THE BOOK OF

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THE BOOK OF JONAH!
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WALT DISNEY OR THE WORLD OF FANTASY CAN'T TOP THE
STORY IN THE BOOK OF JONAH! YETJESUS STAMPED IT
WITH AUTHENTICITY!!! WITH JESUS' APPROVAL (THE
ONLY MINOR PROPHET HE QUOTED) IT BECOMES
OF GREAT INTEREST TO US!
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THINK OF JONAH AS THE "PROPHET OF THE DEATH,
BURIAL AND RESURRECTION" OF JESUS!
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BACKGROUND MATERIAL! WRITER JONAH, Son of
Amittai11. TIME _at_ 790 B.C.Jeroboam
II2Kgs.1425. TO ISRAEL (For Teaching
Purposes???). SUBJ Threatened Destruction of
Nineveh34. a) 8-Word Telegram "Yet 40
days..." b) P.S. Nineveh Repented! c) 150
Years LaterWouldn't repent to Nahum!
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PURPOSES! 1. TO SHOW ISRAEL THAT GOD LOVES
ALL a) Even His enemies12 ..their
wickedness... b) Rom.211 ..no partiality with
God... 2. TO REVEAL ISRAEL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO
FOREIGNERS! a) Even their enemiesAssyrians. b)
12 ..go to Nineveh...cry against... 3. TO
PREPARE THE JEWS FOR THE WORLD- WIDE OUTREACH OF
THE GOSPEL a) Mk.1615f ..go into all the
world...
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SOME UNUSUAL CHARACTERISTICS 1. BIOGRAPHICAL
VS WARNINGS! a) Commissioned, Fled, Storm,
Fish... b) Then Obedience! 2. THE ONLY MINOR
PROPHET ASSOCIATED WITH MIRACLES a) Storm,
Fish, Gourd, Wind, Worm. 3. ONLY MINOR PROPHET
WHOSE MAJOR ACTIVITY WAS AMONG FOREIGNERS! 4.
MENTIONED BY JESUSMat.1238ff.
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LET'S CONSIDER THE NEW TESTAMENT'S USE OF THIS
BOOK! 1. JESUS USED TO ILLUSTRATED HIS DBR a)
Mat.1238-40 ..as Jonah was three days... 2.
USED TO WARN ABOUT "HEARING" HIM a) Matt.1241
..a greater than Jonah is here... 3. NINEVEH'S
REPENTANCE BECAME A GOOD EXAMPLE 1. Warned
Jews of Jonah's Day Ours!
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LET'S "GLEAN" SOME LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF JONAH!
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CAN'T HIDE FROM GOD OR FROM YOUR
RESPONSIBILITIES! Ps 1397-8 7 Where can I go
from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your
presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are
there If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are
there. Heb 413 Neither is there any
creature that is not manifest in his sight but
all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of
him with whom we have to do.
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MANY TRY TO HIDE FROM GOD TODAY! 1. REFUSE TO
TRY TO QUALIFY AS a) Elders. b) Deacons. c)
Preachers. d) Teachers. e) Workers. 2. LEARN
THE LESSONYOU CAN'T "FLEE" FROM GOD OR
RESPONSIBILITY!!!
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THERE IS A "MESSIANIC THREAD"! 1. JONAH, A TYPE
OF JESUS CHRIST a) Jonah/Jesus both were "sent"
from God" 1) Jno.316f For God so
loved...sent..." b) Both experienced a
Burial/Resurrection 1) Lk.2353 ..laid it
(Jesus) in a tomb... c) Both sent to "warn"
about sin. 1) Jno.824 ..you will die in your
sins... d) Both had a universal message 1)
Mk.1615f Go into all the world...
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THERE IS DANGER IN DISOBEDIENCE! 1. DANGER TO
ONESELF12 a) Cf. Jonah Storm and Great
Fish! b) US Death Hell w/o Repentance! a)
Mat.1341f ...cast into a furnace..fire... 2.
DANGER TO OTHERS a) Sailors14ff (Ship
endangered) b) Innocents in Nineveh410f c)
The LOST Today 1) Mk.1615f
..Go..believes...baptized... 2) Gal.61
..overtaken...restore...
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THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER! 1. HE HEARD THE
NINEVITES a) 410ff ..when God saw how they
turned... He repented... 2. HE HEARD GENTILE,
CORNELIUS a) Acts 101ff, 31 "..prayers...a
memorial... prayer has been heard... 3. HE
PROMISES TO HEAR US TODAY a) Mat.77f
...ask..receive..seek..find..know.. be opened...
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GOD WANTS ALL PEOPLE TO BE SAVED! 2 Peter 39
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as
some men count slackness but is longsuffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance. THIS IS
ILLUSTRATED IN THIS BOOK 1. Patient with His Own
(Jonah)31. 1. Forgiving of the sinful310.
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GOD IS PATIENT TODAY WILL YOU "OBEY" GOD, OR
"FLEE" FROM HIM AS DID JONAH! 1. IF NEVER
OBEYEDDO IT NOW a) Mk.1615f Acts 238 2.
IF, LIKE JONAH, BEEN FLEEING FROM GODGO TO
NINEVEH--REPENT a) Acts 822 1Jno.19
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YOU MUST FACE THE LORD IN JUDGMENTYOUR OWN
CONSCIENCE VERIFIES THIS ARE YOU READY TO MEET
HIM? WILL YOU REPENT AS NINEVEH DID OR WILL YOU
PERISH? JESUS SAID IT WOULD BE ONE OR THE
OTHERLk.133!!!