Jonah, rebellion, mercy and forgiveness

    Everyone seem to think that Jonah and the whale is a story about Jonah, and a whale. Maybe it is, but if we can get past the really huge sea creature, there could be something more. 
Jonah was a prophet who was called to warn the people of Nineveh that their sins and crimes were an abomination to the Lord and that in 40 days they would be destroyed. Jonah, as we all know, didn't want to do that. He hated Nineveh because they were the enemies of Israel. It has been said that the people of Nineveh (Assyrians) conquered and scattered the 10 tribes of Israel, among whom were members of Jonah's family. Why then would God send Jonah who was in such anguish about what they had done? Why not send someone else?
God is a forgiving God. He asks us to forgive also. Obeying God meant for Jonah, that he would be teaching God's forgiveness to wicked behavior to a people he wished would just die. It meant that he would have to witness and share God's love and forgiveness for people, and that he would have to see the people of Nineveh, whom he hated, spared, forgiven, restored. This story not only teaches us about the love and forgiveness of God, but that He wants us to love unconditionally and forgive unconditionally just as He does. It's extremely difficult to do that, but it's extremely important to God that we learn to do it and that we are willing to do it. That's how we become "One nation under God." Jonah needed to learn to forgive because God called him to do it. God didn't force him to do it, but He did encourage him to do it.
1. Jonah tried to run from God in pure rebellion
2. Jonah tried to hide his secret from the fishermen
3. Jonah willingly sacrificed himself so that the fishermen
would survive.
4. Jonah stayed between life and death for 3 days and nights
5. Jonah decided to ask God's forgiveness and obey God
6. Now Jonah had to show mercy and a way out of
destruction for his enemies.
7. Jonah saw the mercy of God several times during that
journey both toward him, and also toward his enemies.
8. God taught Jonah about mercy, forgiveness and restoration
9. Jonah is a story about rebellion, anger, unforgiveness and
hatred which changed to sacrifice, obedience, mercy and
forgiveness.
PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMIES. PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DESPITEFULLY USE YOU. FORGIVE. Get out of God's way, because His vengeance is more than you can imagine and HIs forgiveness is divine.
BELOVED, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER.