Jonah ran from God. Jonah's journey to Nineveh taught him many things about God's mercy. His journey taught others much as well. These blessings and lessons might not have happened if Jonah had never gone to Nineveh. Are there blessings waiting for you that you and others have not received because you have been running from the will of God?
If Jonah had never gone to Nineveh, the sailors that were with Jonah when he was running away from God, would never have realized the power of God. They saw God's power and feared God when they threw Jonah overboard and saw the raging seas calmed, just as Jonah said they would be. The sailors would never have done what we read in Jonah 1: 16
"Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows."
If Jonah had never gone to Nineveh, Jonah would never have cried out to God from the belly of the fish and said:
"But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.” Jonah 2: 9
Jonah learned some important lessons when he was in the fish's belly for three days. He learned that God answers the cries of the afflicted (Jonah 2:1), he learned that God saved him from the pit of destruction (Jonah 2:6) and when he felt like dying, Jonah remembered the Lord (Jonah 2: 7). When Jonah acknowledged these things, only then did the fish vomit him up on dry land.
If Jonah had never gone to Nineveh, the people of Nineveh would not have heard the word of God. They would not have repented and Nineveh and all its people would have been destroyed (Jonah 3: 6-9).
If Jonah had never gone to Nineveh and the people of Nineveh repented, Jonah would not have gotten angry at God. Jonah would not have had the opportunity to see God's grace in action. Jonah would not have seen the darkness in his own heart toward the people of Nineveh that caused him to be angry with God for God's forgiveness of them. Jonah, to whom much grace had been given, could not give grace to the people of Nineveh.
And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. Jonah 4: 6
If Jonah had never gone to Nineveh, he would not have learned the lesson of the plant God provided him. He would not have experienced the kindness of God who prepared shade for him, even when Jonah was angry that God had spared Nineveh. When God caused the plant to die, Jonah was once again angry with God. Jonah pitied the plant. God was gently showing him that if Jonah could have pity on a plant, surely God could have pity on a city of 120,000 souls, even their livestock! Jonah saw his selfishness contrasted against the merciful love of God.
When we obey God and do what He would have us to do, it doesn't just affect us but those around us as well. We learn from obedience and our obedience blesses others. Where is our Nineveh? What would God have us do that we are running from? What people have not been blessed because of our disobedience?
Comments