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Stories From The Old Testament That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs With God 3:1-10  Jonah goes to Ninevah, cries against it v. 3  The city is large…a “daunting task” v. 4a  His “oracle” is only 8 words long v. 4b Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion “Yet forty days and Ninevah will be destroyed.”

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs With God 3:1-10  The people of Ninevah responded vv. 5-9  They “believed in God” v. 5a  They “fasted and put on sackcloth” v. 5b  The king also repented, and decreed that everyone “repent” & “call on God” vv. 6-9 Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs With God 3:1-10  Ninevah’s repentance = genuine Mt 12:41  Jesus compared them to hypocrites  Why was Jonah successful? Lk 11:29-30  He was a “sign” to the people of Ninevah just as Christ would be to the Jews Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs With God 3:1-10  Why was Jonah successful? Lk 11:29-30  Apparently, Ninevah had somehow heard of what had happened to him [the fish]  He “came back” from the fish…just as Christ “came back” from the dead Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs With God 3:1-10  Why was Jonah successful? Lk 11:29-30  This “resurrection” gave Jonah credibility  The people were willing to listen to his message and consider their behavior in light of what he said Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs With God 3:1-10  God’s reaction v. 10  He saw their “deeds” and their “turn from wickedness”  He “relented concerning the calamity He declared”…He did not do it Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs With God 3:1-10  God’s reaction v. 10  Some characteristics revealed about God… Before Ninevah’s repentance - a hatred for sin; just in punishing it Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs With God 3:1-10  God’s reaction v. 10  Some characteristics revealed about God… After Ninevah’s repentance - mercy and compassion towards those who turn from wickedness Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs With God 3:1-10  God’s reaction v. 10  God possesses the right to replace His wrath with compassion when people genuinely repent of sin Rom 9:15-24 Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  Jonah should have been happy at seeing the “fruits of his labor for God”  Instead, he became “greatly displeased” and “angry” at God sparing Ninevah v. 1  In his anger, he responds to God vv. 2-3 Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  In his anger, he responds to God vv. 2-3  “Was this not what I told you? I knew You to be a compassionate God.”  He admits this why he ran away  Jonah didn’t want what God wanted Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  In his anger, he responds to God vv. 2-3  He may as well had said the words… “I didn’t want Ninevah spared – I wanted her destroyed.”  Jonah preferred dying over living Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  God questioned his reason to be angry v. 4  Jonah “went out from the city…to see what would happen in the city” v. 5  Was he still hoping for Divine calamity?  God had 1 more lesson for Jonah vv Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  God had 1 more lesson for Jonah vv  A plant grew over Jonah, gave him shade (made Jonah happy)  A worm came & devoured the plant, taking away his comfortable shade Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  God had 1 more lesson for Jonah vv  A scorching east wind made him suffer (made Jonah unhappy…longed for death)  God questioned Jonah re: his “right” to be angry about the death of the plant Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  God had 1 more lesson for Jonah vv  Jonah was first angry because Ninevah had not been destroyed  Now, Jonah is angry because a plant has been destroyed Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  God had 1 more lesson for Jonah vv  Jonah defended his “right” to be angry  God reminded him about his “compassion” for the plant for which he had done nothing to create or cause it to perish Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  God had 1 more lesson for Jonah vv  God created the Ninevites Gen 1:26-27  Why could He not have “compassion”… esp. for those who “…do not know the difference between their right & left hand?” Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Jonah Runs Ahead Of God 4:1-11  God had 1 more lesson for Jonah vv  If Ninevah would repent, those who were “innocent” (as well as the animals) would not have to suffer  Why couldn’t God have compassion? Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Things “appointed” by God  For Jonah  A storm 1:4  A great fish 1:17  A plant & worm 4:6-7  A scorching wind 4:8 Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion Things w/o “free will”… could not oppose their purpose

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Things “appointed” by God  For Ninevah  Jonah 1:2 3:2 Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion He possessed “free will”…was greater than the things God used on him Yet, he opposed God’s purpose for him

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Lessons To Learn  Like Jonah, we can become more concerned about things than we do about lost souls needing repentance & God’s compassion  Jonah’s task = our task Lk 19:10 (we can run from it or share in it…our choice) Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Lessons To Learn  Jonah’s feelings were inappropriate  Yes, Israelites were to avoid relationships with pagans like the Ninevites  But they weren’t to oppose God’s mercy on them if they showed genuine repentance Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

An Unbelievable Fish Story Jonah 1-4 Lessons To Learn  It is a story of national repentance  Our nation would do well to consider our own course in light of what Ninevah faced  Like Jonah, we can play an important role in bringing such repentance about Stories From The O.T. That Build Faith & Devotion

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