Top 5 commentaries on the book of jonah ligonier ministries. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. His experience of three days and nights in the fish is a type of the experience of the son of man mt 12. Jonah or jonas, in the hebrew bible tanakhold testament, is a prophet of the northern kingdom of israel in about the 8th century bce. May 14, 2019 but when jonah learned that the lord gives, and the lord takes away, he responded in anger cf. In this sermon, jerry gifford deals with how the book of jonah ends abruptly with a question. He wanted jonah to go to the city of nineveh to preach a message of salvation and forgiveness. The book of jonah is a missionary book, teaching that the love of. In that prayer he finally got things right with god.
Jonah 1 jonah running from god a sermon by jeremy myers. The book of jonah demonstrates the sovereignty of the almighty as he employs his creation to accomplish the divine plan. Pastor charles preaching series on the book of jonah visit our church website. Jonah sermon lessons from the life of jonah proposition.
A teaching outline for the book of jonah expository. Jonah 2 jonah running into god a sermon by jeremy myers. It occurred to me this week to ask why we have this story preserved of all the possible stories that could have been preserved. The book ends with god attempting to reason with jonah and show him that he ought to shouting from the mountain for gods patience and compassion rather than pining away over selfpity. Most literature proceeds on the assumption that the author. Seeing jesus christ in the old testament book of jonah will greatly aid us in understanding jonah and how jesus could refer to himself as, something greater than jonah matthew 12.
And he does tell the people of nineveh the message that god wants them to hear. The first thing we see in the book of jonah is jonahs disobedience. The book of jonah is more than just a delightful story for children. Craig groeschel jonah messages free church resources. Many critics however want to lower the book of jonah to an allegory, a parable or a legend because of the miracles described in it especially the appearing of the great fish devouring jonah. Like jonah, we need to respond to gods mercy in grateful obedience. Jonah preaches at nineveh now the word of the lord came to jonah the second time, saying, arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that i tell you. But jonahs successful preaching campaign had nothing to do with jonahs ability or the assyrians worthiness. Apr 09, 2007 another story from the bible that many people know of is the story of jonah and the great fish. That is the point of the book of jonah in the old testament. Hosea, joel, amos, obadiah, jonah word biblical commentary by douglas stuart. Few stories illustrate this principle more clearly than the story of jonah. Jonah 3 nkjv jonah preaches at nineveh now the bible. God works miracles through those who obey, though often times our nature rebels against him.
So jonah arose and went to nineveh, according to the word of the lord. The book depicts the larger scope of gods purpose for israel. If you look at numbers alone, it was more effective than any tent revival, more than the apostles in the book of acts, even more than jesus himself preaching the good news. Before we dive into the book, let me provide the historical setting of jonah. Like jonah, we are sometimes called to stand up for, or even preach, the gospel in uncomfortable circumstances.
With this message we begin a fivepart series on the book of jonah. Some weeks ago i sensed god directing me to the book of jonah. And yet the men of nineveh repented at the preaching of jonas. The people did not worship god and they lived in sin. The book of jonah is different from the other minor prophets, for it is the personal experience of the prophet himself. All we say for sure is that god had a purpose beyond human understanding. Jonah is commanded to go east to nineveh but flees toward the westernmost possible point 1. His name was jonah son of amittai from gathhepher near. Best jonah commentaries updated for 2020 best bible. The sign of jonah is interpreted in two ways in the new testament. The book of jonah, or more accurately, the story of jonah is so well known that we can sometimes skip over it and ignore what the true message of the book of jonah is. May your response be guided by the account of this prophets failures, and may god sovereignly bless you as you deliver this book verse to verse to others. Not too long after the ministry of elijah and elisha, another prophet came onto the scene in the northern kingdom of israel during the rule of jeroboam ii 2 kings 14. Jonah s lack of response indicates that he got the point.
Our sermon ideas on jonah will help you preach a powerful message on the difficult commission of god. It was the winter of 2003 and i was attending dallas theological seminary working on a doctorate with an emphasis upon preaching. The prophetic significance of this book not only lies in the short message in nineveh but also in the entire history of jonah described in his book. The way we fully understand ourselves is to compare our selfinterest with gods sacrificial love. Missionaries often talk about jonah, and so we think that jonah is a book about missions. Find top church sermons, illustrations, and powerpoints for preaching on jonah 1. The book of jonah, written primarily in the third person, does not explicitly name the prophet as the author of his own account, but we have no reason to doubt either the inspiration or the historical veracity of the book. Jonah 3 new king james version nkjv jonah preaches at nineveh. We know how god wanted to send jonah to nineveh, but jonah ran from god, got swallowed by a. In the first chapter of jonah we find god calling jonah to a specific task. But when jonah learned that the lord gives, and the lord takes away, he responded in anger cf. It occurred to me this week to ask why we have this story preserved of. Weve gone through the story in years past, but in connection with the book, i want to reiterate it one more time to you. Why is there a book of jonah, and what should it do when you read it or preach it.
Though jonah was a rebellious servant, god forgave him, used him, and tenderly sought to help him overcome his anger. Many remember jonah as a book about jonah and the big fish. The greatest sermon ever preached jonah 3 frank hart. Jonah sermon sermon outline by kevin cauley on the life of jonah and those lessons from it that are profitable for us today date written. A man by the name of jonah was called by god to go and preach in a pagan city. Regardless of which path we chooseobedience or rebellion god is the god of second chances. Not only does sasson go phrase by phrase through the fourchapter book of jonah, discussing the book, discussing sources, but he provides us with an excellent translation, and. Jonah is the book of the bible we want to look at tonight. Sep 12, 2017 exegetical notes on jonah outline of the book of jonah one popular outline of jonah, which could be used in a sermon series, is. Oct 02, 2019 this article will highlight several of the theological themes found in jonah and demonstrate why preaching this short book will be a doctrinally edifying gift to the church. Among its distinctions are the conflict it has caused in interpretation and the vastly diverse creativity of sermons preached from it. Grace in the book of jonah sermon by wade allen, jonah 1.
Preach on topics including obedience, running from the call of god, and gods propensity to forgive the unforgivable. After 12years of fulltime pulpit ministry and having won a preaching award the prior year at the capital bible seminary, i thought i knew. Apr 04, 2020 in other words, if pagan sailors and wicked ninevites could respond with repentance to prophetic preaching, jewishhearers ought to do likewise. The book is replete with irony, wherein much of its humor lies. Now nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a threeday journey in extent. At the end of his sermon somewhere around 200 thousand ninevites repented and believed. This article will highlight several of the theological themes found in jonah and demonstrate why preaching this short book will be a doctrinally edifying gift to the church. We could almost retitle jonah evangelism and the sovereignty. Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. We call this book one of the minor prophets, yet it contains only one prophecy.
Running from god chapter 1 running to god chapter 2 running with god chapter 3 running ahead of god chapter 4. Outline of the book of jonah one popular outline of jonah, which could be used in a sermon series, is. In this sermon we will study the book of jonah and glean some general lessons from the book. Lets examine a few lessons from this old testament prophet. Though nineveh was a wicked city, god gave the inhabitants opportunity to be spared.
Prepare your messages on gods word in jonah with sermon outlines or an entire sermon series. From ideas on sermon topics to how to develop church growth to insight on ministry life, preaching helps pastors develop every area of life and work in ministry. Though the book contains no direct prophecy, the experience of jonah is itself a reflection of the message of god. In other words, if pagan sailors and wicked ninevites could respond with repentance to prophetic preaching, jewishhearers ought to do likewise. Listen to chuck swindolls overview of jonah in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. Throughout the narrative of jonah, it is quite clear that god is an active participant in the story. Seeing jesus christ in the old testament book of jonah. And jonah began to enter the city on the first days walk.
Jonah reminds christians of the extent to which god goes in pursuing us in our rebellion and in. The opening chapter of jonah is set in the midst of an intense storm, a really intense storm. The objection would certainly be raised in our day that jonah was a very poor missionary, entirely devoid of real missionary zeal. Caught in a storm, he orders the ships crew to cast him overboard. The book of jonah the story not so much about a big fish, but the story about a big god.
So the book of jonah is a story about missions, but not in the way that most of us think. Jonah is a great book for young preachers looking to preach a minor prophet. The name jonah means dove in hebrew, but jonahs character is anything but dovelike. Join us as we delve into the story of one man and his journey towards surrender. In way, jonah is about missions because jonah does go on a missionary trip of a sort. Preaching workshop unpacks book of jonah southwestern. Another story from the bible that many people know of is the story of jonah and the great fish. Now, i learnt a pneumonic for the minor prophets heaven just aint. Jesus declared that the men of nineveh repented at the preaching of jonah mt.
The old testament and all the stories therein contained, were written for people living today. How to respond when god gives you a second chance jonah 2. The book contains fascination interaction between men and god, which sasson brings out well. Oct 29, 2016 first baptist church of glenarden, pastor john k. The story is presented much like that of elijah and elisha. Sermons on jonah first presbyterian church, jackson, mississippi. Running from god chapter 1 running to god chapter 2 running with god chapter 3 running ahead of god chapter 4 about jon. If what we read in the book of jonah is not sufficient to convince us that this was a genuine repentance, we do have the words of jesus to confirm it. He is the central figure of the book of jonah, in which he is called upon by god to travel to nineveh and warn its residents of impending divine wrath.
The book of jonah emphasizes gods grace both to nineveh and to jonah. The book of jonah is a missionary book, teaching that the love of god embraces the whole human race, allen said. During the opening session, david allen, dean of the school of theology at southwestern, stressed the importance of preaching the book of jonah because it reveals the missionary heart of god. But jonah s successful preaching campaign had nothing to do with jonah s ability or the assyrians worthiness. To further familiarize all with the book of jonah and the lessons it teaches. Like jonah, we are often more concerned with our own comfort than with loving god and our neighbors as we should. The king of nineveh the hebrew phrase melek nineveh king of nineveh is found in the old testament only in jonah 3.
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