Jonah / Jews V Gentiles

Jonah (entire book)

God called to Jonah one day and told him to go preach to Nineveh because the people were very wicked. Jonah hated this idea because Nineveh was one of Israel's greatest enemies and Jonah wanted nothing to do with preaching to them!

Jonah tried to run away from God in the opposite direction of Nineveh and headed by boat to Tarsish. God sent a great storm upon the ship and the men decided Jonah was to blame so they threw him overboard. As soon as they tossed Jonah in the water, the storm stopped.

God sent a big fish (some call it a whale) to swallow Jonah and to save him from drowning. While in the belly of the big fish (whale), Jonah prayed to God for help, repented, and praised God. For three days Jonah sat in the belly of the fish. Then, God had the big fish spit Jonah out onto the shores of Nineveh.

Jonah preached to Nineveh and warned them to repent before the city was destroyed in 40 days. The people believed Jonah, turned from their wickedness, and God had mercy on them. Jonah now became angry and bitter because God did not destroy the Ninevites who were Israel's enemy!

Jonah went out of Nineveh and sat some distance away to see what God would do to her. There, God provided a vine to give him shade, and Jonah was glad for it. The next day, God sent a worm to eat the vine. Jonah now sat in the hot sun complaining that he wanted to die. God called out to Jonah and scolded him for being so concerned and worried for just a plant while being unconcerned with the heart condition and lives of 120,000 people who lived in the city of Nineveh.

God is able to use our trials or mistakes to allow others to see Him. It may be painful to admit our mistakes, but...

It is better to obey than to run.

It is better to trust than to rely on our own 'wisdom'.

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Jews V Gentiles (Romans 11:11-15)

We can have the correct premises and yet come to the wrong conclusions.

Optimism is not to be confused with faith. "Have faith"... in? (Chern, 2017)

God used the Gentiles to provoke zeal from the Jews toward Him.

One of the greatest problems the Jews had/have is that they refuse to bow the knee.

When people around you see the christianity that you are living, the life you are living- they want to taste that water.

Do you make people thirsty for Jesus? Is your life being transformed in such a way that people see it and are provoked to zeal for Christ?