Week 6

1. Week 6

2. How do you react when God prompts you to do something quite difficult or inconvenient? • Do you tend to obey God joyfully, or follow Him grudgingly; or simply ignore Him? • What excuses do you make?

3. External and Internal Situation in Israel when Jonah began to Preach Quick Review of Week 5 ….

4. The Sins of Jeroboam • New Places of Worship • New Forms of Worship • New Priesthood • New Holy Day • Subjugated Church to the State

5. Ancient Near East “Dark Ages” End:The Rise of Neo-Assyria

6. Assyria Heads West, Again • Following both internal and external revolts against Shalmaneser III late in his reign, Assyria remained in a state of weakness through much of the rulership of his son and successor Shamshi-Adad V (824-811 B.C.) • Not until the reign of Adad-Nirari III (811-782 B.C.) did the Assyrian power really revive and take the road to conquest again • In 806 BC he takes his army into Syria for the first time in three decades • Adad-nirari attacked and defeated Syria, taking extensive tribute from Ben-hadad • Assyria’s western expeditions continued until 802. The entire west became tributary to Assyria. • Adad-nirari’s campaign in the west relieved Syrian pressure on Israel, making him Israel’s “savior” during the last days of Johoahaz (2 Kings 13:5) • This verse illustrates that God also used one foreign power (Assyria) to deliver His people from the hand of a more immediate oppressor (Syria) • In a stelae found in Nineveh, Adad-nirari says: "I received the tribute of Jehoash the Samarian, of the Tyrian [ruler] and of the Sidonian [ruler].“ • After the death of Adad-Nirari in 803, Israel under Johoash, son of Jehoahaz, was able to inflict defeat on Syria

7. Assyria • Adad-nirari III (811 - 783) • Imposed tribute on Aram-Damascus (Syria), Phoenicians, Philistines, Israelites, Edomites, and others • Probably the “savior” of 2 Kings 13:5 who allowed Israel to escape domination by Aram-Damascus • Army rebelled against monarch – deposed him Israel • Jehoahaz (814 – 789) • Jehoash (789 – 782) • Continued struggle with Syria • Paid tribute to Adad-nirari III • Elisha dies during his rule • Jeroboam II (782 – 753) • Greatest king of Israel’s 200 year history • Time of prosperity and ease Judah • Joash (835 – 796) • Amaziah (796 – 767) • Defeated the Edomites • 785: Lost war with Jehoash

8. Assyria Goes Home • After the Assyrians attacked and defeated Syria, they suddenly stopped their advance toward Palestine and returned to Nineveh • This abrupt retreat unwittingly set the stage for a surge of Israelite wealth and power that had steadily waned following Solomon's reign • In the absence of foreign domination, Israel's prosperity and influence began to grow • Assyria experienced a half century of decline when it had to contend with its own internal affairs as well as with threats from Urartu in the north, it greatest rival in the eighth century BC

9. JONAH

10. Assyria • Shalmaneser IV (782 - 773) • Son of Adad-nirari III • Remembered as weak and inept • May reflect the preaching of Jonah (780) Israel • Jeroboam II (782 – 753) • Amos preaches against easy life (760) • Hosea preaches against unfaithful Israel (755) Judah • Amaziah (796 – 767) • Also known as Uzziah in the Old Testament

11. Golden Age • The word of the LORD spoken by Jonah concerning Jeroboam's reign was being fulfilled • At the expense of Syria, Israel was expanding as far northeast as Damascus and as far north as Hamath • Judah was also expanding their territory and profited from their relationship with Phoenicia, which controlled trade in the Mediterranean world • All of these factors created a new Golden Age for Israel and Judah

12. Israel and Judah in the Days of Jeroboam II and Uzziah • Uzziah and Jeroboam II were strong leaders who presided over a time of prosperity that had not been seen since the time of Solomon • Cities were re-conquered, lost territory regained, and the Transjordan trade route was secured throughout the territory • The two kingdoms were at peace with each other; there was a feeling of great confidence and optimism • However, not everyone benefited from this prosperity. The wealthy were very, very wealthy. Archeological findings at Samaria revealed beautiful buildings and furniture with ivory inlays • But the poor did not share in this prosperity. The State did not protect them from the dishonest practices of business, and the courts offered no redress since judges were corrupt • Moreover, while people practiced religion, it was often not the religion devoted solely to Yahweh, but was often syncretized (mixed) with the religion of Ba’al • Finally, the prophets were forbidden to prophesy, and the Nazarites were corrupted and forced to drink wine (2:12) • Thus, socially, morally and religiously Israel, which superficially looked in great shape, was actually falling into a dangerous decay.

13. Israel’s Spiritual/Moral Decline An ivory that decorated furniture in Israel • Israel’s economic prosperity led to: • Self-indulgence • Exploitation of the poor • Sexual immorality • Pride • Idolatry • Legal corruption • A society divided between the unrestrained rich and the embittered poor • Ironically, this spiritual and moral descent occurred while religion flourished • The people faithfully attended the shrines at Bethel, Dan, Gilgal, and Beer-sheba • They offered their sacrifices • They believed that their relationship to God would protect them from disaster

14. … Now Week 6

15. The Structure of the Book of Jonah • Scene 1:Jonah’s First Call (1:1-3) • Scene 2: The Storm at Sea (1:4-16) • Scene 3:Jonah’s Deliverance & Prayer(1:17 – 2:10) • Scene 4:Jonah’s Second Call(3:1-3a) • Scene 5:Jonah’s Preaching Converts (3:3b-10) Nineveh & Yahweh Changes His Verdict • Scene 6:Jonah’s Response to Yahweh’s (4:1-3)Change of Verdict to Save Nineveh • Scene 7:Yahweh’s Provisions and (4:4-11)Jonah’s Response

16. Herman Melville, Moby Dick “Heaven have mercy on us all – Presbyterians and Pagans alike – for we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending.”

17. Jonah 1:1-3 SCENE 1 1Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. • What is meant by the phrase “the word of the LORD” in verse 1? • How did the Word of the LORD come to Jonah?

18. The Word of God • Hebrews 1:1-2 -- “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” • John 1:1-3 and 14 -- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” • How does the Word come to us? • How is the way the Word comes to us different from the way it came to Jonah? • How is it the same?

19. Jonah 1:1-2 1Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” • What does God command Jonah to do? • Where did the LORD command Jonah to go? • What was he supposed to do when he arrived there? Why?

20. The City of Nineveh Genesis 10:8-12 – “Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.” • The Hebrew word gadol(“great”) occurs several times in the book of Jonah. This word is used to describe the city of Nineveh in both Genesis 10:11-12 and Jonah 1:2. • In what ways was Nineveh great? • When was Nineveh founded? • Who was the city’s founder? • How does the text depict this man?

21. Jonah 1:1-2 1Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” • In Jonah 1:2, Nineveh is also described as “evil.” The Hebrew word used here is ra’ah. As we’ll see in the course of this study, ra’ahis important recurring word in the book of Jonah. • Why is ra’ahan appropriate description of the Ninevites? • How might the terrifying reputation of the Assyrians influenced the way Jonah responded to the LORD’s call to go to Nineveh?

22. 2 Kings 17:1-8 “In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel, and he reigned nine years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him. Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria. And Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison. Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced.” • The events described here took place around 722 BC, sixty years or so after Jonah’s mission to Nineveh. What did the king of Assyria (Shalmaneser V) do to Israel? • What insight do these verses give us into Jonah’s rejection of God’s call to go to Nineveh?

23. In light of all this, how do you imagine Jonah might have felt about God's command to “call out against" Nineveh?

24. What was the Purpose of Jonah’s Mission? Why did God want him to go to Nineveh and preach to the very people who, some sixty years on, would be responsible for the total destruction of Israel? • To stir up the people of God • To declare the message of salvation to the nations beyond Israel • To foreshadow the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ

25. Jonah 1:1-2 1Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” • Who are the people, or groups, who we easily think of as "enemies"? • Are there any groups or types of people who might think the church sees them as "enemies"? • What can we do to show them compassion?

26. Jonah 1:3 3But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. • How does Jonah respond to God's command? • What do you think of Jonah's actions here?

27. Jonah was from Gath-hepher, a small town in the Galilee region near Nazareth • Jonah was directed by God to “arise, go to Nineveh” which is Northeast of Israel • But Jonah went down to Joppa which is Southwest of Israel in the opposite direction To Nineveh Gath-hepher

29. Let’s Examine How Other Prophets Responded to the Call of God

30. Call of Moses: Exodus 3-4 “Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” … Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’” The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—“that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” … But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” • What did Moses say to the LORD in response to His call?

31. Call of Isaiah: Isaiah 6 “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” • How did Isaiah respond to seeing the Lord in glory? • How does he respond to God’s call to go?

32. Call of Jeremiah: Jeremiah 1 “Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” • What did Jeremiah say in response to his call from God?

33. What did Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah do after the LORD called them? • What did Jonah do when the LORD called him? • Normally prophets protest their inability to speak • Moses protests that he is not a man of words • Jeremiah fears that he does not know how to speak • Isaiah insists that his lips are unclean • But Jonah goes the opposite direction – without saying a word!

34. Jonah 1:1-3 1Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. • Why could it have easily remained hidden until God spoke to Jonah in Jonah 1? • What kind of things is it easy for Christians today to worship instead of God without noticing? • What does Jonah appear to love more: his country or his God? • Why would this truth not have been easy to spot in 2 Kings 14?

35. Divine Interruption • Put yourself in Jonah's shoes and try to imagine what this divine interruption was like • You are enjoying a successful ministry among God's people • You are well known and well appreciated for your celebrated prophecy about restoring the borders of Israel • You feel settled, fulfilled and contented, but now the Word of God disturbs your comfortable 'Christian' life • God is calling you to leave the people you love, move to a new location and venture into an uncertain future • Your assignment is to serve people of another race, who regard you as an enemy, and you are to do this by speaking 'against' the great city of Nineveh • Instead of prophesying blessing on God's people, your new calling is to pronounce judgment on God's enemies • Nothing in this new calling is attractive to you; it all seems like an overwhelming loss

36. Imagined Conversation with God “Jonah, I want you to go ... " "Lord I am really happy with what I am doing for You here." "I want you to do something else." "You want me to leave the work I love?" "That's right." "Where do you want me to go?" "Nineveh." "That's in enemy territory. There are terrorists and torturers there. What do you want me to say?" "Preach against the city, because its wickedness has come up before me."

37. God-Centered Life? • Nothing is more disturbing to our comfortable faith or our comfortable church than God's passion for the world • Jonah was happy serving people of his own race, but when God called him to serve people of another race, in a country hostile to his own, the selfishness of Jonah's heart was exposed • The prophet known and acclaimed for his fruitful ministry had lost touch with God's heart and God's mission to the world • Jonah was a long way from navigating a God-centered life, but no one, not even the prophet himself, would have known it until God stepped in

38. Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” • What is God's purpose for Israel among the nations? • Jonah wants God only to bless Israel. How does this clash with God's promise to Abram? • How should Genesis 12:1-3 affect Jonah's response toward God's commissioning of him?

39. Ways of Escaping God • Our busy schedules … we don't pause to reflect and read Scripture because we're afraid of what we'll hear • Our accomplishments … we justify our lack of obedience to God and relationship with God through what we've managed to achieve, or what we still need to achieve • Our needs … when God helps us, then we'll respond in faith and obedience • Or we might simply get on with following God in all kinds of ways except one, which we consider too hard, unrealistic or demanding, and which we quietly ignore • We may think Jonah foolish in his attempt to flee from God (and we'd be right)! But how do we sometimes live this way ourselves? Are there any areas of your life in which you are currently resisting God's direction and living at cross-purposes with the Lord?

40. How God Interrupts Your Life • God's Word came to Jonah with such force and directness that there was no doubt in Jonah's mind that God was speaking and that God was sending him to Nineveh • Being a prophet meant that Jonah received direct revelation from God • It's different for us. God speaks to us through the Scriptures, and since the Bible does not contain individual instructions on where you should live, whom you should marry, or what work you should do, God's interruptions in your life will usually come through secondary means • An interruption may come through unwelcome decisions by other people, or through circumstances beyond your control • Something unexpected happens and your whole life is completely different • You lose the life that you love and you face a future that you fear • So let's look at some examples of what God's interruption might look like in your life today

41. God InterruptingOur Ministry

42. Jim and Julie's New Assignment • Jim and Julie had served as missionaries for ten years • They were the first couple to join the field when the mission began work in the country where they serve • Making the move half way round the world from their home in the American Midwest took extraordinary courage • Learning a new language and adapting to an alien culture seemed an impossible task, but Jim and Julie persevered • After a decade of hard work, a small but robust fellowship of local Christians had been established with about fifty believers meeting in homes for worship, teaching and encouragement • Jim and Julie were like mother and father to these people … this mission church had become their life • However, early last year their denomination adopted a policy calling for missionaries to move to a new assignment after ten years • Someone from the home office visited with them to talk about what this would mean … it was not an easy meeting

43. Jim and Julie's New Assignment • "You don't understand," Jim said. "These believers need us here. We're not in a position to move to another town." • The man from the home office pressed his point. "These believers belong to Christ, not to you," he said. "As long as you are here, they will depend on you. They won't step up and take responsibility unless and until you move on.“ • "Besides," he continued, "the mission you signed up for was to reach this country, and there are other towns where new churches could be planted. You have shown great courage in leaving your home and building a new life here. Now we are asking you to leave this work and bring the gospel to another community." • After the meeting Julie told Jim that she would "rather go back home than put up with being pushed about like this" • She felt it was up to each missionary to decide what is best for his or her own situation, and she didn't have a good word to say about the man from the mission home office • Imagine you are this couple. How would you react? • Is it God’s will for you to move on to a new location? • What is being exposed here?

44. God InterruptingOur Job

45. Michael's Company • As his wife was pregnant with their first child, Michael made the decision that he wanted to start his own business • He had grown weary of working for people who cared more about themselves than their customers; he wanted to create his own software company, where he could glorify God with the way he & his team acted toward customers & employees in the marketplace • Michael wanted to set a godly example for his family, & felt sure he could do this better by building his own company based on godly values than by carrying on with frustrations of his present work • With a child on the way, he felt called to pursue this dream now • Under his leadership, Michael's new company thrived • Prospective customers, talented employees, and shrewd investors were drawn to his company's fresh way of doing business • As the business grew, Michael received many accolades • Three years after the company's founding, he was named one of the top one hundred entrepreneurs in the country • Shortly thereafter, his Christian college alma mater asked him to deliver the commencement speech at its graduation ceremony on the topic of "Godly values in the world of commerce." • Things were going better than he could have ever dreamed

46. Michael's Company • One day, Michael's investors called to tell him they had received an unsolicited bid to buy the company • The offer made financial sense for all of the company's stakeholders, and opened the door for Michael's company to reach new markets around the world • The problem for Michael is that he would no longer be the CEO • The acquiring company wanted to keep him on as vice-president of product management • Instead of being the leader, Michael would have to be a follower • But Michael had got so used to his role as the unquestioned person in charge that the idea of working under the direction of someone else was making him uncomfortable • Michael knew that the takeover made sense for his employees, for his customers and for the investors; but the change wouldn't be easy for Michael • So he began taking actions that slowed down the deal, and soon he was at the point of jeopardizing it altogether • Michael started out with a vision of modeling godly values in which he cared for his employees and customers • But the takeover was uncovering hidden layers of self-interest in his own heart of which he had not even been aware • Think about your current work situation. • Are you modeling Christ in your dealings with people? • Has God changed your work over the years (different job, new place, different boss) that caused you to grumble and complain? • Has God revealed hidden layers of self-interest in your own heart?

47. God InterruptingOur Family

48. Angela's Daughter • Angela had raised two daughters without support from her husband, who walked out shortly after their younger daughter was born • Living in a small town, she had survived in large measure through the help of her family and friends, all of whom were deeply involved in the local church • When her husband left, Angela determined that she would make a success of raising her family • She found a part-time job and then poured herself into providing a stable, loving and God-honoring home for Christine and Stacy • Angela's daughters had all the advantages of a thorough grounding in truth; she taught them to memorize Scripture verses, and led family prayers at the end of their meals • The girls made good friends in the youth group, and God used them to lead other girls in their school to faith in Christ • People in the church commented on the sweetness of these girls and how their modest charm was a credit to their remarkable mother

49. Angela's Daughter • Angela met regularly with three other women who had covenanted together to pray for their children • These women encouraged each other in maintaining ordered and godly homes, but none of them exceeded Angela in putting their high aspirations into practice … Angela's energy astonished her friends • Her disciplines were exemplary, and her capacity to handle the bumps and bruises of life seemed greater than the other women, who were doing the same job without having to work and with the support of a loving husband

50. Angela's Daughter • Angela's eldest daughter, Christine, married her high school sweetheart and settled with her husband a few miles from her mother's home • They attended the church and usually came 'home' for Sunday lunch; Christine was her mother's joy and delight • Stacy was another story … as a senior at college, she hooked up with Kamal with whom she had almost nothing in common • Hearing that Kamal was not a Christian, Angela was immediately anxious, and her anxiety was intensified as Kamal seemed reluctant to visit their home, and was largely uncommunicative when he did • Stacy's sweetness seemed to vanish overnight, and Angela noticed that her younger daughter was becoming increasingly withdrawn • There was a tension in the home when Stacy was around, something Angela had not experienced before and did not know how to handle