Jonah was angry. The enemy pursuers of Israel were at the door. And what does God do? He allows an entire city (the capital city of Nineveh at that) to turn from wickedness and find relief from their sin.
Today Burnadette and Dave are talking through the things that make us run from God. Even though Jonah was God’s man (a prophet) he had what he felt were good reasons to be angry. Injustice. Disappointment. Fear. He was second-guessing God on every level.
There is literally nowhere we can run from God’s presence. Because the Living God is not bound by space-time – He is literally EVERYWHERE – even when we are in the belly of a great fish. Can you imagine how you would smell and what you would look like after 3 days? No wonder the entire city repented (this is my type of humor).
“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” – Matthew 12:38-42
Engage Page: The Running Heart
A Jonah Song: Life Is A Storm
Where does Jonah fit into the big story?