Jonah 1: "Can I have your Attention?"

Jonah 1 “Can I Have Your Attention?”

750bc Israel was seemingly in good shape the boarders were good and it was a time of prosperity. With that came pride and idol worship. When things are going good we forget about God.

Vrs 1-3
The Word of the Lord came to=Jonah was a prophet-he was given a message from God for the people.

Jonah=dove Ez. 7:15 mourn as doves over sin Matt 10:16 harmless as doves. When Jesus was Baptized the symbol of the Holy Spirit was a dove and the Holy Spirit convicts of sin.

Am it tie=my truth

Nineveh-flourishing capital of the Assyrian Empire

Tarshish was the farthest known city of that day about 2000 miles away

Paid the fare-running from God costs us something- we always pay a price for sin.. consequences, relationship, money, integrity, reputation, trust of others

Reasons Jonah did not obey.
1. Was afraid of them because they were wicked. Monahan ill
2. Did not feel like it
3. Did not want to see his enemies turn from their sin and God have grace on them. Jonah 4:2 We also find that a few years later God used the Assyrians to bring the northern kingdom into captivity.

God will go to the greatest degree to get you back on tract.
He wants our attention

V4 God is in charge of nature.

V5 even the heathen and the Pagan turn to prayer in a time of trouble. “Our thoughts are with you” Or turning to God

Jonah went to sleep and God was trying to wake him up. It was a wake call to follow God. In life we get wake up calls to follow

V6 I think Jonah was depressed and that is why he was sleeping. He knew he had a call from God and he disobeyed.

V7 “They cast lots” There is no luck or chance. This was a custom when people did not know what to do.

Vrs 8-9 What is your story? We all have some kind of story why we are running from God on certain issues. Or a good reason

Vrs 10-11 The account now becomes more focused on the mariners, what should we do?? If you fear God and he is bringing this storm upon us because of you we are in deep trouble.

What should we do? This is a question we all need to ask about our Salvation: Gospel

V 12 Jonah throw me overboard. 1. Depression wants to die, unless and purposeless. 2. Like Christ a sacrifice.

V13-14 They were reluctant to do it. There are times in life when we must do certain things but we are afraid of what the implications or consequences might be.

V15-16 They threw him overboard and offered sacrifices to God

It seems as though that through Jonah’s original disobedience God used the situation to bring others to Himself.

Maybe you blew it in the past… God can use that
God wants the attention of the unbelievers and believers