Because of the incident of Jonah being swallowed by the sea-creature, many modern scholars contend that the document is pure fiction cf.
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Jesus Christ, however, did not so view it. He appealed to the narrative as genuine history cf. Aside from the fact that this event doubtless involved a miracle, the circumstances are not beyond the realm of possibility even from a natural viewpoint as employed in the providential operations of God. In fact, a number of similar cases have been documented in relatively modern times.
After three days, he was recovered, unconscious but alive, though there was some damage to his skin Wilson , Some, however, dispute the credibility of this story. And, as any schoolboy knows, a whale is a mammal, not a fish. The fallacy of this ill-conceived argument lies in the fact that both the Hebrew word dag , and the Greek word ketos , are generic terms that can apply to any aquatic creature cf.
There is no error here. The book of Jonah demonstrates the sovereignty of the Almighty as he employs his creation to accomplish the divine plan. The Lord controlled the elements of weather Jonah 1: Though Jehovah was working primarily through the Hebrew nation as an instrument for the sending of the promised Seed Genesis This narrative illustrates a truth so frequently suggested in the Old Testament, namely, that the Lord, not man, is in control of the destiny of nations. Jehovah rules in the kingdoms of men and disposes of them according to his divine standard cf.
Nineveh was given forty days to repent. As a result, the nation was spared destruction for about a century and a half. Later, however, when Assyria degenerated again, she was destroyed and the prophet, Nahum, addresses this very matter. Nineveh fell to the Babylonians in B. Jehovah looked down upon Nineveh and observed the wickedness of this people Jonah 1: Since sin is the transgression of divine law 1 John 3: The whole purpose of this novel concept, of course, is to justify adulterous relationships within the family of God!
This record reveals the power inherent within the word of God when such comes into contact with honest and good hearts cf. Again, some critics have faulted the divine account at this point, claiming that so trifling a sermon could hardly have produced the results described. Besides that, historical records reveal that the notable city had suffered severe plagues in and B. This instructive account, together with the inspired New Testament commentary which discusses it, underscores an important dimension to repentance.
Thus, repentance is not, as some allege, a mere sorrow for sin. Rather, it requires a turning away from evil conduct. Moreover, this passage reveals that repentance is a work , and since repentance is essential to salvation Luke An intriguing passage in the book of Jonah illustrates a vital point about the punishment of the wicked after death. The Hebrew term is Sheol.
Jonah’s Resistance
Here it denotes the abode of the wicked prior to the Judgement. Since crying out by reason of affliction certainly indicates conscious suffering, one may conclude that the state of the wicked dead is that of conscious torment—a truth affirmed elsewhere in the sacred record cf. Indeed, it is only faithfulness to him in all of our ways that pleases God.
Riches will come and go, according to the Scriptures. Rather, it is only our faithfulness to him based on our faith that pleases him. He will bless us as he wishes, but riches are no sure guarantee of spiritual power. It is a very painful and difficult passage to read, for the Lord asked Hosea to go and marry a prostitute and have children, who were born out of prostitution.
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So he takes a wife to himself and she soon strays away from him; and yet, he loves her and takes her back. God says in chapter 2 that this is a picture of what Yahweh has been doing with Israel all along. He has called Israel to himself, he has married her and yet she has gone away from him repeatedly.
And so, God pursues Israel, brings her back to himself, and makes plans for a brighter future. We have seen this pattern throughout the Scripture, whether it was in the law, when Israel went away from God and worshiped the golden calf and the Lord forgave them through the intercession of Moses and through prayers of the people; or whether as in the book of Judges, the people constantly went away from the Lord and he took them back because of their pleading with him; or whether it is in Jeremiah 2—6, or whether it is in Ezekiel It is amazing that God forgives Israel.
It is amazing that God forgives us for all the times that we stray away from him and yet repent.
Chapters show us that Hosea suffers more personal humiliation than perhaps any other prophet. Twice he has to love an adulterous woman. There is no doubt that his obedience to God cost him dearly. Yahweh experiences the humiliation of the covenant people worshiping idols. Both God and prophet then pay a huge price to redeem their straying spouses. Few other Biblical tests combine divine and human pain so keenly. God states that there are several sins that the people have committed. Yahweh denounces priests in chapter 4: They are all lovers of adultery and prostitution. They all love Baal worship.
And prior to the days in which Samaria was destroyed by Assyria, the people are told by Hosea that their actions will lead to defeat and to death. But they do not listen. Hosea describes this descent into sin in chapters 5—10 as a spirit of prostitution, of giving birth to illegitimate activities that can only lead to death. But in chapter 11 the Lord says he cannot give the people up.
Jonah Sunday School Lesson for Children
He will continue to reach out to them. He will continue to find ways to bring some of the people to himself. So the prophet concludes the book with a heartfelt call to return to the Lord: Accept what is good and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips. Assyria shall not save us. For in you the orphan finds mercy. I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel. He shall blossom like the lily. He shall take root like the trees of Lebanon. His shoots shall spread out. His beauty shall be like the olive and his fragrance like Lebanon.
Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. The book of Joel is impossible to date with precision; but in the Hebrew tradition, it is linked with other books from the 8th century B. The book of Joel in chapter 1 threatens the people with a great invasion of locusts. God will use natural causes to bring the people to himself, to try to show them about their sins. For, according to chapter 2, the Day of the Lord is coming.
God is sending his judgment. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God. You should hear in 2: God is gracious, compassionate. He is willing to forgive.
But the warning is there, he will not clear the guilty. The day of the Lord is coming. But there is good news about this day of the Lord in a passage cited in Acts 2 that reminds us of Ezekiel 34 and The Lord promises to pour out his Spirit through the day of the Lord.
Introduction
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams. Your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants on those days I will pour out my Spirit. Again, they will be faithful to him and again, they will take his word to the nations. It is always a smaller number on earth of people who follow the Lord. Speaking of judgment and justice, the book of Amos is all about justice, because the Lord mentions several sins that the people have committed. As we look at the book of Amos, in chapters there is a worldwide lack of justice and love.
Amos 1—2 mentions several places in the ancient world and he talks about violence done by one nation to another. In fact, he says in 1: We look in 1: It says in 1: Such atrocities continue to this day. In Judah meanwhile, there is immorality. The text says that the immorality is of such nature that a father and son will lie down with the same prostitute and tells us in Israel Baal is alive and well and that Judah has rejected the law of the Lord. So there is a worldwide lack of justice and love. Chapters highlight the injustice that is in Israel. All this has occurred despite the fact that Yahweh has chosen Israel, according to 3: What are they doing?
Why do they do this? So they can have enough wine. They are sleek and well-fed cows while the poor lack food and shelter. These women love to brag about what they give to God, according to 4: This sort of false worship will not be tolerated. Chapter 4 tells us that these people will go into exile at the hands of the Assyrians. According to chapter 5 they visit pagan worship centers. They corrupt the judicial system. They trample the poor.
They give bribes to keep the poor from receiving justice. According to chapter 6, they are rich and complacent. They lie on luxurious beds and eat choice meats. They enjoy playing and improvising harp music and they drink wine by the bowlful. It is a constant party for these people. What will God do? By now you should know the answer.
The Day of the Lord will punish these oppressors. According to chapter 5, this day will be a day of darkness and terror. It will be a day in which judgment will fall and God will take sin from the land. In fact, Amos 7: God has measured out the people. They will be judged. They are like a basket of ripe fruit that is ripe for judgment. God will wait no longer.
Though the book does emphasize the injustice that comes from a worldwide lack of justice and love in chapters 1 and 2, the injustice in Israel and Judah in chapters will lead to destruction, according to 7: The book ends with a statement of restoration that is quoted in Acts 15 as the early church is thinking about its future.
In other words, God is going to restore the line of David. The Messiah will come. And all nations will benefit from what they do on behalf of the Lord. So Amos 9 ends with emphases we have heard before. He stresses the covenant that Noah mentioned, that God has made with all the nations. He emphasizes Abraham, blessing all nations through his descendants.
He emphasizes the Davidic covenant and he emphasizes the covenant made with Israel through Moses. All of these things are connected images. They come together in the day of judgment, on the Day of the Lord, as the Lord sets all things right in the future. Obadiah is the shortest book of the Hebrew Bible and its message is simple. And the Lord will judge their pride on the Day of the Lord. The book of Jonah is quite frankly the most unflattering portrait of a prophet that we have in the Bible.
Jonah is a true prophet.
10 Great Lessons from the Book of Jonah : Christian Courier
He ministers in the 8th century B. As I mentioned, Hosea serves about to B. We are not sure when Joel ministers. But we think that because he is placed in the 8th century, it is probable that he is placed with the other 8th century prophets in the Book of the Twelve, and he may well have written in the 8th century. Amos serves about the time of Hosea, that is to B. Obadiah, we are not certain when this book was written.