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Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW021232S
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00:19 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written. 00:20 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. 00:23 We're going to look together at the account of someone 00:25 who refused to do what God asked. 00:28 He was given a great responsibility, 00:30 and he told God he simply wasn't interested. 00:33 In fact, he did everything he could 00:36 to not do what God was asking. 00:38 It's an astonishing story of someone who did not want 00:42 to see people saved and actually preferred that they be lost. 00:47 Who in the world would have an attitude like that? 00:50 Well, it turns out that the man with the bad attitude 00:53 was a prophet, who ended up taking history's most famous 00:58 submarine ride in history's most famous fish. 01:03 We're continuing our series "Great Characters of the Bible" 01:07 looking at Jonah. 01:10 The book of Jonah begins like this: 01:12 "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, 01:15 "saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, 01:20 "'and cry out against it; 01:22 for their wickedness has come up before me.'" 01:26 Now, this was more complicated than you might like to think. 01:29 God commissioned Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh 01:32 and cry out against it owing to its wickedness. 01:36 There's a lot to see there. 01:37 Yes, wickedness doesn't escape God. 01:41 He sees it all. He takes note of it. 01:44 But note this: The purpose for Jonah going to Nineveh 01:48 was to call the Ninevites to repentance. 01:51 As wicked as the people were, 01:53 God wanted them to turn from their sins and be saved. 01:57 And that's God. 01:59 The God of heaven wants the very best for people. 02:04 Let's not forget that. 02:05 God loves the people who don't love Him. 02:08 God loves people who turn their backs on Him, 02:10 who ignore Him, people who reject Him. 02:14 And if God loves the lost, we ought to love the lost as well. 02:19 God was asking Jonah to do something about this great city 02:22 and the wicked people who lived there, 02:25 in the hope that they would be saved and not lost. 02:30 The call of Jonah is a call to people of faith everywhere. 02:34 God wants us to do something to share Jesus with others. 02:39 But Jonah didn't want to go. In fact, the Bible says, 02:43 "Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 02:48 "He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; 02:52 "so he paid the fare, and went down into it, 02:55 to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." 02:58 Jonah was serious about not going to Nineveh. 03:02 Tarshish was in the far western Mediterranean, 03:06 in the south of Spain. 03:08 Instead of going just 500 or so miles northeast to Nineveh, 03:13 Jonah was gonna head 2,500 miles west to basically Gibraltar. 03:22 He was not going to Nineveh. 03:26 Now, of course, Jonah was attempting something 03:28 that was completely futile. 03:29 He fled from the presence of the Lord--or at least tried to. 03:34 That was never gonna happen. 03:35 God knew where he was. God knew what Jonah was doing, 03:39 which reminds us that God knows where you are 03:43 and what you are doing. 03:45 God knows. He hasn't forgotten you. 03:47 His eye is on you...always. 03:51 So why did Jonah have such a bad attitude? 03:54 Well, this was Nineveh, the capital city 03:57 of the Assyrian Empire, and the Assyrians were brutal. 04:02 An exhibition of Assyrian art at the British Museum 04:05 in London, England, was said by the Guardian 04:08 to contain "some of the most appalling images ever created"-- 04:13 tongues being ripped out of prisoners, 04:15 those prisoners then being skinned alive, 04:18 beheadings. 04:20 And that's just for starters. 04:22 People were terrified of the Assyrians. 04:25 The book of Nahum was directed to Nineveh. 04:28 Nahum compares the Ninevites to a cruel, ravenous lion. 04:33 "For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?" 04:37 the prophet asked. 04:39 He said, "Woe to the bloody city! 04:41 "It is all full of lies and robbery. 04:44 Its victim never departs." 04:47 And God was asking Jonah to travel there and invite them 04:53 to repent and to inform them that if they did not, 04:57 they would be destroyed. 05:00 Now, if we were looking for a modern parallel, 05:03 maybe this would be like asking a Jew in 1941 05:06 to call Nazis to repentance. 05:08 The Assyrians were oppressors, and God was asking Jonah 05:12 to go to them and invite them to turn to God. 05:17 So this tells us several things about God. 05:19 God knew better than anyone just how wicked the people of Nineveh 05:23 really were, but He saw something in the Assyrians 05:27 that was worth saving, and He hasn't changed. 05:30 God looks at sinners of the worst kind 05:33 and sees what they can be through the power of the gospel. 05:37 You might think your family members or your neighbors 05:41 or the people you work with are beyond redemption, 05:45 but God thinks otherwise. 05:47 And where we might see hopelessness, 05:50 God sees hope. 05:54 But Jonah didn't see it that way. 05:56 He didn't want the Assyrians saved. 06:00 He was full of hate. 06:03 Isn't that something? A prophet with a grudge, 06:06 a prophet who didn't want to see everyone come to God. 06:11 But things didn't work out for Jonah as he had planned. 06:14 They usually don't when you run from God. 06:17 A violent storm arose. 06:19 The mariners feared that their boat was about to be broken up. 06:22 When Jesus was in a similar situation on the Sea of Galilee, 06:26 He woke from sleep to calm the storm. 06:29 But unlike Jesus 800 or so years later, 06:32 when Jonah woke, he couldn't settle the stormy sea. 06:36 Realizing that he hadn't escaped God after all, 06:39 and still determined not to go to Nineveh, 06:42 he told the men to throw him out of the boat and into the sea-- 06:48 anything but go to Nineveh. 06:50 The sailors first tried to row to safety, 06:54 but in vain, as the storm only got worse. 06:58 They appealed to God that they not be held guilty 07:00 for Jonah's death. 07:01 And as it seemed like their only hope, 07:04 they then cast him into the Mediterranean. 07:07 And Jonah was relieved. 07:08 He wouldn't be responsible for the sailors perishing, 07:11 and he wouldn't have to go to Nineveh. 07:13 But God had other ideas. 07:16 And here's where the story gets really interesting, 07:19 and this is where Jonah's story challenges many people. 07:23 A whale? 07:25 Swallowing a man who survived inside the whale? 07:29 Well, sure. First, it likely wasn't a whale. 07:33 The original language says it was a "large fish." 07:37 And when Jesus referred to the event in Matthew 12, 07:39 He actually said "huge fish" or maybe "sea monster." 07:44 Now, there have been stories told of people surviving 07:47 being swallowed by whales. 07:49 Some of those stories have been debunked. 07:51 But whether or not we can find scientific evidence 07:54 to demonstrate that a whale could actually swallow a man 07:57 and then regurgitate him alive, that's not the point. 08:02 It says, "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish 08:06 to swallow Jonah." 08:07 Whatever it was, God prepared it; God worked it out. 08:11 God saw to it that Jonah could take a submarine ride 08:15 in the belly of a creature that He had prepared 08:18 for that purpose. 08:19 And if the event didn't happen, 08:22 it's interesting that Jesus believed that it did. 08:25 He referenced Jonah in the New Testament 08:28 and used Jonah's experience to illustrate His own death, 08:32 burial, and resurrection. 08:34 So Jesus certainly believed that Jonah was swallowed 08:37 by a large sea creature, spent three days inside it, 08:41 and then--well, what happened next? 08:44 And what impact did spending three days in a fish 08:48 have on the reluctant prophet? 08:50 We'll find that out in just a moment. 08:53 ♪[music swells and ends]♪ 09:02 >>Announcer: In the heart of the book of Revelation, 09:04 there's a warning message that will save lives if heeded. 09:07 Learn what the Bible says about the final judgment 09:09 and how to be ready in "Earth's Final Warning" 09:11 of It Is Written's Answers in Prophecy series. 09:14 To receive this free DVD, 09:15 call 800-253-3000 09:18 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 09:22 We would like to share this message with you today. 09:24 Get "Earth's Final Warning." 09:26 Call 800-253-3000 09:28 or visit iiwoffer.com. 09:32 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me today 09:34 on It Is Written. 09:35 He was told by God to take a warning message to Nineveh. 09:38 But Jonah didn't want to go. 09:41 He ran in exactly the opposite direction, 09:44 but was...apprehended by a God who was very patient with Jonah, 09:49 very merciful towards him-- 09:51 and who had and still has a heart for the lost. 09:55 God wanted even the Assyrians to be saved. 09:58 So Jonah was selected to deliver the message of mercy to them. 10:02 After three days inside a big fish of some kind, 10:05 "The Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land." 10:11 So Jonah found himself back where he'd started from. 10:15 He could have saved himself a lot of time and grief 10:19 if he'd only done what God asked him to do in the first place. 10:25 Maybe that's true for you. 10:27 You know, it's always better to do things God's way 10:31 because God only ever wants the best for you. 10:36 When Jonah arrived in Nineveh, 10:37 he was greeted by a truly beautiful city 10:42 that had been developed by Sennacherib, 10:44 the Assyrian ruler named in the Bible. 10:46 It was a big city. 10:48 Samaria in the Bible? Nineteen acres. 10:51 Jerusalem, even today, the Old City covers 220 acres or so. 10:56 Nineveh covered an area of 1,700 acres, 11:00 more than twice the size of Central Park in New York City, 11:04 about 12 times bigger than the mall in Washington, D.C. 11:08 It was a big place. 11:10 In recent years historical sites in the area have been destroyed 11:14 or damaged, but when Jonah arrived in Nineveh, 11:18 it was a stunning city. 11:22 This time Jonah got straight to work 11:25 sharing a direct, pointed message. 11:28 The Bible says, "He cried out and said, 'Yet forty days, 11:32 and Nineveh shall be overthrown!'" 11:34 Now, keep this in mind. 11:36 This really did take faith in God. 11:39 He was clearly a foreigner, and he's in this strange town 11:43 telling people that God is going to overthrow the place 11:47 if the people don't repent. 11:50 The response was stunning. 11:53 "So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, 11:57 "and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 12:02 "Then word came to the king of Nineveh; 12:04 "and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, 12:07 covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes." 12:10 It was an amazing thing. 12:12 They responded to the appeals being made to them 12:15 by the Spirit of God. 12:17 "And he caused it to be proclaimed and published 12:20 "throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king 12:22 "and his nobles, saying, 12:24 "'Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; 12:30 "'do not let them eat, or drink water. 12:33 "'But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, 12:35 "'and cry mightily to God; 12:38 "'yes, let every one turn from his evil way 12:40 "'and from the violence that is in his hands. 12:43 "'Who can tell if God will turn and relent, 12:46 "'and turn away from His fierce anger, 12:49 so that we may not perish?'" 12:51 Interesting. The decree even called for the people 12:54 to turn away from their violence, 12:57 not what you'd expect to hear in a place like Nineveh. 13:00 But this is what happens when the Holy Spirit gets hold 13:04 of a person's heart, and this is what happens 13:06 when the word of God is proclaimed. 13:09 This was a profoundly wicked place. 13:12 The Assyrians worshiped a plethora of gods. 13:15 Assyria had the first standing army in all of history. 13:19 And the national god, Ashur, was credited with bringing victory 13:24 and granting military power. 13:26 But something happened here. 13:28 The people steeped in sin responded to Jonah's message. 13:35 Two things I wanna point out. 13:37 One, sometimes God sends you to places you don't want to go 13:42 because He has a purpose that you can't see. 13:46 Did Joseph want to go to Egypt? 13:48 No, he did not. 13:49 He was sold into slavery. There was nothing good about that. 13:54 He was falsely accused, wrongfully convicted, 13:57 imprisoned, betrayed. 13:59 Even when he was liberated, he was still living 14:02 in a foreign country separated from his father. 14:05 But the Bible says in Psalm 105 in verse 17 14:09 that God sent Joseph to Egypt. 14:13 And He sent him there for a purpose. 14:15 God could see what was coming. 14:17 God wanted a man there so He could provide a safe haven 14:20 for His people. 14:21 And in light of their captivity, 14:23 their release was so much more remarkable. 14:26 God allowed Daniel and his friends to be taken captive 14:28 to Babylon because He had a great purpose there. 14:32 John was a prisoner on the island of Patmos, 14:34 but it was there that he wrote the book of Revelation. 14:37 So if you find yourself in a place you would rather not be, 14:41 remember that you might be there because God is about to do 14:44 something great, either in you or through you. 14:49 And here's the second: If you're sharing your faith, 14:52 there are people who will respond. 14:55 If the people of Nineveh could respond to an appeal from God, 14:59 that means anyone can. 15:02 Don't lose hope for your family. 15:04 Don't ever give up on your wayward children, 15:06 your wandering parents, your neighbors, 15:09 the people you study with or work with or work out with. 15:13 God is at work. 15:15 I recently spoke with a friend who told me that he had been 15:17 praying for a family member for 30 years to come to Jesus. 15:22 Finally, the breakthrough, 15:24 and now that family member is living a life of faith, 15:28 loving God, growing spiritually. 15:31 You might not be able to see God working, but He's working. 15:35 Who would have thought that wicked king Manasseh 15:38 would have turned to God in faith? 15:41 Who would have thought that Nebuchadnezzar, 15:43 idol-worshipper Nebuchadnezzar, would ever turn to God in faith? 15:47 But he did. 15:49 If you were a Christian shortly after the death of Jesus, 15:52 you wouldn't have believed it if someone told you 15:54 that Saul of Tarsus had joined the church. 15:58 In fact, the Bible tells us that 16:00 "all who heard were amazed, and said, 'Is this not he 16:04 "'who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, 16:07 "'and has come here for that purpose, 16:09 so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?'" 16:13 And there's a third thing. 16:15 It's related to Jonah, who, even after the Assyrians repented, 16:20 incredibly was not amused. 16:25 I'll be right back. 16:26 ♪[music swells and ends]♪ 16:35 >>Announcer: In the heart of the book of Revelation, 16:37 there's a warning message that will save lives if heeded. 16:40 Learn what the Bible says about the final judgment 16:42 and how to be ready in "Earth's Final Warning" 16:44 of It Is Written's Answers in Prophecy series. 16:47 To receive this free DVD, 16:48 call 800-253-3000 16:51 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 16:54 We would like to share this message with you today. 16:57 Get "Earth's Final Warning." 16:59 Call 800-253-3000 17:01 or visit iiwoffer.com. 17:05 >>John Bradshaw: Standing on a railroad station platform 17:08 in a small town in South Australia, 17:10 Gen. Douglas MacArthur uttered some of history's 17:13 most famous words when he boldly declared... 17:16 >>Gen. Douglas MacArthur: I shall return. 17:19 >>John: Having escaped the ferocity 17:20 of the Japanese military, MacArthur promised to return 17:24 to the Philippines and bring liberty to people 17:27 captive in their own country with little hope of freedom. 17:30 ♪[uplifting music]♪ 17:31 Two thousand years before, Jesus made the same promise 17:34 to a captive world when He assured people from every age 17:38 that, "I will come again, and receive you unto myself." 17:43 The return of Jesus to the world is a major theme of the Bible. 17:48 But what does the Bible really teach about the return of Jesus? 17:53 And how can you be ready for that awesome day? 17:56 Don't miss "I Shall Return" 17:58 on It Is Written TV. 18:02 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 18:05 >>John Bradshaw: He was asked by God to offer salvation 18:08 to a group of people, and he didn't want to. 18:11 In fact, he flat-out refused. He was asked to go here, 18:15 and he went in another direction altogether. 18:18 Swallowed by a fish and transported back 18:20 to the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, 18:23 Jonah finally made it to Nineveh. 18:26 He warned the people: 18:28 "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" 18:32 Astonishingly, the people repented. 18:36 The proud king of the mightiest empire of the day 18:39 humbled himself in sackcloth and ashes 18:42 owing to the ministry of a foreign prophet. 18:46 And the Bible says, 18:48 "Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; 18:52 "and God relented from the disaster that He had said 18:55 He would bring upon them, and He did not do it." 19:00 What a relief! The city would not be overthrown. 19:03 The people would be spared. 19:05 You would think that the evangelist would be thrilled. 19:08 He had made an appeal, and every person in the city responded. 19:13 They surrendered themselves to God. 19:16 They turned from their sinful ways. 19:19 It was one of history's most stunning revivals. 19:23 If Jonah went home and told his friends that everyone 19:26 living in the least-likely city on the planet 19:29 had turned to faith in God, 19:31 you'd think that would be cause for celebration. 19:34 But Jonah wasn't celebrating-- quite the opposite, in fact. 19:39 The Bible says, "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, 19:44 and he became angry." 19:46 Angry? But wait, it gets worse. 19:49 "Ah, Lord [God], was not this what I said 19:53 "when I was still in my country? 19:55 "Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; 19:59 "for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, 20:03 "slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, 20:06 One who relents from doing harm." 20:09 Look at what Jonah was saying: 20:11 "I knew You'd do this. I knew that You would save them." 20:14 Jonah was worried about his reputation, 20:17 worried that people would consider him a false prophet. 20:20 Nineveh wouldn't be destroyed after all. 20:22 And he was enraged that God spared Nineveh. 20:25 Verse 1 of chapter 4 could read, 20:27 "It was evil unto Jonah, a great evil." 20:32 What a guy. Think of the hypocrisy here. 20:35 When Jonah disobeyed God, running to the south of Spain 20:39 instead of northern Iraq, God spared Jonah. 20:44 There was a raging storm, Jonah goes into the sea, 20:47 and God saved him by entombing him for three days 20:50 in a sea creature. 20:52 God saved Jonah in his disobedience, 20:56 but Jonah was angry the people of Nineveh were saved. 20:59 He was happy to receive mercy, 21:02 but not so happy to extend it to others. 21:07 Jonah was so upset that he begged God to take his life. 21:12 So God asked him, 21:13 "Is it right for you to be angry?" 21:16 Jonah stormed out of Nineveh and sat and waited to see 21:20 what would become of the city. 21:21 Maybe he thought that the people would change their minds 21:24 and that God would ultimately destroy them anyway. 21:27 But as he waited, God caused a plant of some kind 21:31 to quickly grow up over Jonah and provide shade for him 21:35 from the hot sun. 21:37 Jonah liked that. 21:38 It says that he was very grateful for the plant. 21:41 But the next day, a worm damaged the plant, 21:45 and it withered and died. 21:47 And Jonah was angry again, this time, angry that the plant died. 21:53 When God asked him if it was right for him to be so angry, 21:55 he said, 21:56 "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" 22:01 He was out of control, totally unreasonable. 22:05 And God brought it home to Jonah when He said, 22:09 "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, 22:12 "nor made it grow, 22:13 "which came up in a night and perished in a night. 22:18 "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which 22:23 "are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons 22:25 "who cannot discern between their right hand 22:28 and their left-- and much livestock?" 22:31 Jonah cared more for a plant 22:35 than he cared for the people of Nineveh. 22:38 So let's look at this. 22:40 Jonah simply couldn't be reasoned with. 22:43 He was irrational, illogical. It was madness. 22:49 The Ninevites repented when a foreign prophet showed up 22:53 from out of nowhere, but Israel refused to repent, 22:57 even though prophets pleaded with them for hundreds of years. 23:02 The 10 northern tribes went into captivity 23:04 and were absorbed by the surrounding nations. 23:07 The southern tribes were taken to Babylon 23:08 before returning to Jerusalem, 23:10 even though God pleaded with them to turn to Him. 23:15 Also, history shows that ultimately 23:18 Nineveh's repentance didn't last. 23:21 It wasn't too long after this that they were back to invading 23:23 and pillaging and destroying and conquering. 23:27 Why they turned back? We don't know. 23:30 But we do know the devil is relentless. 23:34 And we know turning away from God makes no sense at all. 23:39 Is God calling you? 23:42 If He is, follow Him and don't turn back. 23:46 Have you wandered away from God? 23:48 Well, return. Don't even wait a moment. 23:52 When God calls, you want to respond and not delay. 23:57 And what about Jonah? 23:59 This is how prophets act? 24:02 Well, no. Well, yes and no. 24:06 This is how a faulty person acts. 24:09 But what we see is that God will use a faulty person, 24:12 which means we ought to be a little longsuffering 24:14 with others, and we should realize that God will use people 24:18 who have faults, people like... like you and me. 24:23 David--faulty. 24:25 Solomon... [exhales dramatically] 24:27 Abraham, Moses, Peter-- God uses faulty people 24:33 because that's all God has at His disposal. 24:38 We're all faulty. 24:39 Jonah? 24:40 Well, Jonah was just... Jonah was just one of us. 24:45 The story of Jonah tells us a lot about Jonah, 24:48 but it also tells us a lot about God. 24:52 God asked someone to go to save His people, 24:55 to call them to turn. 24:57 He was patient with the people of Nineveh-- 25:00 and patient with Jonah, 25:01 who was so stubborn and, and so ungracious. 25:04 God worked miracles to get through to Jonah 25:07 and to reach the lost Ninevites. 25:10 But what's interesting is that the story of Jonah 25:12 doesn't really resolve. 25:15 It ends with a question: 25:16 Shouldn't I be merciful? God asks Jonah. 25:21 The answer is obvious, but Jonah's response isn't recorded. 25:26 Maybe this suggests that Jonah had to think about it. 25:30 It definitely suggests that you and I ought to think 25:33 about that question. 25:34 "Shouldn't I be merciful?" God asks. 25:37 Yes, He should. 25:39 And then what about us? 25:41 We're to enter into that mercy, to share it, 25:44 and to experience it. 25:46 We don't have to like what people stand for 25:49 in order to love them. 25:51 God is still looking for Jonahs 25:53 who would share a message of mercy with others 25:56 and for people who would receive His mercy. 25:59 How is it with you? 26:01 Have you accepted the mercy of God? 26:03 Is the God you believe in gracious, merciful, 26:07 kind, loving? 26:10 Is He calling you to turn to Him? 26:12 That's the God of the Bible. 26:15 Let that God melt your heart, draw you to Himself, 26:19 and keep you with Him for all eternity. 26:25 >>John: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 26:27 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 26:30 To support this international life-changing ministry, 26:33 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 26:38 You can send your tax-deductible gift 26:39 to the address on your screen, 26:41 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:44 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 26:47 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 26:51 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:56 >>John Bradshaw: Let me pray with you now. 26:57 Our Father in heaven, the story of Jonah 27:00 causes us to stop and think about the attitude of a man 27:05 who did not want to see Your grace and mercy 27:07 extended to others, 27:08 and I would pray that we would never manifest that attitude, 27:12 but no matter who we're interacting with, 27:15 no matter what our circumstances, 27:17 our burden would be for the salvation of others. 27:19 And I would ask also that we would remember 27:22 what the book of Jonah tells us about You, 27:25 that You are gracious and longsuffering with Jonah, 27:29 that You were merciful to the Assyrians, 27:32 that undoubtedly You would extend that same love, 27:35 mercy, and grace to us. 27:38 Lord, move in our hearts that we would accept all You offer us. 27:42 Keep us, save us, bless us, we ask You, 27:46 in Jesus' name, amen. 27:50 Thanks so much for joining me. 27:51 Look forward to seeing you again next time. 27:53 Until then, remember: 27:56 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 28:00 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 28:04 ♪[dramatic theme music]♪ 28:24 ♪[music ends]♪♪ |
Revised 2021-04-06