Jonah was a prophet who was supposed to go to Nineveh but goes the other way to Tarshish (Jonah 1:1-3). Being a prophet, he was supposed to tell people what God tells him to tell them. He blatantly disobeyed the instruction from God. Why? Nineveh was the second largest city in the Assyrian Empire, the major world empire. They conquered most of the known world then. The Assyrians were brutal people and they were terrible when it came to conquering other lands. Their primary way of conquest is laying siege to cities  as they did to the northern kingdom of Israel.

The problem was that Jonah has forgotten what the nation of Israel was supposed to do (Genesis 12:2-3). Jonah was only concerned about his own people—the Israelites. He has forgotten the purpose of Israel—to show the nations what it was like to have a God like their God. Those nations had cruel satanic gods. The nation of Israel was supposed to show to the world that their God blesses, loves, forgives, and is worthy of worship. The Israelites kept the blessings to themselves. They only cared about themselves. When God blesses us, it is not with the intention that we just hold on to it. God blesses us so that we will bless others. God’s intent was that the blessing that we receive would then be seen by the nations and to bless the nations (Psalm 67:1-2,7). Jonah wasn’t looking at it that way. He did not have the heart for the Ninevites but God did. He was in disobedience to God and tried to get away from Him. Jonah thought that he could hide but God is everywhere and knows everything (Psalm 139:7-10).

Jonah got into a boat and went the opposite direction of where God wants him to go. A great storm came and people were worried they were all going to die but Jonah didn’t care. He was asleep while the others are praying to their gods hoping for deliverance. They cast lots and the lot fell to Jonah (vv.7-9)! Jonah identified himself as a Hebrew fearing the Lord God of heaven, sea, and earth. It seems odd for a man who fears God to go the opposite direction of

where God told him to go. When we are in disobedience with God, it’s very difficult to be active witnesses for Him (v.10). The sailors threw Jonah overboard and the sea calmed down. They were so amazed that Jonah’s God was powerful that they begin to worship Him (vv.15-16). They turned their worship to the true God because they saw God’s power at work. Jonah was not a great witness yet in spite of that God drew these people to Himself because He had compassion on them. The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah even though he wanted to die (v.17). God rescued him to give him another chance.

It wasn’t until God saved him that he finally got around to praying (Jonah 2:1-2). God is so gracious that He saved Jonah even if he hardly even wanted to be saved. God was so gracious to him just like God is gracious to all of us. God still seeks us out and loves us so much even though we might be far from Him and in rebellion against Him. God gave him a second chance to do what he was commanded to do. So he did it, but there was still some needed repentance remaining in his life. There are things he hasn’t fully surrendered to God like attitudes in his heart that God wanted him to change. One of those attitudes God wanted him to change was loving people the same way God loves people.

Jonah finally obeyed and went to Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-4). Amazingly, there was great repentance and revival led by the king himself (vv.5-6). God worked in their lives to change their attitudes and turn them to Him. At the word of just one prophet, 120,000 people turned to the true and living God. When God saw their true repentance, he relented from His judgement instead of destroying them.

Jonah was displeased and became angry (Jonah 4:1-3). He wanted to keep the blessing to himself and to Israel. He didn’t want to share the blessing to these evil people because he didn’t like them. Then God gives him an object lesson (vv.10-11). God was really saying to Jonah that he should have the same compassion that He has for the people who do not know Him. God has compassion for all people (Matthew 9:36). Even the people furthest from God can turn to Him. Jonah didn’t have God’s heart for the lost even though he was a child of Abraham, and a prophet with a clear mission. He didn’t understand God’s heart. We should obey God from the heart in order to fulfill our mission. We need to change our hearts to have the same compassion that God has.

The gospel is true (Acts 1:3); we need to take it seriously. In Jesus’ last instruction before He ascended, He wanted us to know that we need the power of the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). We cannot be a good witness if we don’t have a personal encounter with Jesus. Let us tell people what Jesus has done and continues to do in our life both where we are, and to other nations…and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14). This is going to happen whether we participate or refuse to be a witness. Imagine the day when a great multitude will stand before the throne of God (Revelation 7:9-11). Will you be there? Did you bring anybody with you? Jesus died on the cross for our sins and in response let’s worship Him for the rest of our lives (Philippians 2:10-11).

The gospel of Jesus is too important not to share. Let us be a witness for Jesus!