Jonah, The Prophet, "The Price of a Fare"
2Ki_14:25 He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
Someone said that Jonah is the most maligned book of the Bible! And it is because of this one verse. Jonah 1:17
Jonah was indeed a prophet
Jonah prophesied that under King Jeroboam Israel's boundaries would increase.
His name means dove. He brought God's Word – God's Word believed brings deliverance. He sends His Word to be believed, Isaiah 55:7-11.
Jonah is one of four prophets whose ministries Christ specifically referred to by name, Matt. 12:41, The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
One of the reasons the LORD included Gathhepher here as a city in the tribe of Zebulun, Jos_19:13, is to set in order that a Prophet did come out of Galilee, John 7:45-53. (They used: no prophet came out of Galilee as a reason for rejecting Christ) There were two prophets: Jonah and Nahum- their problem was their rejection of Christ; He came out of Galilee.
Exactly what is the Gospel?
It is defined in 1 Cor. 15:3,4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. The death, burial and resurrection of Christ:
The Power of God unto Salvation, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. "To every one that believeth;"
The Preaching of the Cross, 1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Why is it foolishness to them that perish? Because they are blind to the gospel, 2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them
Jesus said, "…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Christ is the work of salvation for you, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6:47
Which Scriptures
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [1]Which scriptures?
Importance of the third (3rd) day. Christ is alive, Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
New Life on the 3rd Day Gen 1:6-13. Jewish marriages were on the third day, Joh 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: the Third day is Tuesday; the day of double blessing. The third day in creation would make the day Tuesday ( God rested on the Seventh-day). You find in Genesis 1: 6-8 God did not say good on the second day, therefore the third Is called the day of double blessing.
The Wedding at Cana, John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: In Jewish customs, they got married on the third day. It was called the day of double blessing. The third day is the beginning of a new life.
Abraham's offering of Isaac Gen 22:4; Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. Heb 11: 17-19, i.e. Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Jonah and the Great Fish Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
Chapter One: "The Price of a Fare"
Jonah 1:1-16
The central person in this book is not Jonah but rather the LORD. The truth of the matter the LORD is the center of all of life. Just stop and think, Act_17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Who can you compare Him with? That is the question He asks of you. Isa 40:18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
In this account, I see the kindness and love of God. It is displayed toward a Gentile nation: this wicked city of more than 500,00 people, Nineveh a great city in Assyria. And it is displayed toward His servant who sinned by his dis obedience but was delivered when he cried out to the LORD.
Jon 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Amittai = "My truth".
Jon 1:2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
The Lord knows and sees all, Pro_5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
Jon 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
Tarshish was about as far as he could get from the land of Israel. It would be like you taking a slow boat to China. It would be more than a year's trip. His thinking may have been that the LORD's presence was with the land of the Jews. He is the only prophet that I know ran from the LORD.
You can always find people and a vessel to take you away from the LORD. 2 Tim. 3:1-5, This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. You better get away from the people that want you to go to Tarshish.
Notice the repeat of the word "down". 1, "…went down to Joppa,…)V 3) – "….and went down into it….." V3) – "……was gone down into the sides of the ship…" V5). When you are running from the LORD or living without surrender to Him you are always going down.
How far down did he go? See Jon 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. and 2:6)
The belly of hell = the unseen world, the place of the dead awaiting. A place of consciousness. See 2:6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my
God .[2] The earth with her bars was about me—Earth, the land of the living, is (not "was") shut against me. for ever—so far as any effort of mine can deliver me. [3] Floundering in the sea, Jonah's initial thought is that he has now been completely rejected by God:…. Having attempted earlier to flee to Tarshish from God's presence, he now finds himself destined for Sheol, where he will be permanently isolated from God.
There is forgiveness with the LORD when you turn to Him. The LORD has His way of bringing you, His child, to the place of repentance, the place of surrender and obedience to Him. Jonah was in a fearful place: Jonah said, I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever:…."
Look at the kindness and love of God toward us. Jonah said I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD and He heard me.
See His promise to us in our confession of sin to Him our Saviour, 1 John 1:9
We will go back and pick up vs 4-6 in the next message – I want to close with 1:7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
The lot was used by the LORD (9 times it is referred to in the Bible). But there are no examples after Acts 1:26 (Something like drawing names but it was used by the LORD to make His selection. See Lev.16:8 in the choosing of the scapegoat). Pro.16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD).
We have now the Holy Spirit. You want to know the Will of God, see Romans 12:1-2. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
You find, know the will of God, when you as a believer in Christ present your body to Him as given in Romans 12:1-2.
Conclusion: Where was Jonah when the storm came? (And this was no ordinary storm.) He was Asleep!
Christians, like Jonah, are running from the LORD and asleep in their comfort zone, Eph_5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
We need to come back to the LORD because of our spouses, families, brothers, sisters, friends. And there is a day of Judgment coming but now is the day of turning back to the LORD, a day of forgiveness: the day of Grace.
What has the LORD sent out for you to bring you to Him?
1:4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. This was no ordinary storm. These were professional seamen and they were fearful of this great storm.
[1] Chuck Missler, Jonah
[2] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 684). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[3] Wiseman, D. J., Alexander, T. D., & Waltke, B. K. (1988). Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 26, p. 126). Downers Grove,
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