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Jonah. You are , or should be turned to Jonah 2:8. Jonah An Excurses. I Propose the we be henceforth called: The Harvester Class Matt 9:37-38 "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
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Jonah You are , or should be turned to Jonah 2:8
JonahAn Excurses I Propose the we be henceforth called: The Harvester Class • Matt 9:37-38 • "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." • ESV
8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. • Jonah’s reference here is not only of others: • The heathen generally • The mariners • He himself has followed idols: • His will • His disobedience • His plan • Now these testify against him • If forsaking The Lord, we forsake our only hope • Every idol of man whispers promises to his heart • All of then lie having no power • None of them can love him • None can bestow mercy • How glorious is Our father that He will condescend to consider us at all!
9 But I with the voice of thanksgivingwill sacrifice to you;what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!" • Jonah reasons by faith that the fact that he is not dead is a harbinger of God’s mercy • By faith he apprehends his deliverance • He expects to see the temple again • He will sacrifice there in thanksgiving for his deliverance • He has made vows • Doubtless they have to do with obedience to the Lords calling • Vows to the Lord are solemn things • Salvation belongs to the Lord • With Jonah’s recognition of this, Jonah is ready to rejoin his world • If the Lord desires the deliverance of Nineveh, then that is His business – Salvation is His to give
10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land. • The fish had more sense than Jonah • A speculation: Jonah was deposited on whatever beach was nearest Nineveh • The Lord is efficient • He will brook no further delay in the execution of His will • The vehicle for Jonah’s punishment has become the vehicle for his delivery • It is dry land • This occurring at sea would have meant Jonah’s death • In bringing Jonah to dry land, He has done all that is required for his salvation
3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you." • The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time under very different circumstances • Now Jonah is greatly changed, but the Lord is the same • The Lord expects alacrity from his servants • His purposes are never thwarted • His desire is to show mercy to Nineveh • Great city – One dirty and reeking prophet accompanied by the Lord will be more than a match for this adversary • The message that Jonah will bring is not his • The Lord has given us the message to bring • He has told us the method • We are not at liberty to modify either
3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. • The will to resist The Lord is gone from our prophet • The word of he Lord – Jonah is now in 100% percent compliance mode • An exceedingly Great city • Some 60 miles around • Its walls are 100 feet high • Three carriages may pass abreast upon them • The are adorned by 1500 towers each 200 feet high • It is a city greater than Babylon in its glory • Three days journey in breadth