A study on the book of Jonah

 

Let us consider the following points (and more):

• Does the Lord find me a faithful and useful servant?
• Am I a vessel in His hand which He can use to His glory?
• What can cause me to be a troublesome servant in His service?

 

Firstly the Word of the Lord came unto Jonah. It is grace when God speaks to you, the sweetest fellowship you can imagine to hear God speaking to you. Do you know that Voice?

The Bible also notes that Jonah was the son of Amittai. A successful parent is the one who can teach his child to hear the Lord's voice. Not like the measurement of the world of being a successful parent - to give them an excellent education, riches and see them happily married.

Secondly how obedient are we when God speaks to us? Jonah arose after God spoke to him but went another way - he fled from God's presence. The presence of God is something wonderful to a true child of God. But a disobedient child of God, finding himself in that same palm, finds how terrible it is to be in the hand of God.

That's why two Christians might find the Christian life very different. To the obedient one it brings him joy and liberty and he wouldn't exchange it for anything else. But to the other it is a burden to be a Christian.

Thirdly Jonah went down to Joppa, found a ship and went down into the hull of the ship. Everything seemed to be going his way and he could've interpreted it as God being with him. But he didn't have to wait too long to discover his peril. Don't misinterpret it that God is with you when you run from God's presence and things seem to work out for you. You too will soon find out that your success is only carnal security. You might earn a bit more money and mention other benefits of your disobedience, but it will be at the peril of your spiritual life.

Fourthly a disobedient child of God has to boost his own ego. When the heathen sailors asked Jonah what he was doing and pointed out to the contradictions in his life, he claimed to be the servant of God and to fear Him. But his actions of disobedience clearly showed that he did not fear God. His disobedience also caused suffering to the heathen sailors and they had to throw some of their possessions overboard. So too if you are disobedient to God it will cause suffering to others.

Still these heathen sailors had more compassion on Jonah than he had for the inhabitants of Nineveh. But in the end Jonah ended up in solitary confinement in the belly of the fish. Finally Jonah saw and acknowledged his sin, and God had compassion on him and let him out of his prison.

Fifthly when God spoke to him this time he obeyed and went to Nineveh - but still he did not go in the Spirit of God. One gets the impression that he just wanted to do things his own way.

He was like some Christians who think that they are doing God a service by serving Him. They act as if God could be fortunate to have them as His servant; God must appreciate what they have given up for Him. They think of the car they could've driven, the salary they could've earned, the positions they could've reached if they didn't serve God. So they feel that God is owing them.
Such Christians are like Jonah. God cannot do anything right according to them.

If you live like that you become an enemy to God. You do God's work; you say that you do His will, but you are carnal. You walk in the flesh.
It is like the Bible says "their god is their belly". If your appetite is satisfied then Christianity is good. But your appetite might differ; maybe you have an appetite for fame, recognition. You want people to notice you. And when you're not recognised you throw your faith overboard. Then you're like Jonah.

Jonah was a complaining Christian. Jonah went as far as even finding fault with God's mercy and grace He showed on these people. But he forgot that God spared his life when he didn't deserve it.

Jonah should've known compassion after God had spared his life, but he did not want God to show compassion on the Ninevites. He felt they had sinned and must be punished.

Sixthly, Jonah's self-centered life caused him to go into depression. He withdrew himself, sat alone on a hill and wished that he might die. It is the same with so many people that live for self. When it doesn't go their own way, they go into depression. They withdraw, and isolate themselves and want to die.

One is amazed when one reads his story. This should've been the highlight of his life. Imagine God using him to turn a whole city to the Lord! There was rejoicing in heaven and thankfulness in Nineveh. The Ninevites certainly appreciated what he did for them. But there was sulking on the hill where Jonah was.

May we be synchronised with heaven. When there is rejoicing in heaven let we rejoice and when mourning in heaven let we mourn.

While Jonah was complaining to God that He was such a merciful God, Jonah could've thanked God for being so merciful and not even taking his life at that very moment for his stubborness.

So too if it was not for God's goodness and kindness and grace we would've been totally lost.

Seventhly God provided Jonah with a bit of comfort and made a plant to grow up over him. That made him exceedingly happy and did for him what the thousands of souls in Nineveh that were saved could not do.

Beware lest we rejoice over God's comforts and forget Him. May we always have God and His cause as the ultimate goal in our lives. May that plant which God sends (God's creature comforts to make our life a bit easier) never become our god.

Remember that the comforts God gives He also has the right to take away. May we not complain and become bitter when God removes them.

May God give us a heart after Him and His love be our driving force. Let we not serve Him for personal gain. May we rejoice in the Lord and in His strength.