The Book of Jonah (pronounced Yo-nah)
On our vacation this year, Joe and the boys, and I went to Port Clinton, Ohio. They claim their city is the Walleye capital of the world. A big fish sits at the front of the downtown festival, so you know there is some history with fishing there. It was the biggest fish statue we had ever seen.
I wonder if the city of Ninevah crafted a sculpture of Jonah or the whale after their revival? It certainly was a fish tale to remember.
This book is well known to Jews, Muslims and Christians. It is mentioned by Jesus in the New Testament Luke 11:29-32 where he lets the people know that just like Jonah came to warn them and tell them to “repent”, Jesus has also come to tell them (and us) to “repent”.
It is interesting that of all who say they are following Christ, only one got a special ride to his ministry inside a whale! There were a few that demanded people sit in sackcloth, but Jonah adds sitting on animals– with sackcloth. Imagine outreach at your church including that instruction. While several have repeated Christs request for people to “repent” — It is still a foreign word in our culture. We ask people to receive Christ, to believe in Christ or sign up for membership in Christs church but few are bold enough to say “repent”. It’s important to remember that God is the one calling people to turn back to Him, not the prophet or preacher. It is indeed a strong word with life changing consequences. Perhaps, we are not so much like Jonah or Christ when we leave out that little word and perhaps that is why many still sit in darkness? If there is no confession of sin, no repentance of former ways, no turning from the “old man”, we have just added a new mental pursuit. How does “turning from one’s wicked ways” prepare someone for receiving Christ? This is worthy of discussion, right? We get nervous and do not want anyone to “feel bad” but what if that is the qualifying start to Christ coming in someones life? Believing in ones heart and confessing Christ as Lord is what is most important. Your thoughts?
Also on our travels, we journeyed, by accident or providence, to several Christian restaurants. God led us to new places where we met other believers and had sweet times of fellowship and prayer. I love sharing the Lord with people but before we left had a sense that we were on a different type of mission this trip – we were to rest and then bring support and teaching to established leaders in various cities. While some did come to Christ it was not the main goal. After traveling several hours one day, we stopped in a little town we had never been to before that trip. We were hot, tired and not very pleasant at that point. The restaurant was called “Big Als” and the food was delicious. On each table were signs that one would expect to offer pie flavors or the special of the day. Instead, this was what we saw:
These folks ain’t playin! I was grateful to know someone cared for our souls! We needed that reminder.
The modern day Ninevah is Mosul, Iraq. Don’t tell me that it is difficult to warn people in our generation. It would have been much harder to go into another culture that was pagan and violent and declare the “word of the Lord” than in a country where our spiritual rights are somewhat protected. These restaurant folks would have made Ninevah glad! What a bold statement for Jesus. We study Jonah but do we seek to listen and go?
If you are a modern day Jonah, or follower of Christ, read Psalm 86 and then ask God where He is sending YOU:
Psalm 86
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to You — all day long.
4 Bring joy to Your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in You.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to ALL who call to You.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to You,
because You answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like You, Lord;
no deeds can compare with Yours.
9 All the nations You have made
will come and worship before You, Lord;
they will bring glory to Your name.
10 For You are great and do marvelous deeds;
You alone are God.
11 Teach me (cause me to know) Your way, Lord,
that I may rely on Your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify Your name forever.
13 For great is Your love toward me;
You have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
they have no regard for You.
15 But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
show Your strength on behalf of Your servant;
save me, because I serve You
just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of Your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for You, Lord, have helped me and (truly and abundantly, greatly) comforted me.
We do not know if Jonah read Exodus 34 or if he read this Psalm, but we do know that he was a preacher’s kid, and we do know that before he ran from God that he KNEW God was Compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness.
We do not know if Jonah understood this firsthand in his own life. Maybe he saw the life of his ministry parents and decided it was not for him? God has no grandkids – each generation needs to hear and trust God for their own lives, not just their parents.
Before we reach others, we must know God and know that He loves us, pursues us, is compassionate towards us. Somehow, Jonah did not grasp that or that “ALL nations” deserved that as much as he did. God was first and also compassionate with the runaway preacher.
Jonah literally would rather die than share God’s love or message.
Dear believer, God loves you and wants you to know He is not an ogre or bully in the sky. He wants you to know His heart and character. Make that your first aim and priority. He is a rewarder of those who seek Him and a very present help in time of need. He is not a taskmaster.
Reaching others is hard when we feel they are not “worthy” or any other host of excuses. Once you are loved by this compassionate, gracious God, you will not be able to keep His love to yourself.
We don’t have a “witnessing” problem in the church today; we have a “needing to know God” problem. Those who encounter the living God can not help but share Him- it’s like a fire shut up in their bones, a river of life that cannot be quenched.
Let me introduce you – this God, the Creator of the Universe desires relationship with you and in spite of all our sins and messes, He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. That is amazing grace and unfailing, incredible love.
Once you encounter this loving God, you will want to share His message in dark places, cities that are far away and perhaps even in a little Italian restaurant along the Highway.
A greater ONE has come, let’s get to know HIM and bring His message to the highways, and wherever else He sends us.
Loving and learning Him with you,
RenaeRoche2025