Study 11:  INSTRUCTION AND INSPIRATION FROM JONAH

Jonah 1:1-4:11

In this last study in the book of Jonah, we want to glean some lessons from the whole book.

1. Chapter 1 - Running away from God.

2. Chapter 2 - Reaching out to God.

3. Chapter 3 - Reaching out for God.

4. Chapter 4 - Reasoning with God.

CHAPTER 1

RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD

· Knowing the will of God is one thing, doing that will is another thing.

· From Joppa, Jonah   fled, running   away   to prevent the conversion of Gentiles; from Joppa, Peter followed the Spirit's leading to be used for the conversion of Gentiles.

· It pays to serve Jesus; it pains to forsake His service.

· Jonah paid dearly for running away from God, God paid fully to bring him back to Himself.

· Disobedience is more costly than doing God's will. Preaching the Gospel demands some sacrifice but refusal to preach attracts much suffering.

· The wages of sin are not paid in one lump sum, they are paid throughout the journey of life and the rest will be paid after being thrown into the belly of hell.

· Accommodating and associating with a rebe­llious backslider may cause the loss of peace, property and progress.

· On the stormy sea or in stormy seasons of life, man is willing to lose money and property than to lose his life; he suddenly realises that his soul is more valuable than property.

· The   backslidden   minister   slept   while   the mariners prayed in the storm.

· Sinners are often more sensitive to the divine touch than callous, determined backsliders.

· Jonah's theology was better than his testimony; his confession was higher than his consecration.

CHAPTER 2

REACHING OUT TO GOD

· Passion   in   prayer   is   more   important   than posture   in   prayer.   Jonah   prayed   the   most powerful prayer when he wasn't conscious of his posture.

· A single storm may get us to the place of prayer quicker than many sermons.

Earthly suffering may be the schoolmaster that brings us to the Saviour in order to escape eternal suffering.

Affliction and adversity may soften the heart and make it ready to receive the divine seal and imprint while prosperity may harden the heart.

· Jonah learnt the hard way that trying to avoid difficult missionary assignment may bring us to greater difficulties, misery and afflictions.

· In the darkroom of the guardroom, Jonah developed the true picture of a submissive preacher.

· God is mighty and almighty, He has the power and the tools to soften and subdue the will of man to accept His will to preach and to serve.

· God's chastisement is not meant to make us bitter in self, but better for service. The greatest vow a preacher can make to God is the vow to announce God's salvation to sinners. Those who deny sinners of God's salvation forsake their own mercy.

CHAPTER 3

REACHING OUT FOR GOD

· Jonah's miracle and answer to prayer was to prepare him for his assignment of preaching.

· Restoration to divine favour is God's preparation for our reassignment to evangelise.

· Those who hear God's call more than once must double their consecration to obey the call.

· God   is   tender, understanding, patient and forgiving; but He is also firm. He will not allow His servant to change from the career of preaching the gospel.

· On this side of the grave there may be a second chance to be called to salvation or service but on the other side of the grave there is no second chance.

· Jonah preached God's Word to the city without the help of a supporting team; the lack of having evangelism or soul-winning partners is no ex­cuse for not evangelizing.

· Jonah was a disobedient, frightened prophet, but not a false prophet. God will not send a false prophet or an unrepentant sinful preacher on a missionary journey to the Gentiles.

· God's Word preached faithfully by Jonah was the powerful instrument God used to convict and covert the Ninevites, not Jonah's story-telling of personal experiences in the depth of the sea.

· Preaching on the judgment of God brought the greatest multitudes to repentance and salvation. Nineveh was wicked beyond description, yet the faithful preaching of God's Word brought them to repentance. Many hardened sinners will be converted if preachers are more faithful in preaching the Word of God.

CHAPTER 4

REASONING WITH GOD

· Jonah had the gift of prophecy but not the grace of perception.

· Jonah’s patriotism was stronger than his passion for souls; he saw sinners through Jewish eyes rather than through Jehovah’s eyes.

· Self did not allow Jonah to see beyond his point of view; he missed God’s perspective.

· Jonah’s view of success in ministry was different from that of God. God had to pass him through a painful process to bring him to His point of view.

· Cities are centers of crime and iniquity centers of poverty and degradation, centers of ignorance and sophistication; yet God is concerned for the salvation of city dwellers.

· God hates sin more than we do and He loves sinners more than we do.

· Jonah overvalued the less important things of life and undervalued the eternal happiness of never-dying souls.

· Believers who are slow to evangelise but run after temporary comfort and material possession are like Jonah.

· God reasoned from the divine perspective while Jonah reasoned from the human perspective, so God and Jonah arrived at different conclusions and decisions.

· Preachers who look at men with racial prejudice will miss God’s will and lose God’s best in ministry. Reach out to all men and women with eternity in view. In spite of how men, women and children look outwardly, may their souls be as precious and valuable to you as they are to God.

If you are blessed by these bible study outlines, we' d like to hear from you.

You can email the pastor@deeperlife-liverpool.org.uk with your comments.