(Jonah 1:1-3 NIV) The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.
JONAH: KNOWN AS “THE RELUCTANT PROPHET.” HIS NAME MEANS DOVE.
AMITTAI: MEANS TRUTH.
NINEVAH: CAPITAL OF ASSYRIA. NINEVEH WAS ISRAEL’S WORST ENEMY.
1) GOD WILL OFTEN ASK YOU TO DO THINGS YOU DON’T WANT TO DO.
(Jonah 1:2 NIV) “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
2) YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND A BOAT SAILING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
(Jonah 1:3 NIV) But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.
3) GOD MAY SEND A STORM TO GRAB YOUR ATTENTION.
(Jonah 1:4 NIV) Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.
(Jonah 1:8-10 NIV) So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)
(Jonah 1:12 NIV) “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
4) JONAH’S WORST NIGHTMARE WAS EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDED.
(Jonah 1:15-17 NIV) Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
