Bible Study Notes - Jonah 1:1-3 and 3:1-9 Part III

Bible Study Notes

Community with a Mission: Jonah 1:1-3 & 3:1-9 – Part III

Jonah 3:5-9 – Community with a Mission of Repentance and Revival

The king’s humility starkly represents the seriousness with which the Ninevites heed the word of the Lord.  He rises from the Assyrian throne; discards his royal robes; covers himself with sackcloth like his subjects; and sits down in the dust.  The king’s action reminds us of the lowly origins of humankind in contrast with the infinite and holy attributes of Almighty God.  We are dust!  God can blow upon our lives like a candle’s flame in the wind.  Who are we to think we can trespass the holiness and righteousness of God?  What an incredible depiction of the utter limitations of human beings.

Then, the king utilizes his royal power to compel legally the nation to adhere strictly to his proclamation demanding the continuance of the fast in sackcloth until God responds mercifully.  Furthermore, Ninevites were to cease and desist from “their evil ways and their violence.”  Prayer for divine relief is the basis of the proclamation.  The king evidently hopes that national unity in this effort will cause Almighty God “to relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

Anthropologists and archeologists can tell us very little about the character of the Ninevites.  The biblical record remains one of the most reliable sources.  Accordingly, we can extract a few informative and instructive attributes about their collective personality.  First, notwithstanding their excessive evil and violence, they possessed humility to repent upon hearing the terrible word of the Lord.  Second, they had capacity to obey higher authority; they followed the king’s proclamation.  Third, although they greatly indulged their self-seeking desires and myriad lusts, they steadfastly maintained a belief in God.  Jonah’s preaching reminds them of spiritual disciplines of fasting, confession, repentance and fervent prayer.  Fourth, they practiced egalitarianism in which they valued each person regardless of his or her wealth, education, religiosity and social position.  From the king to the keeper of the cows, the entire nation appeals to God for relief and mercy.

This collective personality of the Ninevites offers instruction to churches as it relates to building and sustaining community.  If confronted with a similar spiritual challenge, would a church, congregationally and individually, attain humility, faith, and commitment to seek the Lord’s for wisdom?  What if nuclear families mimicked the actions of the Ninevites when turmoil afflicts one of their members?  Could a solution to drug infested neighborhoods and crime ridden municipalities be found in these spiritual responses to overwhelming dilemmas?  Although they were Assyrian and not Israelites, the Ninevites demonstrate the power of a community with a mission.  They turn from wholesale self-indulgence to living humbly under the guidance and protection of Almighty God.

Concluding Reflections

Jonah’s stubborn refusal to follow the will of God rightly lands him in the belly of the whale.  Our daily resistance to the urging of the Holy Spirit enables us to empathize with Jonah.  Our cumulative negative responses equate with a spiritual space equal to the darkness of three days and three nights in the abyss.  Yet, Jonah’s example encourages us to look beyond our human frailties, failures and incapacities to see of our “God of the second chance.”  He continually gives us the chance to “get it right” by finally heeding His “good, pleasing and perfect” will.  When we do so, we find immediate success and even excellence as Jonah did when he eventually preaches in Nineveh.  Surprisingly and favorably, Jonah discovers a community, with a mission of serving the Lord, as the Ninevites repent and exchange their self-centered lives for lives devoted to the Lord. 

  

Three Personal Objectives

• The road of self-reliance terminates in a spiritual Bermuda Triangle.
• God graciously bestows a second chance to follow His will when we finally obey.
• The humility and sincerity of the Ninevites teaches us the power of a community with a mission to serve the Lord.  Churches, families and neighborhoods can grow greatly by following their example.

 Prayer

For the beauty of this day, we thank Thee, O Lord.  For Your lovingkindness towards us, we thank Thee.  For the gift of Your revealed Word, we thank Thee.  Graciously, sanctify Thy Word within our minds and hearts so that we might not sin against Thee.  Teach us how to be a community with the mission of living to Thy honor, glory and praise.  In Your holy Name and for Your righteous cause, we pray.  Amen.

Bible Study Notes - Jonah 1:1-3 and 3:1-9 Part II

Bible Study Notes

Community with a Mission: Jonah 1:1-3 & 3:1-9 – Part II

Jonah 1:1-3 – Balancing Self-Determination and Passive Aggression

Jonah demonstrates a mystery in which opposite characteristics can exist in the same personality.  He possesses defiance and willfulness as he proactively disregards the divine order to go to Nineveh and proclaim the word of the Lord.  On the contrary, the prophet displays weakness in his method of avoidance by going on vacation.  Nevertheless, God sets apart this “reluctant missionary” for His distinct purpose of saving the Ninevites.  Battling these warring characteristics of self-determination and passive aggression, Jonah evades the situation initially.  Soon he falls into the hands of an angry and jealous God who will not tolerate humankind’s insult of His character and will.

Jonah 3:1-4 – “The God of a Second Chance”

The second portion of this passage reveals the obedience of the Ninevites who did not know Almighty God as Jonah does.  Prior to their remarkable feat of repentance and humility, the disgruntled and prideful prophet finally finds internal willingness to obey.  Conceivably, Jonah accedes to God’s commands in gratitude for the Lord’s mercy and grace in releasing him from the depths of darkness.  The text states plainly “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.”  I imagine Jonah’s imprisonment in the belly of the whale affords time to reconsider his stubbornness.  He probably does not change his outlook upon the worth of the Ninevites.  Yet, in appreciation for God’s gracious offer of a second chance, Jonah ends his internal strife and balances his self-centered motives with the necessity of following a loving God who is kind enough to free him from perpetual darkness to see a new day again.

Jonah’s experience models the power of redemption for us.  It is never too late to begin serving God with our heart, mind, soul and strength.  We can begin today to reverse the course of our lives.  We can change our focus and priorities.  We can start each day with the intent of making Almighty God our “Ultimate Concern.”  Everything else pales in comparison to the majesty and magnificence of living peacefully and joyously in the perfect will of God.

Look at Jonah’s instantaneous success!  On the first day of adhering to God’s call, he achieves a national revival.  Interestingly, Jonah preaches one of the shortest sermons in the Bible and perhaps in the history of preaching.  In response to the warning of annihilation within the next forty days, “the Ninevites believe God.”  “From the greatest to the least,” the whole nation adorns sackcloth and participates in a fast.  They grieve over their sins and deny their natural appetites.  Essentially, the spiritual practice of self-denial enables us to more clearly receive divine revelation.  When you are chomping on a double cheeseburger, fries and an apple pie while drinking a soda rarely are you thinking about your spiritual condition.  Remarkably, Jonah’s message awakens the entire country despite their socio-economic status; the rich as well as the poor demonstrate faith in God by mourning, contrition, repentance and self-restraint.  Imagine a revival in contemporary America that the wealthiest one percent of citizens would join in solidarity with the underclass.

Bible Study Notes - Jonah 1:1-3 and 3:1-9

Bible Study Notes

Community with a Mission: Jonah 1:1-3 & 3:1-9

The Centrality of Community

We focus upon the development of communities in biblical times.  How did they begin and grow?  What were the primary values?  What structures of government, family, economy and religion did they implement?  What role did allegiance to God play in their lives, individually and collectively?  How do those societies and their understandings of communities differ from ours?  Further, let’s examine what the distinguishing factors of biblical communities can teach us about building stronger church communities today.

Today, we evaluate the community of Nineveh where the resistant prophet, Jonah, goes to declare the fierce word of the Lord.  Surpassing the actions of the Israelites, the Ninevites actually repent upon hearing the straightforward message of potential doom because of their wickedness.  The wholesale humility to adorn sackcloth and appeal to Almighty God for His grace and mercy singularly characterizes the people of Nineveh.  No other tribe or nation in scripture responds to God’s word as they do.  In fact, the Lord Jesus commends them for their repentance (Matthew 12:41).  What enabled the people who live in this Assyrian capital city to reverse the way in which they were living?  How were they able as a nation to understand they could no longer trample recklessly upon God’s holiness and squander His grace?

Biblical Background

We have another opportunity to consider the quirkiness of Jonah who does not care to become a member of the Ninevite community.  Actually, he relegates God’s first instruction to being an absolute waste of time.  “The captain of his own soul and the master of his fate,” Jonah proudly ignores God’s direction and purchases a ticket for a cruise to Tarshish.  Immediately, our minds fill with our childhood images of Jonah’s voyage and imprisonment in the belly of the whale.  Perhaps, we now think Jonah rightly deserves the three days and nights in the darkness of confusion, inertia and failure to reach his destination because of his categorical refusal to obey God’s instructions.  Yet, concentrating upon the frightening consequences of Jonah’s defiance eclipses God’s persistent kindness and mercy.  After the whale vomits Jonah out of his mouth and Jonah lands upon dry land, the Lord condescends and gives the prophet a second chance “to get it right.”  Often, God affords us the gracious opportunity to correct our mistakes after we have made wrong decisions.  Many believers popularly refer to our Heavenly Farther as “the God of a second chance.”  Out of His infinite knowledge, wisdom and patience, He kindly grants us another possibility to complete a divine mission.  Jonah receives another chance to preach to the people of Nineveh; thereby assisting them in establishing a genuinely spiritual, loving, honest and caring community that worships Almighty God.

Quite possibly, Jonah’s actions mirror our own resistance to following the Lord’s guidance.  Is there any divine directive you are presently postponing?  Has God put a call upon your life and you selectively choose to disobey Him with an excuse that you are busy doing other worthwhile things?  Have you purchased a ticket to Tarshish by conveniently making yourself unavailable to God?  Perhaps, devoting the lion’s share of your time, abilities and talents to your spouse, children and job prevents you from answering the Lord’s call.  Nonetheless, Jonah’s example encourages us to define clearly our resistance to God’s divine call upon our lives. 

Incidentally, the Bible teaches the priesthood of all believers; practically speaking, that means all disciples, whether clergypersons or laity, are ministers with a calling upon their lives.  God expects each of us to seek His guidance and discern the exact nature of our mission and purpose.  Then, He expects us to devote the bulk of our lives to serving Him as we serve other people thereby accomplishing our purpose and mission.  The biblical writer records the vivid illustration of Jonah to portray the considerable waste of time and talent when we brush aside the will of Almighty God.  Moreover and most fortunately, the prophet’s life illustrates the possibility of redemption when we finally accede to the voice of God.