The story of Jonah is one of the best-known stories in the Bible, yet it is often treated like a fairytale. The thought of being swallowed by a fish and living through the experience seems unbelievable. One fact that we must remember is that our God is a miracle-working God. This event in Jonah’s life DID contain several miracles. The storm was a miracle; the storm ceasing was a miracle; the fish coming at the right time was a miracle; the fish vomiting out Jonah alive was a miracle; the gourd, worm and east wind were miracles; but the greatest miracle was the repentance of the entire city of Nineveh. (Charles Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 134)

Transition

As we look at Jonah’s Mission, I want us to note Jonah’s occupation, his obligation, and his objection.

Jonah’s Occupation (v.1)

  1. We know nothing of his trade
    1. He was the son of Amittai who is unknown to us.
    2. He was from Gath-hepher, a town about 3 km north of Nazareth in Galilee. (See Israel Map)
    3. We do not know what trade he practiced. Men in his area were carpenters, farmers, potters, and shepherds.
    4. Because we know so little about Jonah, and because the story in this book is so superhuman, many have doubted its reality. However, because he is mentioned in 2 Kings 14 as a prophet to a real king and because Jesus refers to Jonah as a real man (Mt 12:40-41), we know the story is true.
  2. We do know that he was a prophet
    1. We learn this information from 2Ki 14:23-25. Turn with me there.
    2. He must have live about 820 years before Christ. It appears that he ministered just after Elisha.
    3. He prophesied about the activities of Jeroboam II. Jeroboam II was an evil king, as were most of the kings of the ten tribes of Israel. That prophecy came true.
    4. Jonah also had a ministry to Israel through this little book. He learned that God had compassion for the Gentiles as well as for Israel. This was a lesson Israel needed to learn and one we need to learn as well. This book is the missionary challenge of the Old Testament.

Jonah’s Obligation (v.2)

The word “obligation” refers to a duty or mission.

  1. Jonah received his mission from God
    1. “The word of the LORD came unto Jonah” (v.1)
      1. Remember, when the word “LORD” is in all caps in the KJV, it refers to Jehovah – the self-existing One.
      2. Jehovah never had a beginning. He has always existed. He is the creator of all things. He is in control of all things.
    2. We are not told HOW Jonah received this word. Before the Bible was completed, God sometimes used dreams, visions, and angels to give messages to prophets. Now that we have the completed Bible, God no longer uses those means to give us His word.
    3. Because Jehovah is the sovereign of the entire universe, when He speaks, no one has the right to question His word. Jonah learned this the hard way.
  2. God’s mission for Jonah was to Gentiles
    This mission had three commands. These commands express urgency!

    1. Jonah was to arise. His first duty was to get up. He must leave what he was doing and prepare for a long trip. He was not to linger or waste time.
    2. Jonah was to go to Nineveh, that great city. (See Big Map)
      1. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, Israel’s enemy. It was located about 1000 km to the northeast of Gath-hepher. This trip would take many days and weeks of walking.
      2. Nineveh was a very old city (Gen 10:11).
      3. God describes Nineveh as a “great” city. It was a city “of three days’ journey”. This probably means it took three days to walk around the outside of it. Within Nineveh lived 120,000 infants besides children, men and women (Jon 3:3). It may have been the largest city in the world in that day. (Feinberg, p. 134)
      4. God also calls Nineveh a wicked city. God saw the wickedness of the people of Nineveh. Nothing is hidden from the eyes of God. Though God is longsuffering, He cannot overlook wickedness endlessly.
        (Psalms 44:21) Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
        (Hebrews 9:27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
        (Jeremiah 23:24) Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
        (Psalm 139:7) Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
        (Job 34:21) For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
        (Isaiah 6:8) Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
    3. Jonah was to cry against it.
      1. This command tells us that Jonah’s message was one of judgment. He was to preach against the evil in the city. Later we will read that he cried “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” (Jon 3:4)
      2. God hates evil or sin of all types whether it is among His people or among unbelievers.
      3. God, in His mercy, sent Jonah to cry against the city to give them a chance to repent.
      4. God sent Jonah to Nineveh not solely for Nineveh’s good, but also to shame Israel, by the fact of a pagan city repenting at the first preaching of a single stranger, Jonah, whereas God’s people will not repent, though preached to by their many national prophets whom God hath sent, rising early and sending them. (JBF Commentary)
    4. Just as God told Jonah to preach to Nineveh, God has also told us to preach the Gospel to all the world. (Mark 16:15) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. We too must arise, go to the lost, and proclaim the Gospel!

Jonah’s Objection (v.3)

  1. Jonah did the opposite to God’s command.
    1. He rose up, but not to obey. He got up and prepared to run from God.
    2. He fled to Tarshish. He got aboard a ship at Joppa and headed for Tarshish. Tarshish is an unknown place. It may have been a town in Spain. No matter where Tarshish was, it was obviously not in the direction of Nineveh.
    3. He refused to preach. He was willing to pay the fare to Tarshish rather than to go to Nineveh. He did NOT want to preach to those people.
  2. Jonah tried to hide from God.
    1. Twice in this verse, we read that he fled “the presence of the LORD”. What a hopeless thing to try to do!
    2. Trying to escape the presence of the LORD is utterly impossible.
    3. God has given us a mission to fulfil – we are to preach the Gospel. God may be calling you young men to be preachers or missionaries. We can never escape God’s presence. It is far better to answer God’s call as Isaiah did.

Conclusion

This morning we have looked at Jonah’s Mission. God told him to arise, go, and preach. Instead, he arose, fled, and refused to preach. If you are a Christian, God has given you a mission to arise, go to the lost, and preach the gospel. If you have been responding like Jonah, it is time to respond like Isaiah. You can’t run from God and win.

Young men, God is looking for preachers. If he is calling you, volunteer as Isaiah did.

If you are not positive you are saved, God is calling you to Himself! He wants to forgive your sin and give you eternal life.

Song: I’ll Go Where You Want – 440
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Jonah’s Mission
8 November 2015 AM – Jonah 1:1-3 – Jonah2015 – Scott Childs