Overview
By Janice Hall
Scripture Lesson Text: Jonah 1:7-17
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This unit of lessons is entitled: Jonah : A Resistant Prophet. The prophet Jonah was found ministering in the northern kingdom of Israel, during the times of 784-772, B.C. God gave instructions to Jonah to give a message of forthcoming destruction in the city of Nineveh. Jonah did not obey the Lord’s commands and fled in the opposite direction to Tarshish, and found himself on a ship with an oncoming storm. God was disciplining Jonah despite the love he had for him.
This brings us to the central passage of our text today, where we learn about the source and the solution to the storm. After a series of inquiries, the sailors became aware of the cause of the great storm. Jonah knew the consequences of his actions were causing everyone to suffer, but yet the sailors did not want to comply with Jonah’s request to be tossed overboard. In desperation, they called out to the true and living God because of what they about to do.
The storm was too much to handle and at this point they tossed Jonah overboard and miraculously the sea became calm. The sailors embodied with a greater fear “ offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows”. God had already prepared for a great fish to swallow up Jonah, to spare his life. We see and realize God disciplines us because as His children He yet loves us.
Related Scriptures
By Doug Smith
Related Scriptures: 2 Kings 5:15-19;Numbers: 26:52-56 ; Acts: 17:24-27
> In 2 Kings 5:15-19, Elisha was steadfast in his refusal of Naaman’s money. Naaman felt it was appropriate to support the ministry of this man of God, whom the Lord use so greatly. The Hebrew ‘ lean on the hand’ does not imply physical support, but that he was the king’s right hand man.( ref: 2 Kings 7:2, 17 ). Naaman had a keen awareness of God’s power. He acknowledged that there was only one true God.
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> In Numbers:26:52-56, God spoke to Moses concerning how the land of Canaan was to be divided. The tribes with the larger numbers of people should possess a larger
> portion, and to the lesser a smaller portion. The larger tribes received more territory because they had more families to divide among them. The apportioned land would be as an inheritance, remaining within the family, and not to be permanently sold or transferred.
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> In these passages of scripture, Acts 17: 24-27, Paul explained the one true God to these educated men. They had built an idol to their unknown god. Paul spoke about the God who created everything yet is distinct from the creation. In Paul’s explanation to these philosophers, he started at the beginning. Paul told them of the responsibility to God because we are His offspring.
Practical Points
By Raufu Spagnoletta
1) No one can outrun God:
“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.( Jeremiah 23:24). “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there” (Psalm 139:7-8).
Hebrews 5:7, gives the backdrop of Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and Matthew 26:39, 42, records his prayers. “Who in the days of His flesh, when He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared.” “O, My Father, if if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” ” O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, thy will be done.”
Jesus has given us a portrait of how we are to surrender the will of the flesh to the will of God. Prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears… without restraint! Pride drives us from God but humility disarms the spirit of pride and realigns us with God’s purpose and plan!
