"Of Whales and Worms: Week 3"

Jonah 3
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."
Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh:
"By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
Jonah 4:1-4
But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."
But the LORD replied, "Have you any right to be angry?"

Notes taken from Isaac Hunter's sermon (June 14, 2009):
*"God is not done with Ninevah because of Jonah's disobedience."
*"God is not done with people who are broken. God will use us where we are."
*"Do the same things He called us to do, just do it better."
*"You are always delivered for a purpose. GO and DO the things God has called you to do."
*"God can use half-hearted obedience. Faithfulness matters. God uses obedience to change your heart."
*"God's ways are not confined to human effort."
*"The people of Ninevah understand that they need grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion."

Job 11:7-9
"Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave —what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea."

Psalm 33:8-9
"Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm."

Psalms 96:2-3
"Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples."

Psalms 96:6-7
"Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength."

Psalm 5:11
"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you."

Psalms 46:1-3
"God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah

Psalms 86:12
"I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever."

Psalms 37:23-24
"If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand."

Psalm 25:20
"Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you."


Psalms 104:1-2
"Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent."

Psalm 51:7
"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."

Psalm 51:10
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."