A FAITHFUL FOLLOWING

Jonah 3:1-10

Br: Dr. Timothy F. Lee

"And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, {2} Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. {3} So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. {4} And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. {5} So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. {6} For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. {7} And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: {8} But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. {9} Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? {10} And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not."

1. There are many questions we would like to ask here, but who can answer them?

2. What did the sailors do after the storm, considering their cargo had been thrown overboard?

3. Did they return to Joppa to get more cargo?

4. If so, the story of calming the storm by casting the prophet into the sea would circulate quickly. In fact, the story could have reached Nineveh before Jonah did.

5. You remember that Jonah had fled from the presence of the Lord.

6. And then, through affliction, he repented and turned to the Lord, and the Lord rescued him from the belly of the fish.

7. God gave him another chance, and that is what we consider now as we think about "A Faithful Following." Notice this:

I. THE REPEATED CALL (1) - "The word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time." God has not changed; but Jonah has.

A. God’s Calling Is The Same. Jonah is still God’s prophet. God has not forsaken him.

1. Your fleeing does not remove God’s call from your life.

2. Your affliction does not remove God’s calling from your life.

B. God’s Compassion Is the Same (2; 1:2) - "That great city."

1. The size of the city burdened God. This was a growing population, which was given over to death. There were more than 1 million people in Nineveh (4:11) - "Six-score thousand." That is 1.2 million.

2. The sins of the city burdened God (1:2) - "Their wickedness is come up before me."

3. (Mat 9:36) - "When [Jesus] saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd."

C. God’s Commission Is Still The Same (2) - "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." The proclamation of the truth is necessary to rescue men from their sins.

1. Truth is light, revealing things as they are, and as they ought to be.

2. Truth is motive, causing us to seek the right.

3. Truth is force, urging us to commitment to the truth revealed.

4. Truth is comfort, delivering joy to hearts that have been set free.

II. THE READY COMPLIANCE (3) - "So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD." True repentance is proven by our obedience in matters where we were disobedient. Jonah was disciplined by the Lord in order to overcome his self-will. Jonah had an early opportunity to prove the effect of his affliction. Affliction comes to restore the straying believer. Rightly responded to, affliction produces obedience. The cause of the rod being applied must be removed, or the affliction will continue. Now, Jonah was quite an improved servant.

A. He Was Fully Prepared.

1. He has sinned and been forgiven; he has suffered and been delivered; he has prayed and his prayers have been answered.

2. His new reverence for God has prepared him for this service.

3. He now knows his weakness and God’s power.

4. He could speak of the terror of the Lord with great conviction (2 Cor 5:11) - "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men."

B. He Faithfully Proceeded (3) - "So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh."

1. His submission is as thorough as his previous rebellion.

2. This makes affliction worthwhile.

3. The only way to ever justify your suffering is to commit yourself unreservedly to the Lord.

4. We must do what God says to do.

C. He Followed Precisely (3) - "So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD."

1. He went because he was told; he went where he was told; he went when he was told; he went to what he was told; and he went to do it the way he was told.

2. He preached the preaching that God bid him.

3. We have nothing else to preach. Philosophy, science, socialism. None will do the job.

4. We must rightly divide the Word of truth.

III. THE REVEALING CRY (4) - "And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." Jonah didn’t have a long sermon, he didn’t offer many persuasions. He preached judgment.

A. The Judgment Was Notable - "Overthrown." How was this to take place?

1. Would it be by neighboring nations; a conspiracy; a revolt from within; floods; fire and brimstone from heaven; and earthquake , leaving them in ruins?

2. No one can tell. God has His way of judging wicked people.

B. The Judgment Was Near - "Forty days."

1. It could begin earlier, but it would be complete by then.

2. Sodom, Gomorrah, Babylon, should all be warnings from history to them and to us.

3. Our judgment may be nearer than many think.

C. The Judgment Was Necessary.

1. Nineveh was reaping what she had sown.

2. It was her immorality, not her politics that demanded judgment.

3. America lies in wait of the Judgment of God.

A. This Repentance Was Prompted By Faith (5) - "So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them."

1. It was not the word of Jonah, but the Word of God that made the difference.

2. That Word brought them low. They humbled themselves.

3. We must fall down before Him if He is to make any difference in our lives.

B. This Repentance Was Promoted By Faith (8) - "But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God." Faith is not just passive; it is also active.

1. Prayer is needed in this hour. This is not just thinking prayer, but believing prayer.

2. Our rehearsed prayers never suffice when we are in trouble.

C. This Repentance Was Proven By Their Following (8) - "Let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands." Like the prodigal, they put some action into what they believed to be true.

1. Prayer is a mockery without turning from our sin.

2. Sincere prayer brings about a forsaking of sins and a following of the right.

D. This Repentance Produced God’s Favor (10) - "God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not." Does God ever repent?

1. His character is holy, just, good, and unchangeable.

2. But in mercy, He turns His face to every repentant sinner.

1. Are you following the Lord faithfully?

2. If not, won’t you come today?