By Gabe Hall
INTRODUCTION
- Jonah was a prophet of God during the reign of King Jeroboam in Israel, from the city of Gath-Hepher. (2 Kings 14:25)
- Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire, which eventually took the northern kingdom (Israel) captive, around 100 years after Jonah.
OVERVIEW
“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” – Psalm 103:8
“Chesed” (Heb.) = “loving kindness; mercy; favor.”
CHAPTER ONE
- “The word of the Lord came.”
- (Hebrews 1:1, 2)
- Jonah fled to Tarshish.
- Jonah paid his own fare. (Romans 6:23)
- The Lord sent a mighty wind.
- Everyone cried out to “his god.”
- Jonah was asleep in hull of the ship. (Matthew 8:23-27)
- Crew cast lots. (Matthew 27:35; Acts 1:26)
- Jonah’s confession and the sailor’s trust.
- Sailors tried to spare Jonah.
- Sailors acknowledge the Lord and worship Him.
- Jonah as a willing sacrifice.
- (John 10:18; Matthew 20:28)
- In the belly of the “great fish.” [“dag gadol”] (Matthew 12:38-41; 16:4; Luke 11:29-32)
- (Classroom story)
CHAPTER TWO
- “From the belly of Sheol.” (Ephesians 4:9) (Psalm 139:8-12)
- Down to the depths.
- “Chesed” (v. 8)
- The Lord spoke and the fish obeyed. (v. 10)
CHAPTER THREE
- “The word of the Lord came.”
- On to Nineveh, the great city.
- Jonah preaches the coming of the Lord’s destruction. (Matthew 3:2)
- The people repent (“shub”) and fast. (Hebrews 6:1; James 2:14-17)
- They believed God’s word.
(1 Thessalonians 2:13)
- God is faithful to His word.
CHAPTER FOUR
- Jonah’s anger. (Luke 15:11-32)
- Strange reasons. (“chesed”)
- Jonah would rather die than see Nineveh spared.
- Jonah waits outside the city to see the outcome.
- The Lord “prepared” a plant, a worm, and a wind.
- Jonah again wishes death.
- God speaks with compassion.
(cf. Job 38:1-3)
- The “chesed” of the Lord.
(Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9)
RUN BABY RUN
Lyrics and Music by Jason Upton
I've been calling you to go to the city
I've been watching you every day
Now I'm paying for a one way ticket
For a ship that sails the opposite way
But you laugh and you cry
And you live and you die
'Cause you don't really know
Who you are
All alone in this world
Orphan boy, orphan girl
'Cause you don't really know
Who you are
Run, baby run
My hands release you
Baby run, baby run
As fast as you can
Run ‘til your legs lead your heart
To the real truth
You're My daughter, My son
Run, baby run, baby run
Hear Me laughing as you run from your calling
See Me crying in the storms that rage
One way or another, you will be going
To obey is such an easier way
But you laugh and you cry
And you live and you die
'Cause you don't really know
Who you are
All alone in this world
Orphan boy, orphan girl
'Cause you don't really know
Who you are
Run, baby run
My hands release you
Baby run, baby run
As fast as you can
Run 'til your legs lead your heart
To the real truth
You're My daughter, My son
Run, baby run, baby run
Run baby run
Run, baby run
My hands release you
Baby run, baby run
As fast as you can
Run 'til your legs lead your heart
To the real truth
You're My daughter, My son
Run, baby run, baby run
Go ahead and run baby run baby run
My hands release you baby run baby run
I release you
Go ahead try to run away from Me
Run, run, run away from Me
You end up running right into Me
Run, run, run away from Me
You end up running right into Me
I’m your
I’m your Father, My daughter, My son
Run baby run
Run baby run baby run
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