An Unsettling Conclusion

An Unsettling Conclusion Additional Study

“An Unsettling Conclusion”

(Jonah 4)

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

Henderson’s First Baptist Church, Henderson, KY

July 2, 2017

 

Where Jonah and God Agree:

John Piper points out four areas where Jonah and God agree:

  1. They agree that Nineveh is wicked.
  2. He agrees that God can save rebels miraculously because that’s what happened to Him.
  3. They agree that it’s God’s nature to be gracious and merciful.
  4. Jonah agreed that God would very likely act this way in the case of Nineveh.

Learn more at desiringgod.org.

 

Jonah’s Plant:

Under what kind of plant did Jonah hide?  We don’t know for sure.  Remember, whatever kind of plant it was, God miraculously made it grow for his purposes with Jonah.  Learn more here.

 

 

The 120,000 in Jonah:

To which people did the 120,000 people refer?  We don’t know for sure.  Check out some different theories here and here.

 

 

The Lord’s Discipline:

God seemed to be gently teaching and disciplining Jonah.  Reflect upon Hebrews 12:3-11 in the New Testament.  God disciplines those whom He loves.

Hebrews 12:3-11

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

 

 

The destruction of Nineveh:

Although God did relent from His destruction of Nineveh during the time of Jonah, the city was eventually destroyed.  Read about it here.

 

 

Major Takeaway:

In order to have the priorities of God, we must love people, rather than our “plant.”

 

Application:

  1. Check your attitude.
  2. Ask yourself, “What is my plant?”