Jonah 1:17-2:10

We're going to start reading in verse 17 of chapter 1 and go through all of chapter 2.

In chapter 2, we have the prayer of Jonah from the belly of the big fish.

! We're not sure if it's a whale.

All it says is a big fish.

VeggieTales says it was a whale, but that's just VeggieTales.

As we read through it, you will hear a man in desperation,

a man who is saddened by his choice,

and ultimately a man who is praying a prayer of repentance.

Jonah is brought face to face with God's sovereignty.

Jonah feels the weight of his sin.

He rejoices in God's mercy.

And he commits to do exactly what God had commanded him to do in the first place.

Going to Nineveh.

Now these observations can help us as we live out this Christian life.

As we struggle to live and to do the will of God.

And as we, by God's grace, are perfected by his work in and through us.

So as we study, let's pray that God would speak and teach us through this prayer of Jonah.

Let me say this as we dig in.

This prayer, as you can see from verse 1,

it's a prayer that Jonah prays from the belly of the fish.

But Jonah does not acknowledge the fish.

He does not talk about his situation.

He talks about God saving him from his desperation, from being close to death.

But he doesn't talk about being in the fish.

I think that's clear because when I first read this, I thought, well, the belly of Sheol.

There's some language here that he's definitely talking about being in the fish.

But Jonah is praying this prayer, but none of it is talking about being in the fish.

So as we go through this, kind of pay attention to that.

And I hope that I'm clear enough that I can communicate that to you.

So the first thing that Jonah does in this prayer is that Jonah admits God's sovereignty.

Verse 3,

For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas and the floods surrounding me.

All your ways and your billows passed over me.

If I was to pick one thing so far in the book of Jonah that has been clear,

one thing I would say is the sovereignty of God through chapter 1 and chapter 2.

God's shown his sovereignty in a lot of things.

Creation, the sea, the wind.

Jamie and I have a rule in our relationship that we try,

we've had it for quite some time, probably our whole entire life of knowing each other.

We do not use extreme statements.

We do not use never or always.

I'm usually guilty of this more than she is.

The reason being is, once you say that statement,

it just leads to arguing about something silly.

Because really, you can never say always or never.

It's just kind of, it's not really a good idea in marriage anyway.

Take it from me.

But this morning, I have to say, I have to use an extreme statement.

You cannot never, ever, ever, never, never read Jonah and not see the sovereignty of God.

You cannot read it and miss the sovereignty of God.

It is evident in God hurling the wind at Jonah.

It is evident at the sea obeying.

It is evident at the ship considering to break apart.

And now, in chapter 2, at the end of chapter 1, verse 17,

God, the Lord appoints a great fish to swallow Jonah.

In fact, one commentator said with that verse,

verse 17 of chapter 1 and verse 10 of chapter 2,

where God showing His sovereign rule over creation, over a big fish,

he says that He wishes that those two verses were never written.

That the big fish was just done away with.

Because these two verses are more questioned and argued than most any verse in Scripture.

Questioned and argued even to the point of dismissing the entire Bible.

Because surely a man cannot live in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights.

Now, I was tempted this week to come to you with scientific proof that a man can live in a big fish.

Something that has happened in history.

And I was convicted not to do that because then I would just be using science to prove the Word of God

instead of faith accepting that this is the Word of God and it's truth.

And we have to accept the fact that God appointed a great fish,

whatever type of fish this is,

and in doing so God exercised His sovereignty.

The sovereignty of God is something that Christians like to say.

We in church say it, yes, God is sovereign.

We believe that.

But I don't think we understand it completely.

Even if we say we understand it, I don't think we take it to the end result.

For some of you, the sovereignty of God, this topic is a treasure to you.

You love it.

You get excited inside thinking about God being ruler of all.

For others of you, it might just be like pennies.

They have value.

It's important.

But if you see it on the sidewalk, you may or may not pick it up.

But I want all of us to leave here this morning with the doctrine of God's sovereignty

to be treasures for all of us.

And so with that in mind, I would like to just take a few minutes

and define what the sovereignty of God is

and then unfold this prayer that Jonah is praying.

So what is the sovereignty of God?

First Chronicles 29, verse 11 and 12 says,

1 Chronicles 29:11

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty.

For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.

Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

Both riches and honor come to you and you rule over all.

In your hand are power and might.

And in your hand it is to make great and give strength to all.

Simply put, the sovereignty of God is God is God.

Simple.

God is God.

He is the most high.

He is supreme.

He is king of kings.

He is lord of lords.

What that means is nothing compares to him.

Angels, demons, greatest presidents, world leaders, disciples, apostles, Lucifer,

all are under his authority.

God and the rest.

In his book, The Sovereignty of God, A.W. Pink says it this way,

The sovereignty of God of Scripture is absolute, irresistible, and infinite.

When we say that God is sovereign, we affirm his right to govern the universe,

which he has made for his own glory just as he pleases.

We affirm that his right is the right of the potter over the clay,

that he may mold that clay into whatsoever form he chooses,

fashioning out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor.

We affirm that he is under no rule or law outside of his own will and nature,

and that God is a law unto himself,

and that he is under no obligation to give account for his matters to any.

This has to be understood.

We have to understand that God is sovereign.

Because if we don't, it's almost like the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland.

Because once she fell into that rabbit hole, her world changed.

Her entire perspective changed.

And she didn't stop until she reached the bottom,

which ended up being an imaginary place.

Now, if we don't believe the sovereignty of God,

our perspectives change,

and we don't end up until we reach the bottom,

which is believing in nothing.

And nothing, at least,

nothing objective,

at the least.

Meaning,

unchangeable,

nothing solid.

A.W. Pink also says,

in a word,

to deny the sovereignty of God

is to enter upon a path

which, if followed,

to its logical terminus,

is to arrive at blank atheism.

In the book of Jonah,

as I've already mentioned,

God shows His sovereignty over creation,

but He also shows His sovereignty over His mercy,

His grace,

His salvation.

Okay?

If a judge shows mercy to a criminal,

if the judge says,

I'm going to let you go,

no charges,

you're free to roam,

it is the judge's mercy that was given.

He is the author of that mercy.

It was His mercy to give,

and He chose to give it to the criminal.

The same way for God.

God is the author of His mercy,

and He is sovereign over that mercy.

And He chooses to give mercy

to whom He will give mercy.

Romans 9.15,

Exodus 33.19,

I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,

and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.

Hard truth.

We as human beings

do not have right to the mercy of God.

We don't have right to that.

Otherwise, it would not be mercy at all.

It would be payment or wages earned.

And the same is for grace.

God is sovereign,

which means He is sovereign over creation,

sovereign over grace,

over His mercy,

and over His salvation.

And in this story,

we have God providing salvation,

showing Jonah mercy

by His sovereign hand.

So,

the sovereignty of God

is important.

It's important to understand.

It puts perspective

for you and for me.

Jonah's prayer in chapter 2

is a prayer of repentance.

Acknowledging the sovereignty of God

is an important aspect of repentance.

Jonah admits God's sovereignty.

I've read you verse 3.

For you cast me into the deep,

into the heart of the seas,

and the floods surrounded me.

All your ways and your billows

passed over me.

You cast me into the deep.

Jonah's not saying that

he's the one at fault.

Jonah's acknowledging that

my bad, almost.

I'm the one who messed up.

I was the one thrown overboard.

However,

you, God,

allowed it,

or permitted it,

to happen,

so that you can receive glory.

All your ways and your billows

passed over me.

He's admitting God's rule

over His creation.

It's as A.W. Pink,

as the potter,

rules the clay.

Romans 9 reminds us of that.

The reason it's important

to admit God's sovereignty

is when we realize our place,

when we see who God is,

how great He is,

how supreme He is,

we're left in awe

and shame

of our inadequacies.

I would say it's almost

like a plumb line.

Some people like to say

that God is more

like a plumb line.

And my problem with that

is we would try to

line up with that plumb line.

And that's not really

what the sovereignty of God is.

And it's not up here

because

we don't look at it

and see ourselves.

I think it's more like a window.

We look through a window

and we see the goodness of God.

We see God's

greatness,

His righteousness,

His justice,

His holiness.

But looking back at us,

covering up what we just saw

is our,

who we really are.

And

we have to have

that proper perspective.

We have to be able

to see who God is,

but in reality,

know who we are.

Otherwise,

why would we repent?

Historians have said

that we look to history

so that we don't make

the same mistakes.

Well, for us,

we look to history

so that we see

what God has done

and what He's doing

and what He's going to do

for you and for me.

And proper perspective

is vital to

a godly,

repentant heart.

So Jonah admits

God's sovereignty.

Second thing that Jonah does

is he feels

the weight of his sin.

Verse 2

and then verse 4

and verse 6.

Verse 2 says,

I called out to the Lord

out of my distress

and He answered me.

Out of the belly of Sheol

I cried

and you heard

my voice.

Down to 6.

Then I said,

I am driven away

from your sight

yet I shall again

look upon your holy temple.

The waters closed in

over me

to take my life.

The deep surrounded me.

Weeds were wrapped

about my head

and the roots

of the mountains.

I went down

to the land

whose bars

closed upon me

forever.

The author

gives us a picture

of a man

in desperation.

a man who felt

like he had been

eaten by death

not by a big fish.

Out of the belly

of Sheol

I cried.

Now when we see

a word like belly

and we know

that he's been

swallowed by a fish

we automatically say

well he's talking

about the fish.

What he's talking

about is

deep down

the furthest

you could go

out of the belly

of Sheol.

Sheol in the Bible

most of the time

refers to the realm

of the dead

or place of the dead.

Those that are

separated from God.

For us

this text

has

this meaning

has two meanings

for us.

This word has

two meanings.

Jonah admits

that he's separated

from God

which he had already

admitted in chapter 1

I'm running

from the presence

of God.

I am no longer

in God's will.

And second

it means that

Jonah believed

he was going

to die.

He had reached

the point

of despair

and in his

last moments

or seconds

he cried out

to God

and God

showed mercy

and heard him.

See we

I think we have

a low view

of sin

and a

high view

of ourselves.

here

Jonah

after

making his

mistakes

and being

disobedient

and coming

to this point

he now has

a low view

of himself

and a high

view

of sin

because

of course

he admits

God's sovereign

hand in this

situation.

Now

let me put it

this way

if you stole

a pen

or a notebook

from the

school bookstore

we would all

say that's

that's not a

really big deal

just take it

back

or go pay

for it

three bucks

or whatever

it is

it's really

not

that

huge

but it

is a sin

and sin

is an offense

against a

holy

infinite

God

so

when we

sin

stealing

a pack

of gum

candy

bar

a pencil

a car

this is a

big jump

we sin

against his

righteousness

which then

makes us

guilty

and deserving

of hell

see our

perspective

wants to

say

no big

deal

just

take it

back

pay

for it

you know

you slap

on the wrist

you stole

a pencil

who hasn't

stolen from

the workplace

or whatever

but to

God

it's

serious

sin

is way

more

sinister

than we

admit

when we

sin

we are

telling

God

that he

does not

deserve

our

praise

and our

respect

we're

saying to

God

you are

not

God

I am

God

and this

is

important

to me

even

if it's

something

as small

as stealing

a pack

of gum

or a

pen

and

Jonah

is

face

to

face

in

desperation

acknowledging

the sin

that he

committed

he sees

it

he has

the weight

of it

pushing

him

to

the

bottom

of

the

sea

he

says

I

went

down

in

verse

six

I

went

down

to

the

land

whose

bars

closed

upon

me

forever

he

was

sinking

further

and

further

down

he

felt

he

was

trapped

like

bars

of

a

prison

butterfly

he

was

imprisoned

by

death

now

as a

pastor

and I

know

Nathan

would

agree

and if

you

guys

have

a

pastor's

heart

you

would

agree

I

don't

want

to

see

any

of

you

in

Jonah's

spot

I

don't

want

to

see

anybody

in

Jonah's

spot

the

point

of

desperation

and

then

you

finally

cry

out

to

God

oh

well

God

is

sovereign

God

is

ruler

of

all

maybe

I

should

acknowledge

him

the

truth

of

the

matter

though

is

that

sometimes

for

us

it

takes

a

situation

like

this

or

situations

see

I

want

and I

know

Nathan

feels

this

way

I

want

to

be

able

to

communicate

things

to

you

lay

it

out

right

in

front

of

you

you

guys

accept

it

we

all

accept

it

we

all

walk

out

of

here

changed

redeemed

people

being

sanctified

being

perfected

and

go on

our

merry

!

way

and

everybody

is

victorious

in

the

life

of

following

Christ

doesn't

end up

that way

does it

we

tend

to

end up

like

Jonah

and

probably

in fact

I know

this is

why

a book

like

Jonah

is

in

the

Bible

not

to

say

look

what

God

can

do

with

a

big

fish

although

that's

important

but

to

say

that

you're

going

to

mess

up

that

you're

going

to

be

in

desperation

but

God

is

going

to

be

merciful

God

is

going

to

provide

salvation

for

you

and

he's

going

to

prove

his

goodness

and

prove

his

sovereignty

and

prove

his

mercy

to

you

even

in

this

repentant

prayer

of

Jonah

we

see

the

depravity

of

man

for

Jonah

waited

till

he had

no

hope

he

waited

and

then

he

cries

out

to

God

this

prayer

is

talking

about

him

sinking

in

the

water

weeds

coming

around

him

you know

not only

does our

does our

situation

around us

our

circumstances

however

hard

they

are

make

us

make

us

feel

the

despair

and

hopelessness

that

comes

with

sin

but

also

the

reality

of

no

longer

being

in

God's

plan

no

longer

doing

what

God

had

commanded

us

or

called

us

to

do

that

causes

desperation

and

hopelessness

as

well

that's

just

evidence

of

God

working

though

God

showing

himself

to

us

even

in

this

despair

verse

4

says

I

am

driven

away

from

your

sight

yet

I

shall

again

look

upon

your

holy

temple

now

our

our

sin

no

matter

what

it

is

pack

of

gum

or

fleeing

to

Tarshish

separates

that

fellowship

from

God

being

driven

away

from

God

from

his

sight

but

the

second

part

of

that

verse

there

is

hope

yet

I

shall

again

look

upon

your

holy

temple

Jonah

knew

God

was

merciful

and

knew

that

he

would

be

rescued

on

earth

or

after

death

we

we

must

never

ever

ever

I'll

say

an

extreme

statement

we

must

never

ever

ever

look

on

sin

without

serious

consideration

and

weighty

thought

sin

is

serious

stuff

it

breaks

our

fellowship

with the

heavenly

father

and

Jonah

in this

prayer

we see

evidence

of

that

brings

desperation

and fear

of death

point

number

three

we'll

see

the

observation

number

three

here

Jonah

admits

God's

sovereignty

he

forgot

my point

he feels

the weight

of his

sin

and

Jonah

rejoices

in

God's

mercy

verse

six

second

part

of

verse

six

verse

seven

Jonah

describes

the

situation

sinking

the

waters

closed

in

over

me

to

take

my

life

the

deep

surrounded

me

seaweed

weeds

were

wrapped

about

my

head

at

the

roots

of

the

mountains

I'm

sinking

further

and

further

down

yet

you

God

that

yet

you

brought

up

my

life

from

the

pit

oh

Lord

my

God

when

my

life

was

fainting

away

I

remember

the

Lord

and

my

prayer

came

to

you

and

to

your

holy

temple

to

God

showed

mercy

on

Jonah

by

providing

a

big

fish

to

swallow

him

up

to

teach

him

and

to

take

him

in

the

proper

direction

direction

that is

that is

less

north

and

south

and

east

and

west

but

in

line

with

what

God

wanted

done

and

the

message

that

he

was

to

bring

to

Nineveh

see

this

verse

seven

end

of

six

verse

seven

is

the

turning

point

of

the

prayer

Jonah

who

was

in

despair

describing

his

situation

sinking

has

been

shown

mercy

albeit

miraculously

by a

big

fish

swallowing

this

guy

up

God

reached

down

and

grabbed

Jonah

from

death

he's

turned

from

gloom

and

from

despair

in

this

prayer

to

worshiping

God

singing

his

praises

because

he

who

once

was

dead

is

now

alive

he

was

certain

felt

he

was

certain

to

die

he

who

was

blind

can

now

see

God

showed

mercy

to

a

man

who

ran

from

him

in

complete

disobedience

that

is

good

news

for

you

and

for

me

that

is

great

news

for

you

and

for

me

God

reaching

down

to

a

person

who

was

drowning

in

sin

whose

selfishness

was

wrapped

around

his

head

who

was

sinking

deeper

and

deeper

into

sin

and

showing

mercy

to

that

person

see

we

have

evidence

in

the

book

of

Jonah

that

Jonah

knew

God

was

merciful

he

knew

it

this is

in

verse

2

of

chapter

4

this is

his

reason

why

he

didn't

want

to

go

to

Nineveh

in

the

first

place

oh

Lord

is

not

this

what

I

said

when

I

was

yet

in

my

country

that

is

why

I

made

haste

to

flew

to

Tarshish

for

I

knew

that

you

are

a

gracious

God

and

merciful

but

I

don't

think

Jonah

really

knew

I

don't

think

Jonah

really

got

it

until

God

showed

Jonah

mercy

until

Jonah

was in

despair

and

death

did

he

get

it

that

God

is

merciful

guys

you

and

me

before

Christ

are

dead

we

are

drowning

in

our

sin

we

get

it

or

we

have

the

ability

to

get

it

that

God

is

merciful

and

Jonah

gets

it

now

and

he

rejoices

in

God's

mercy

so

when

we

sing

songs

about

mercy

when

we

sing

songs

about

God's

great

mercy

and

great

salvation

we

should

rejoice

not

just

sing

it

because

it's

what

we

do

in

church

because

we've

been

shown

this

same

mercy

that

Jonah

was

shown

and

what

follows

Jonah

rejoicing

in

God's

mercy

is

my

last

point

Jonah

follows

God

and

commits

to

do

what

he

had

commanded

him

to

do

being

the

recipient

of

God's

mercy

doesn't

doesn't

just

lead

to

worship

although

that's

what

we

were

created

to

do

we

were

created

to sing

his

praises

to

worship

God

but

we

know

that

worship

isn't

just

an

act

of

song

or

an

act

of

something

you

do

on

Sunday

morning

but

worship

is

a

life

worship

is

living

out

glorifying

!

God

in

everything

that

we

do

!

being

the

recipient

of

God's

mercy

doesn't

just

lead

to

worship

but

it

also

leads

to

obedience

and

worshiping

God

in

that

obedience

so

verse

nine

Jonah

closing

down

his

prayer

but

I

with

the

voice

of

thanksgiving

acknowledging

what

God

had

done

will

sacrifice

to

you

what

I

have

vowed

I

will

pay

Jonah

commits

to

do

what

God

commanded

at

the

beginning

of

the

book

so

what

I

have

vowed

I

will

pay

is

reference

to

what

God

commanded

in

the

first

place

it's

not

it's

not

the

vows

that

that

the

sailors

made

at

the

end

of

chapter

one

Jonah

is

making

a

vow

to

say

God

you

commanded

it

I

heard

it

clearly

I

went

the

other

way

I

am

going

to

do

what

you

said

in

the

first

place

I

am

going

to

be

obedient

to

you

because

you

have

shown

me

great

mercy

God's

mercy

is

shown

by

his

actions

towards

us

by

saving

us

by

providing

a

big

fish

by

pulling

us

up

out

of

the

depths

of

sin

by

giving

us

daily

pieces

of

mercy

and

grace

but

he

also

shows

us

mercy

by

allowing

us

to be

part

of

what

he

is

doing

by

inviting

somebody

like

Jonah

to be

used

by

God

to

go

to

Nineveh

he

invites

him

he

gave

him

a

second

chance

and

you

and

I

are

invited

by

God

to

join

in

what

he

is

doing

he

we're

we're

shown

mercy

we're

shown

grace

by

God

not

just

in

salvation

but

in

life

as

we

try

to

live

this

as

we

try

to

pursue

God

I

want

to

close

with

this

look

at

verse

eight

it

seems

to

not

fit

in

the

text

in

the

context

of

the

rest

of

the

prayer

those

who

pay

regard

to

vain

idols

forsake

their

hope

of

steadfast

love

it's

it's

most

commentators

say that

Jonah is

speaking to

Israel

as he's

a prophet

to

to

Israel