[00:00:00] Speaker A: I now can sing Since I've been redeemed I'm on the everlasting, everlasting rock I Faith in Christ my Redeemer King I'm on the everlasting, everlasting rock Then roll, roll, billows roll I'm on the everlasting rock of ages Roll, roll, billows roll I'm on the it was early in the morning and a stillness filled the garden where he lay.
Then the ground shook with power as the angel came and rolled the stone away.
All the glory of the living God broke through to to the darkness of the tomb and the love of the Father came and filled every corner of the room.
Love was in the room when new life was born where only death had been Love was in the room and death and now would never reign again.
When the glory of the living God broke through to the darkness of the tomb the earth was filled with his beauty and love was in the room.
I was trapped in sin and weakness.
I was sinking ever deeper, day by day.
Then the blessed Holy Spirit came to touch my heart and roll the stone away.
All the glory of the living God broke through to the darkness of my tomb and the love of the Father came and filled every corner of my room.
Love was in the room when new life was born where only death had been, Love was in the room and death and now would never reign again.
When the glory of the living God broke through to the darkness of the tomb, the earth was filled with its beauty and love was in the room.
The earth was filled with his beauty and love was in the room.
[00:03:13] Speaker B: What do you think of this quote from Blaise Pascal?
All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.
Hello and welcome. I'm Anthony High, your host for this episode of the Voice of Hope.
The French mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal is frequently known for his work with fluids and pressure, and consequently the standard unit of pressure is named after him.
He also was a philosopher and wrote extensively.
In one of his writings, he wrote that a man needs to be at peace with himself.
And in Pascal's opinion, this was most evident when a man or woman was able to be alone with their thoughts and undistracted for an extended period of time. Now, I don't know what you think of Pascal's philosophy, but it is true that while taking time to be quiet, this allows us to take a closer look at at my own heart.
Jonah had the moment like that while sitting outside the city of Nineveh waiting for God's Destruction and I don't think he liked what he found.
[00:04:40] Speaker A: Among to suffer shame and such disgrace or not go retake my place.
Then I ask myself the question who am I? Who am I?
Who am I?
That a king should bleed and die for me and I fall Am I at times at mine the answer I may never know why he ever loved me so that you and I For who am I?
[00:06:08] Speaker B: This is the last episode from our series on the Book of Jonah.
Next week, our Bible teacher J. Mark Horst will be returning to begin a new series on the last book of the Bible, Revelation.
But for today, here is Arlan to wrap up our time with Jonah.
[00:06:27] Speaker C: If you have followed along in this journey, you know our theme has been the hearts we see. Throughout the book of Jonah, we have reflected on the heart of God, the heart of the Sailors, the heart of the Ninevites, and the heart of Jonah. How many more hearts are there, you ask? And that's a good question. Today, as we close this series, we turn our gaze inward.
That's right, there is one more heart to look at. And today the focus is my heart. The author of this book does a fantastic job of grabbing the person reading and giving them a good shake.
The way the author ends the book is extremely fascinating.
At the end, the reader is left hanging, suspended, wondering what happened next? Did Jonah stay angry or did he come around?
And while you are sitting there wondering, you soon realize, this is meant for me. What about me? How am I treating God? What has captured my heart?
Do I look at anyone as Jonah looked at the Ninevites?
If this is what happens to you, you are right where the author wants you. And today we want to take some time to examine my heart, the heart of the person reading this book.
However, before we do that, let's think a bit about the author. We don't know for certain who wrote the book. Some think Jonah did. Some believe it was handed down orally, then written down much later. With the evidence we have, no one can say for certain who wrote it. But if Jonah was the one who wrote this account, I feel good about where he ended up. If he wrote the book in such a way as this, it suggests he reached a point where he could look back and poke fun at himself.
Most of us have events in our lives which we look back on with embarrassment.
What was I thinking? I can't believe I did this or that.
Hopefully we get to the point where we learn from it and can use it to teach others.
I don't think Jonah could have written this if he was still angry and bitter about what happened.
As I mentioned before, we don't know for sure who held the pen.
Regardless, we know it was God who inspired it and and preserved it to this day.
The Bible is truly remarkable in this way. It was written for specific people in a specific time.
Yet here we are, thousands of years later, reading it and applying it right here in our culture. This continually validates the Bible as a miraculous book to which we absolutely need to pay attention.
Why does it still apply? How can it be so relevant and powerful generation after generation?
Because this is much more than words on a piece of paper. Hebrews 4:12 comes to mind. The Word of God is living and powerful. The author knows humans and has given us truth that will never expire and never be outdated. And for this we are very thankful.
Our lesson today is divided into two sections. First, we will consider a few personal examining my heart. Then to wrap it up, we'll take a step back and close with a few big picture applications from the whole book of Jonah. To understand where our heart is, let's return to the final verses of the Book of Jonah. Chapter 4, verses 10 and 11.
Then the Lord said, you have had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?
God presents this final question to Jonah. And then the question mark is the end of the book. As we think about the topic of my heart, here are three questions for us to think about. First, what has captured my heart?
God points out that Jonah had more care for a plant than he did for the people. The plant moved his heart. The great city of Nineveh didn't seem to move his heart that much.
So the question is, what has captured your heart?
As the reader sits there wondering what happened to Jonah? Or why God ended the book this way, it is usually not long until we think about ourselves. We realize the plant represented Jonah's comfort. It provided him with some relief. But more than that, Jonah displayed extreme emotion surrounding that plant. He was exceedingly glad when it came up. And then when God took it away, he was exceedingly angry.
It was just a plant. We say, why all the emotion?
The challenge extends far beyond this plant and Jonah. The question for us is, what has captured my emotions? What do I admire? What makes me exceedingly angry? And what Makes me very glad.
Whatever it is, that is what has captured your heart.
And this question leads us to the second Is my heart like God's heart?
All through the book, God is calling Jonah to think like he does, to adopt his perspective. As we know, Jonah was tough.
What about us? Is my heart like God's heart? Am I motivated by what motivates God? If the things that are motivating me aren't even on God's radar, that is not good.
We can easily see it in Jonah, all caught up in a plant, while not affected by many people.
But do we so easily see it in ourselves?
Our hearts tend to get caught up in small things from God's perspective, while the things that are important to God are small to us. We need to take a step back and inspect our hearts. Is my heart broken by the things that break God's heart?
God's question at the end shows us what matters to Him. He specifically mentions the people and the animals. He specifically mentioned 120,000 people who can't discern between their right and left hands.
He really cared for them and for the animals.
Before working at Heralds of Hope, I worked in residential construction. And to this day, when I drive by some houses I helped build, they mean more to me. I know it's only a house, but it means more because I helped build it.
This is how I think God must have felt about all the cattle.
The people had his heart for sure, and all the cattle which he created and knew all about.
We see what tugged at God's heart. But the question remains, is my heart like God's heart?
Now let's think about one more question. We have mentioned this before and it is one of the main issues we see in Jonah. It is his outright disapproval and strong feeling against the Ninevites.
So our last personal question is, who are your Ninevites? Or where is your Nineveh? As Christians, we know that everybody deserves the gospel. That is the truth.
But do we always feel that way? Jonah certainly did not. And that is our challenge. Think about it. Is there anyone you would be disappointed to hear that they came to Christ?
Is there anyone you are hoping gets God's justice, which they so obviously deserve?
We need to consider who irritates us or who are we annoyed with, those we feel really do not deserve the gospel or the place in our mind? We have already decided. I'm not going there. I'll serve God anywhere but there.
That feeling, the feeling that some people need God's judgment, not mercy, sounds like Jonah.
It is not right yet. We are so quick to go there. This is especially relevant in this polarized culture we are in. You know, there are many opinions on everything.
We have lots of discussions on many different viewpoints and. And we are quick to label the other side dangerous and evil. They clearly haven't thought this issue through. Anyone with half a brain would know the truth is here my way. Of course, on and on our thinking goes and we convince ourselves the other side is malicious. They are really evil.
We often see this issue played out globally where people groups elevate themselves above an enemy who they describe as terrible people.
They might be called infidels, terrorists for sure, enemies of God, or simply evil people we need to do away with.
The goal is dehumanize the enemy. The danger of labeling the other side as wicked and evil isn't a problem that's just out there. It applies to church problems and even to smaller family problems. We are so quick to label the other side.
The call from the book of Jonah is don't do that. And if you are doing it, stop.
Fight against wrong ideas and bad ways of thinking, not people. Jesus has given us the best weapon ever for this fight. He clearly taught us to love our enemies. How profound. When we apply this, we soon won't have enemies. Imagine if Jonah had done this.
Thankfully, we know God will be patient and slow to anger. Can we be this way in our treatment of others? Even those who are our Ninevites? Yes, with God's help, it's possible.
So again, the three questions we asked were what has captured my heart?
Is my heart like God's heart?
And who are my ninevites? This ends the first part of our discussion and the look inside at my heart. And our heart was the last heart we are going to look at in our theme of hearts throughout the book of Jonah. Now I'd like to switch gears a bit. And for the rest of the lesson, let's take a step back and think big picture. We'll end by considering big picture applications we can take away from the book of Jonah.
First of all, think about the example of Jonah down through time.
It has always been a challenge for God's people. Regarding evangelism and how we reach out. The lesson is clear. Let's not be like Jonah. Let's take God's good news to the world.
All are worthy. God clearly shows us his heart and the message is for all people. The question is, are we his people following Jesus command in the Great Commission? Are we going and making disciples?
When God told Jonah to Go. He went the opposite direction. What are we doing with Jesus? Command to go? Are we doing the opposite of what Jesus commanded? Are we keeping the good news of Jesus to ourselves? Are we staying?
Jonah knew the gracious, merciful, loving God, but he didn't want the Ninevites to know. Many of us know this same God, but are we telling others? Or are we like Jonah? Jesus command to go may mean across the street or out of state or to another country.
Many of us know the good news. The question is, are we sharing it with others?
God has given us this short, powerful book showing us his heart and reminding his people down through the ages, don't be a Jonah. Share my love with everyone.
Here is a second big picture observation about the book of Jonah. Some have drawn an interesting comparison between the book of Jonah and the parable of the Prodigal Son. This connection lines up closely. Jonah in chapter one is like the younger son running away from God and doing his own thing.
Jonah in chapter four, angry, unrepentant, waiting outside the city while good things are going on inside. Here. He is like the older brother.
Then we have the father following the angry older brother, trying to reason with him and bring him around to the right way of thinking.
It is interesting to see the parallels in Jonah and the parable of the Prodigal Son, both challenging us with the reckless love of God toward his children.
The third addresses the attitude Jonah portrayed so well. He seems to have the idea that the Israelites were up here and they had the inside track with God. The Ninevites, on the other hand, were down there. Jonah didn't want to see them saved. They weren't good enough for the gospel. While Israel maybe had more of a right to feel this way than some other groups, many people seem to think they are the pinnacle of creation, closer to God somehow. This culture is somehow the best, while all the others fall short.
After all, Jonah's parents and grandparents and great grandparents and possibly further were God's people. So surely he had something others didn't right.
But Jonah is wrong, and everyone thinking that way today is wrong.
When we start thinking this way, even subtly, we are wrong.
A word for this is ethnocentric, and it's the attitude that one's own group is superior.
Israel was supposed to be a light to the nations. Yes, they did know God in a special way, but the purpose was to be a light.
The church is similar. We know Jesus. That doesn't make us better, but it should make us brighter. We are to be a light to the world. We must not automatically think of ourselves as elite. We're not better or smarter or more qualified or whatever word you want to use there. We're not up here while everyone else is down there.
The incredible thing is that God does not leave Jonah wallow in this attitude. We looked at God calling him out of it.
If this is our attitude, God will continue trying to call us out of it.
God, in his incredible patience and mercy, worked with his stubborn, pouting prophet. And he will do the same for his people if needed.
Reject the idea that we have an inside track with God. Throw away the thought that God somehow needs me. Instead, understand his grace, realizing he saved a wretch like me. Then go and tell others about his marvelous grace.
The last observation to think about is the call to repentance. We saw the sailors repent. We saw the entire city of Nineveh repent. And here we see God calling Jonah to repent.
But the book does not record his final response. So the question persists past the end of the book. What happened and what about us?
Repentance is the answer. It has been the theme of many preachers down through the ages, and it still rings true. That is what's needed. That is where it starts. We must repent, turn from our sin and walk with God. And this invitation is open to everyone.
Look at Nineveh one last time. The message they received was simple and straightforward.
You will soon be destroyed. They were willing to repent at that simple message. This example makes us wonder how complicated a message we need in order to repent. They had a clear, simple message and they acted on it. You know, the message for us is much the same. God's judgment is coming. Jesus is coming soon. Are you ready?
The prophet Amos said it timelessly. Prepare to meet your God.
God, help us get a grip on what's coming, like the Ninevites did. And when we realize the seriousness of the situation, we will respond accordingly.
But if we think we are good people and we're doing everything right, repentance will not feel like a big deal.
However, seeing ourselves for who we truly are, sinful people who will soon face judgment, leads us to repent and get right with God to because it is serious.
This is the heart of the gospel. We are sinful people and we need help. We need someone. And that someone is Jesus. Jesus. Death and resurrection is the sacrifice needed for forgiveness.
Today is the day of salvation. Now is the time to repent and get right with God. And this call to repentance rings loud and clear. Throughout the Book of Jonah.
So we started today by looking inward. The last heart we looked at in the Book of Jonah was the heart of the reader. My heart.
After those three questions, we took a step back and looked at some big picture lessons, themes from the whole book.
These are challenges to God's people down through the ages. To end our discussion and to finish our study in the Book of Jonah, I'd like to read two selections from the book you Jonah by Thomas John Carlyle. It is written in a style that's very similar to the Book of Jonah itself, and there are many lines which make you stop and think.
One poem, entitled Tantrum, perfectly captures Jonah's extreme attitude. It describes Jonah after God spared the city. Here it is.
The generosity of God displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he slashed with angry prayer at the graciousness of the Almighty. I told you so. He screamed. I knew what you would do, you dirty forgiver. You bless your enemies and show kindness to those who despitefully use you. I would rather die than live in a world with a God like you.
And don't try to forgive me either.
This is staggering writing, but it lays bare Jonah's attitude we discussed earlier.
Carlyle's final poem, Coming around, is a big challenge, especially when we consider the church and reaching out to the world around us. It says, and Jonah stalked to his shaded seat and waited for God to come around to his way of thinking.
And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs in their comfortable houses to come around to his way of loving.
In our part of the world, comforts are readily available.
We have many perhaps caring more for our comfort than for the souls of people. We need God's help in this. The challenge is real, and this was the main gist from today. Where is my heart?
We must look inside, examine our thoughts and motives, then grow in what is good and repent of the wrong, continually maturing, becoming more and more like our Father. And as this is done, our heart will mirror his heart.
[00:26:04] Speaker B: Thanks, Arlan. And thank you for tuning in for today's message on the Voice of Hope.
As you think through the reflections on Jonah, what do you see in your heart? Do you like what you see?
I don't like to admit it, but there's things that stood out to me.
And it's only through the blood of Jesus and the work of His Holy Spirit that we can be at peace with who we are and our relationship to God. I hope this series was a blessing to you. If so, send us your comments, concerns or prayer requests to hopeheraldsofhope.org or you can call us by phone at 866-960-0292. And don't forget, you're welcome to listen to past episodes or explore more Bible based content on our
[email protected] including videos from our podcast called Guide through the Bible.
Your prayers and support make this ministry possible and we're thankful for each one of you who walks with us as we share the good News and of Jesus Christ around the world.
[00:27:28] Speaker A: Let the winds that he prepared Take my voice everywhere with the truth of the Lord's own word For I've been touched by the hand of the Lord I've been touched by the hand of the Lord where he stands I will go For I know, yes I know I've been touched by the hand of the Lord I was lost with no hope but he found me I was blind but he caused me to see and I had no song at all Till he reached into my soul and the touch of his hand set me free oh I've been touched by the hand of the Lord I've been touched by the hand of the Lord where he stands I will go For I know, yes I know I've been touched by the hand of the Lord oh I've been touched by the hand of the Lord I've been touched by the hand of the Lord where he stands I will go For I know, yes I know I've been touched by the hand of the Lord.
