jonah couldn’t save himself, God saved him.

6. Everything in OT—Points to our need for Jesus today!

   1. When we didn’t deserve it, God sent Jesus.

   2. When we couldn’t save ourselves, God sent Jesus

 

V. Don’t know—Anyone here like Jonah … Like me—Mess up big time.

1. Disobey God’s command—Distrust God’s Word

2. Dishonor God’s name.

   1. God still saved Jonah … See—Chap 3 … God still used Jonah.

      1. Fish vomit Jonah up—Gross—Nothing clean—His salvation.

      2. Someone here—Been thru some stuff … God is still working …

      3. No matter where you are—No matter what you’ve done.

      4. God has grace for you … God wants to use you …

IV. God’s Not Done With You

1. 1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. Jonah 3:1

   1. Thankful—We serve a God of 2nd Chances! Raises the question…

   2. Mess up for real?—On purpose—Illustration—Mess up again—Real.

      1. Word of the Lord came/Jonah—Ran other direction

      2. Ship bound—Tarshish.

      3. On board—God sent—Storm threatens—Destroy—Ship.

 

2. Thankful—We serve a God—2nd Chances?

   1. Thankful for a God—Doesn’t just call … Calls back

   2. The God of Second Chances

Conclusion: Word of the Lord came—Jonah A Second Time.

• Why did Jonah run from God—First time?

  • Jonah says—Didn’t go—Because he knew God—Show mercy.

• Interesting—Jonah doesn’t mind when God gives him grace!

  • Didn’t want God—Give the other people a chance to know God’s mercy—Know anyone like that?

  • Same—God love—You forgive me—Bless me—Don’t bless them.

Word of the Lord came—Jonah—Second time … In Vs 2—God says

 

2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” Jonah 3:2 NLT

Get up/Go—Hebrew:  לֵ֥ךְ ק֛וּם  qum yalak

•  Go now! Go immediately! Go today!

• When God prompts me—Do it immediately—Talk myself out of it!

First time—Word of the Lord came/Jonah—Jonah ran …

• This time—Vs 3 says Jonah obeyed …

•  3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; ** it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming … Jonah 3:3-4 (120k people)

 

Enemy territory—Life—Danger—Evil—Hated Ninevites

 

• Ready—Jonah’s sermon?—Opener—Create interest.

• Jonah doesn’t say—God loves you

• Wonderful plan—God for you!

 

Vs 4 … Jonah began by going on a day’s journey proclaiming …

 

Jonah 3:3-4 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now, Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 

• 40 days test in the Bible ( Flood, Wilderness, Jesus tempted, etc.) 

  • Nineveh overthrown? God could do this in forty seconds…

  • Spiritual battle 

  • And time to repent. 

• 3 days to overthrow the spirit of rebellion in Jonah 

• 3 days to overthrow the regional spirit in control of Nineveh 

• 3 days for Christ to overthrow death and hell 

• What can you see God do in just three days? Turn your world and the World upside down. 

———————————————————————————

• Jonah probably said – No way/Know—Jonah might have thought …

• This is stupid—No one—Repent—Not going to work.

• You may—Someone you love—Far/God—Never come/Christ.

———————————————————————————

Never underestimate—God might be doing—Someone’s life …

 

• Think about the person you /love—Dad/Friend/Child—Don’t give up hope!

• Jonah preached—Short—Blunt sermon … Vs 5 says …

  • Jonah 3:5 The Ninevites believed in God.

“Know”—Big difference—Believing IN God—Believing God?

•  Some of you—Believe IN God—I’m at church—Aren’t I?

• Just because you believe IN God, doesn’t mean you believe God.

 

19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. James 2:19

 

Examples:

• You—Believe IN—Loving God … Don’t believe God loves you.

• Believe IN—God answers prayers…Don’t believe God answers yours.

• Believe IN—God saves the lost…Don’t believe God can save your loved one.

 

Don’t just—Believe IN God … Believe him!

Don’t just—Believe God can … Believe God WILL! 

 

Jonah 3:5  The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. 6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.  

 

The King continues—Vs 8…

 

8 … Let everyone call urgently on God. Jonah 3:8

Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 

• Time to Call on God—Urgently!

• Some of you—Putting off—Following God completely …

 

Outward, not just inward, signs of repentance: 

• v10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

• James 2:17 Faith without works is dead, being alone. 

• Saving faith changes the inside and outside!