WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.000 Alright, we're going to start in Jonah chapter 1 verse 15. 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:09.560 And we're going to read there and then we're going to jump over and read a little bit of Matthew. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:12.679 So we'll start with Jonah 1 starting at 15. 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:41.859 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish saying, 00:00:41.859 --> 00:00:46.320 I called out to the Lord out of my distress and he answered me. 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:50.780 Out of the belly of Sheol I cried and you heard my voice. 00:00:51.519 --> 00:00:57.060 For you cast me into the depth, into the heart of the seas and the floods surrounded me. 00:00:57.659 --> 00:01:00.359 All your waves and your billows passed over me. 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:04.480 Then I said, I am driven away from your sight. 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:08.459 Yet I shall again look upon your holy temple. 00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:12.719 The waters closed in over me to take my life. 00:01:13.400 --> 00:01:14.879 The deep surrounded me. 00:01:15.640 --> 00:01:19.000 Weeds were wrapped around my head and the roots of the mountains. 00:01:19.980 --> 00:01:24.379 I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever. 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:28.260 Yet you brought up my life from the pit. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:32.539 O Lord my God, when my life was fainting away, 00:01:32.540 --> 00:01:37.700 I remembered the Lord and my prayer came to you into your holy temple. 00:01:38.420 --> 00:01:43.480 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 00:01:44.260 --> 00:01:50.240 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you what I have vowed I will pay. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:52.879 Salvation belongs to the Lord. 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:59.199 And the Lord spoke to the fish and had vomited Jonah out upon the dry land. 00:02:00.339 --> 00:02:03.179 Now just jumping over to Matthew chapter 12. 00:02:07.179 --> 00:02:09.000 Starting at verse 38. 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:14.280 I'm just going to read Matthew 12, 38 to 42. 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:20.120 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, 00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:23.219 Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you. 00:02:23.740 --> 00:02:24.740 But he answered them, 00:02:25.460 --> 00:02:28.719 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, 00:02:29.180 --> 00:02:33.800 but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:38.580 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:43.439 so will the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 00:02:44.340 --> 00:02:49.160 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. 00:02:49.920 --> 00:02:52.220 For they repented at the preaching of Jonah. 00:02:52.620 --> 00:02:55.620 And behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 00:02:56.420 --> 00:03:01.460 The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. 00:03:01.460 --> 00:03:05.500 For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:09.480 And behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 00:03:17.640 --> 00:03:19.140 Good morning, dear church. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:21.740 Lovely to be with you this morning. 00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:24.480 If you're visiting, welcome. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:29.580 My name is Sam and I'll be taking us through part two of Jonah this morning. 00:03:29.580 --> 00:03:33.460 Let's pray, shall we, and ask for God's help. 00:03:37.080 --> 00:03:40.380 Dear Father, thank you for Jesus. 00:03:41.100 --> 00:03:44.600 Thank you that you have spoken to us through him. 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:49.900 Thank you that we can speak to you now and that you hear us 00:03:49.900 --> 00:03:54.780 and that you invite us to talk to you anywhere, anytime. 00:03:54.780 --> 00:04:00.020 Please help us to listen this morning. 00:04:01.099 --> 00:04:07.719 Please help us to cast away distractions so that we can meet with you in your word this morning. 00:04:07.920 --> 00:04:08.180 Amen. 00:04:13.379 --> 00:04:17.180 Alright, well last week Matt set up the series really nicely. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:23.259 Jonah is about God's big plan to gather his people from all nations. 00:04:23.259 --> 00:04:27.539 And God is determined to bring this about. 00:04:28.719 --> 00:04:36.279 The terrifying storm and the videos Matt showed us suggest nothing can stand in God's way. 00:04:37.500 --> 00:04:42.659 But as we enter chapter 2, what will God do with Jonah? 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:52.180 Will God swipe him aside or palm him off because he's standing in the way? 00:04:52.180 --> 00:05:00.740 When a business gets big, it gets a bit more impersonal. 00:05:01.780 --> 00:05:07.280 And when things go south in a big business, redundancies become acceptable losses. 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:11.100 Is God's big plan like this? 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:15.819 Is Jonah an acceptable loss to God? 00:05:15.819 --> 00:05:22.540 If God discards those who fail, could that be us? 00:05:23.500 --> 00:05:26.480 Could we ever be an acceptable loss? 00:05:29.139 --> 00:05:36.079 Or is God just as committed to our deliverance and discipline as he is to his big plan? 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:44.319 God's deliverance and discipline of Jonah and us is, I think, the most prominent theme today. 00:05:46.060 --> 00:05:49.800 And by discipline, I don't mean punish. 00:05:50.519 --> 00:05:51.500 I mean teach. 00:05:52.379 --> 00:05:55.439 Teach for growth and our good. 00:05:56.279 --> 00:06:04.139 And as Jonah discovers this morning, God's discipline is not enjoyable at the time, but is necessary for growth. 00:06:04.139 --> 00:06:08.379 The sign of Jonah. 00:06:09.419 --> 00:06:14.519 There's two other themes in Jonah 2 that I'll touch on that we see in Matthew 12. 00:06:15.500 --> 00:06:19.419 The Pharisees and scribes come to Jesus wanting a sign. 00:06:20.620 --> 00:06:28.599 And what they were asking for was not just another miracle, but a miraculous proof to confirm Jesus' teaching. 00:06:28.600 --> 00:06:36.000 And it was a common request to make of prophets, but the Pharisees had impure motives. 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:40.780 And so Jesus says to them, I'm not going to give you another sign. 00:06:41.180 --> 00:06:44.060 You already have the sign of Jonah. 00:06:45.820 --> 00:06:49.120 So what was the sign of Jonah? 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:59.939 And Jesus says, Jesus says the sign of Jonah was Jonah. 00:07:01.079 --> 00:07:07.899 We might ask what miraculous proof would Jonah's message to the Assyrians be? 00:07:07.899 --> 00:07:15.359 Jesus says Jonah wouldn't be given a sign to present to the Assyrians. 00:07:15.879 --> 00:07:17.560 He wouldn't perform something. 00:07:18.579 --> 00:07:23.219 Jonah himself would be the sign that would confirm his message. 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:26.339 Covered in seaweed. 00:07:27.939 --> 00:07:29.539 Stinking of fish vomit. 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:32.620 Back from near death. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:36.039 He would be living proof of the message he was to carry. 00:07:36.040 --> 00:07:41.840 And that's why God delivered Jonah in such a miraculous way. 00:07:42.439 --> 00:07:46.980 So that when he came to Nineveh, it would be obvious on whose authority he spoke. 00:07:47.960 --> 00:07:53.200 That's getting into next week, but is important to bear in mind for today. 00:07:54.500 --> 00:07:59.780 Matthew's other point and the other theme, Jonah is a sketch of someone greater. 00:07:59.779 --> 00:08:09.699 Jesus will have his message confirmed in a deliverance from death like Jonah, only greater. 00:08:11.139 --> 00:08:20.539 So the outline for today is Jonah's descent, which Martin has already helpfully introduced for us. 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:23.179 Jonah's miraculous deliverance. 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:27.519 Rescue recalled in Jonah's prayer. 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:30.600 The reason for rescue and something greater. 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:34.120 Jonah's descent. 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:42.139 Since chapter 1, if you want to turn back to chapter 1, Jonah's movement has been downward. 00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:46.659 He first goes down to Joppa in verse 3. 00:08:47.620 --> 00:08:51.860 Then goes down into the inner part of the ship in verse 5. 00:08:52.419 --> 00:08:55.779 Then is hurled overboard and goes down into the deep. 00:08:58.019 --> 00:09:04.319 And as we've already heard this morning, at the start of this descent in verse 3 of chapter 1, 00:09:05.220 --> 00:09:08.580 we are told this would take him away from God's presence. 00:09:08.580 --> 00:09:13.000 In one way, this is impossible. 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:14.259 God is everywhere. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:17.379 So how should we understand this? 00:09:19.400 --> 00:09:24.340 If you can sort of remember the map that Matt showed to us last week, 00:09:25.500 --> 00:09:29.580 you had Israel on one side, Nineveh... 00:09:29.580 --> 00:09:30.620 Oh, yep, there we go. 00:09:30.620 --> 00:09:40.159 So Israel south of Nineveh, Nineveh above it, and Tarshish way out to the west. 00:09:42.019 --> 00:09:47.620 Jonah is not just fleeing Nineveh, he is also fleeing God's promised land. 00:09:50.120 --> 00:09:54.060 The place at this point in history where God dwells with his people. 00:09:54.059 --> 00:10:03.019 It's reminiscent of the descent of Adam and Eve leaving the Garden of Eden. 00:10:03.959 --> 00:10:07.799 To move from God's presence is to leave his blessing 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:13.039 and to be left with misery, curse, and death. 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:21.839 As Jonah moves downward, he will find out he is moving away from the source of all good, 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:24.139 the fountain of living waters. 00:10:26.500 --> 00:10:30.240 To come back to our question, what will God do with Jonah? 00:10:31.659 --> 00:10:35.919 In a big business, it might be convenient if he sank to the bottom of the ocean. 00:10:37.139 --> 00:10:39.779 God could then send the next prophet in the queue. 00:10:39.779 --> 00:10:46.039 Is God just as committed to his people as his big plan? 00:10:50.959 --> 00:10:57.740 So we're going to get into the next part of our passage from verse 17 of chapter 1 00:10:57.740 --> 00:11:00.759 and the miraculous deliverance. 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:05.179 In verse 17, it says, 00:11:05.179 --> 00:11:08.720 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. 00:11:09.779 --> 00:11:11.459 The fish swallows. 00:11:12.819 --> 00:11:19.059 And to this point in the Bible, the only thing that swallows is death and judgment. 00:11:21.459 --> 00:11:23.879 This is far from a friendly whale. 00:11:27.059 --> 00:11:35.139 Definitely doesn't have the polka dots and the fat, red lips, the fat, kissy red lips. 00:11:35.139 --> 00:11:41.620 Reading on in the second half of verse 17, 00:11:42.379 --> 00:11:45.819 He was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. 00:11:45.820 --> 00:11:56.660 And just as a tangent, if you're thinking Jesus was only in the tomb for two nights 00:11:56.660 --> 00:11:58.520 and the Bible is contradicting itself, 00:11:59.660 --> 00:12:01.120 here's what you need to know. 00:12:01.680 --> 00:12:05.800 Three days and three nights is a long way of saying three whole days. 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:13.079 For a Jew, an event that lasted part of a day was counted as a whole day. 00:12:14.439 --> 00:12:19.500 So if there was a test match in Jerusalem that lasted two and a half days, 00:12:19.899 --> 00:12:23.039 they would count that as going for three whole days. 00:12:24.479 --> 00:12:27.059 Hopefully that makes a bit of sense there. 00:12:27.059 --> 00:12:30.719 But what's the deeper significance of three days? 00:12:32.239 --> 00:12:36.159 Three days stands for the time needed to confirm death. 00:12:37.419 --> 00:12:43.179 This is why Jesus waited three days to see Lazarus in John 11. 00:12:44.459 --> 00:12:46.359 The time needed to confirm death. 00:12:47.239 --> 00:12:49.139 Sounds a bit ominous for Jonah. 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:58.259 Other times, though, it stands for the time for something to go from death to life, 00:12:58.620 --> 00:13:00.840 for something to go the other direction. 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:03.779 Hosea 6 is an example of that. 00:13:04.939 --> 00:13:08.840 So when Jonah spends three days in the fish, we should be asking, 00:13:09.419 --> 00:13:15.000 is he going from life to death or is he going from death to life? 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:18.519 Will Jonah be dinner or delivered? 00:13:19.139 --> 00:13:20.139 Will Jonah be dinner or delivered? 00:13:21.639 --> 00:13:27.519 The other thing is this is a passage that's all about miracles. 00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:32.139 And some of us might be wondering if this is made up. 00:13:33.059 --> 00:13:35.659 And that's, I think, a good question to ask. 00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:43.179 After all, it's highly unlikely that a person can survive inside a fish. 00:13:43.179 --> 00:13:51.019 I didn't know anything about sperm whales until last week. 00:13:51.199 --> 00:13:53.000 I did a quick bit of researching. 00:13:54.059 --> 00:13:58.899 But when they ingest a whole adult-sized squid, they don't sort of chew it up. 00:13:59.319 --> 00:14:02.699 They just take it in whole and it goes into their first stomach. 00:14:02.919 --> 00:14:06.099 They're a bit like a cow in that they have more than one stomach. 00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:09.759 The squid passes whole into the first stomach. 00:14:10.420 --> 00:14:17.300 The first stomach, its muscle walls are so strong that it crushes and pulverises the squid whole. 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:22.920 And a bit of hydrochloric acid sort of helps things along. 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:27.259 The belly of a fish is not conducive to human life. 00:14:27.259 --> 00:14:29.819 And that's the point. 00:14:31.379 --> 00:14:35.299 Jonah has entered an environment that by all accounts should kill him. 00:14:36.500 --> 00:14:36.779 Why? 00:14:37.299 --> 00:14:42.519 Because God is doing something great in bringing his message to the nations. 00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:46.439 And this requires a back from the dead type of miracle. 00:14:50.539 --> 00:14:55.120 Coming back to our question, will Jonah be dinner or delivered? 00:14:55.120 --> 00:15:01.539 The rest of our passage sort of goes on to answer that question. 00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:06.480 And here's sort of two reasons why we know the fish is used to deliver Jonah 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:09.500 and bring him upwards from death to life. 00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:15.340 On the ship in chapter 1, he's carried away from the land. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:19.759 And in the fish, he's carried back to dry land. 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:25.939 The end of chapter 2, verse 10 tells us he's delivered to dry land. 00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:33.159 Inside the ship, last week he was silent and sullen. 00:15:34.539 --> 00:15:38.279 Inside the fish, Jonah is full of prayer and thanksgiving. 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:40.519 He understands he's being rescued. 00:15:42.220 --> 00:15:46.139 So it's a fish to deliver, a fish to save. 00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:49.539 There's a second function of the fish too. 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:53.480 The fish is appointed to discipline. 00:15:55.179 --> 00:15:59.659 God appointed the great fish and that word appoint is used three other times. 00:16:00.199 --> 00:16:05.600 You want to flick over quickly to chapter 4, verse 6 to 8. 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:16.920 Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:21.279 that it might be a shade over his head to save him from his discomfort. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:25.800 So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:30.040 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant 00:16:30.040 --> 00:16:31.200 so that it withered. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:37.520 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind and the sun beat down on his head 00:16:37.520 --> 00:16:38.640 so that Jonah was faint. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:43.900 God gives something good and takes it away. 00:16:44.640 --> 00:16:46.200 God gives something unpleasant. 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:52.920 God is putting Jonah in situations that he will learn for his own good and growth. 00:16:52.919 --> 00:17:06.819 God delivers us and also disciplines us. 00:17:07.639 --> 00:17:12.500 He doesn't leave us in sinful patterns and so it is with Jonah. 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:17.859 And while it's not enjoyable, it's love. 00:17:17.859 --> 00:17:24.699 We're now about to transition from ordinary writing to poetry. 00:17:25.639 --> 00:17:30.639 And it may seem like it's been kind of added in, Jonah's prayer, 00:17:31.379 --> 00:17:33.899 going from prose to poetry. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:37.639 But Jonah's been pulled up from rock bottom. 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:45.039 And the best way he can express his thankfulness is by using a psalm and poetry. 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:47.440 And Jonah's using a template here. 00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:50.039 He's using a template of a Thanksgiving psalm. 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:54.019 And if you wanted to check out Psalm 18 at some stage, 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:55.799 it sort of follows that same template. 00:17:55.920 --> 00:18:00.799 Now I've simplified it to two parts, rescue recalled and reason for rescue. 00:18:02.859 --> 00:18:06.879 So rescue recalled from verse 2 to 6. 00:18:08.259 --> 00:18:10.759 Finally, Jonah prayed. 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:13.400 It took a lot. 00:18:14.900 --> 00:18:19.059 And the pagan sailors had already prayed by this point. 00:18:19.220 --> 00:18:24.460 And there's definitely some irony here in how much longer it took for Jonah to pray. 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:27.640 And this raises a question. 00:18:28.140 --> 00:18:36.420 Because I think in this passage, we are supposed to sympathize with Jonah and relate with him. 00:18:36.420 --> 00:18:42.740 Because, as it's already been mentioned, we can see ourselves in Jonah. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:51.039 So should we disqualify ourselves from calling upon God because of our prayerlessness? 00:18:52.000 --> 00:19:01.640 Can we ever drift so far that we come to a place where we're beyond the assistance of God? 00:19:01.640 --> 00:19:09.140 Is God standing up there with arms folded, shaking his head and muttering under his breath? 00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:11.340 So now you're turning up. 00:19:13.800 --> 00:19:18.700 Well, that's what we would be like, but not God. 00:19:20.360 --> 00:19:20.880 Verse 2. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:32.320 Don't let your prayerlessness prevent you from praying. 00:19:33.040 --> 00:19:34.440 God wants to talk. 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:43.160 The second half of verse 2 begins the crisis and the rescue recalled. 00:19:43.160 --> 00:20:13.140 God wants to talk. 00:20:13.900 --> 00:20:18.380 Turning to the book of Psalms and Exodus to describe his crisis and rescue. 00:20:19.160 --> 00:20:25.680 So we sort of have to know a bit about his family photo album to understand his crisis and rescue. 00:20:27.060 --> 00:20:29.980 There's two sets of images or photos. 00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:34.759 The first set is in verse 2 to 6 and it's Sheol. 00:20:35.660 --> 00:20:39.140 We'll come to find what Sheol is. 00:20:39.140 --> 00:20:45.240 The second set of images is flood imagery in verse 3 and 5. 00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:53.020 And these two images surround his central point like a sandwich in verse 4. 00:20:53.019 --> 00:20:56.019 I am driven away from your sight. 00:20:57.019 --> 00:21:02.839 And if this all sounds a bit confusing, Jonah is making one big point here. 00:21:03.379 --> 00:21:07.819 At the centre of his crisis, he is being driven away from God's sight. 00:21:08.500 --> 00:21:11.259 He has put himself outside of God's presence. 00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:15.879 Let's turn to the first image, Sheol. 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:18.420 What is Sheol? 00:21:18.539 --> 00:21:24.960 It's an Old Testament word with multiple meanings that all sort of describe different aspects of death. 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:28.559 It can mean ultimate death. 00:21:28.779 --> 00:21:32.059 A literal place of punishment and eternal separation. 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:36.600 It can mean bodily death, which happens to us all. 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:45.639 And third, it can mean a state of terrible distress in which you're alive but you're facing such awful circumstances. 00:21:46.500 --> 00:21:50.119 It feels like death and something you cannot escape from. 00:21:51.919 --> 00:21:55.219 Jonah is alive and so he's using the word in this sense. 00:21:55.220 --> 00:22:03.799 In verse 6, he sort of describes it in vivid imagery as this place. 00:22:05.360 --> 00:22:08.920 I went down to the land whose bars close upon me forever. 00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:11.339 That's not a literal place. 00:22:12.220 --> 00:22:15.620 But he's saying that it feels like I'm locked in. 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:17.160 Like I can't get out. 00:22:18.600 --> 00:22:22.839 Well, what can we learn from Jonah's use of this image of Sheol? 00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:27.099 Well, Jonah was alive but experiencing death. 00:22:28.179 --> 00:22:30.919 So we could say Jonah was alive. 00:22:31.699 --> 00:22:33.139 He had a pulse. 00:22:33.459 --> 00:22:34.500 His heart was beating. 00:22:34.699 --> 00:22:37.159 But he wasn't fully living. 00:22:40.179 --> 00:22:43.099 Which begs the question, what is it to fully live? 00:22:45.159 --> 00:22:47.199 And it comes back to the same point. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:49.919 Jonah ran from God's presence in chapter 1. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:58.580 God gave Jonah what he wanted for long enough to realize life outside of his presence was not all it was cracked up to be. 00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:03.360 Life outside of God's presence was not life at all. 00:23:05.620 --> 00:23:08.779 Yet verse 6, second half of verse 6. 00:23:11.580 --> 00:23:13.039 God is still there. 00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:17.320 Yet you brought up my life from the pit. 00:23:17.320 --> 00:23:18.240 God is still there. 00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:21.240 God is still there. 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:26.880 After recalling his rescue from Sheol, he moves to the next image, which is water. 00:23:28.360 --> 00:23:31.720 We love water in Australia. 00:23:32.580 --> 00:23:35.440 The beach is the destination for most of our holidays. 00:23:36.539 --> 00:23:39.140 But for a Jew, it was a bit more complex. 00:23:39.140 --> 00:23:50.040 In a dry climate, water was life, but deep water was a source of fear and something to be escaped from. 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:58.600 So verse 3 and 5, the images are of deep water, to be in a vast expanse alone. 00:23:58.599 --> 00:24:09.799 Some time ago at Fresh, we played a game and we had three different images. 00:24:11.719 --> 00:24:17.899 We had the ocean and like a life raft, so a picture of being alone in the ocean. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:23.039 Snakes, a picture of a whole bunch of snakes and spiders. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:29.799 And I can't remember the point of the game, but the kids had to sort of stand on the picture that they were most afraid of. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:39.019 And I sort of chose the picture of the ocean because that's one of my fears, like being in the ocean alone in that vast expanse. 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:45.460 Anyway, I thought they'd all choose spiders or snakes, but they all stood on the ocean picture. 00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:51.859 To be alone in that vast expanse is scary stuff. 00:24:53.039 --> 00:25:00.279 Jonah envisions not just deep water, but a river crossing. 00:25:02.159 --> 00:25:03.059 Verse 3, 00:25:07.059 --> 00:25:16.039 Is Jonah in the sea or the river? 00:25:18.379 --> 00:25:19.399 Verse 5, 00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:25.560 The waters closed in over me to take my life. 00:25:25.900 --> 00:25:27.100 The deep surrounded me. 00:25:28.700 --> 00:25:31.380 River reeds, that's what it means literally, 00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:33.600 Wrapped around my head. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:38.500 Is Jonah in the sea or the river? 00:25:40.100 --> 00:25:43.500 Jonah is actually flipping through the family photo album, 00:25:44.080 --> 00:25:45.640 looking at Exodus 15. 00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:52.140 Exodus 15 is the song Moses composed after crossing the Red Sea. 00:25:52.860 --> 00:25:54.420 Literally, the Sea of Reeds. 00:25:56.420 --> 00:25:59.600 If you'd like to turn to Exodus 15, feel free to. 00:26:00.060 --> 00:26:04.040 I'll read out just a couple of verses so you can get the idea. 00:26:04.039 --> 00:26:13.720 And as I read, look out for the words deep, flood and reeds, which Jonah uses. 00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:18.440 So Exodus 15, just verse 4 to 5. 00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:45.059 For Israel, crossing was deliverance through God's judgment. 00:26:45.059 --> 00:26:54.679 As they crossed the Red Sea, they literally would have seen great walls of water heaping up either side of them. 00:26:56.119 --> 00:27:01.039 They saw God's judgment either side of them, yet they were unharmed. 00:27:02.679 --> 00:27:08.919 Looking through the family photo album, Jonah realizes he is having an experience of God's judgment. 00:27:08.920 --> 00:27:12.019 Let's look at verse 3 again. 00:27:13.140 --> 00:27:17.400 You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas. 00:27:18.220 --> 00:27:21.400 All the flood surrounded me, either side. 00:27:21.820 --> 00:27:24.920 And all your waves and your billows have passed over me. 00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:35.740 I sort of had a bit of a question that is Jonah sinking in these flood waters of judgment? 00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:43.400 Is Jonah passing through like Israel or is he sinking like Pharaoh? 00:27:44.300 --> 00:27:49.820 And at one point in my preparation, I thought he, Jonah, was sinking like Pharaoh. 00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:58.200 A sort of irony, he, an Israelite, sinking like an Egyptian while the Gentile sailors are up there on the surface, safe and sound. 00:27:58.579 --> 00:27:59.679 But then I read closer. 00:28:02.639 --> 00:28:03.779 Verse 3 again. 00:28:04.779 --> 00:28:06.399 The flood surrounded me. 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:10.059 I saw those walls of water either side of me. 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:18.279 And then all your waves and your billows have passed over me. 00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:21.200 Jonah uses past tense. 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:25.279 Jonah says, your judgments are now behind me. 00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:27.940 They're in the rear view mirror. 00:28:29.180 --> 00:28:36.139 Having been scooped up in the belly of the fish, Jonah can say, your waves and your billows passed over me. 00:28:38.579 --> 00:28:40.319 Circumstances can overwhelm us. 00:28:42.019 --> 00:28:45.460 Trials tend to come like sets of waves, one after the other. 00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:51.819 And God is probably teaching us good things in these times which we would not learn otherwise. 00:28:52.900 --> 00:29:00.600 But be assured God's judgment on our sin, even this week, is only ever in the rear view mirror. 00:29:02.920 --> 00:29:07.700 The water theme concludes in verse 10 of chapter 2. 00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:14.440 Jonah has walked through and is delivered to dry land. 00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:21.720 He's delivered to a new beginning, which is why chapter 3 sounds a lot like chapter 1. 00:29:22.900 --> 00:29:27.940 He's covered in vomit, but he's been delivered to dry land, safe to shore. 00:29:27.940 --> 00:29:38.600 We'll come to verse 4 now, because it's the sort of middle of the sandwich and the most important part. 00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:45.160 And Jonah is really making just the same point that he's made previously with the two images. 00:29:47.240 --> 00:29:54.120 Jonah was probably cold, fearful, lonely, deprived of all creaturely comfort. 00:29:54.119 --> 00:30:00.019 But these circumstances are not at the centre of his crisis. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:05.159 At the centre, he says, I am driven away from your sight. 00:30:06.579 --> 00:30:14.259 Self-inflicted suffering taught Jonah that the worst thing that could happen to him was being forsaken by God. 00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:17.619 To go through all this and be abandoned. 00:30:17.619 --> 00:30:25.659 It's really like the worst thing, isn't it, that can happen to a human, to be abandoned. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:33.459 Yet the second half of this verse says, 00:30:33.459 --> 00:30:37.099 Yet I shall again look upon your holy temple. 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:42.519 Jonah learnt a twin truth. 00:30:42.519 --> 00:31:00.519 Jonah learnt the thing to be dreaded the most cannot happen. 00:31:01.940 --> 00:31:06.319 Jonah is certain he will either be in God's presence or receive help from him. 00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:14.059 Why he could be certain and why he was rescued, we will now turn. 00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:17.500 So this is reason for rescue. 00:31:20.919 --> 00:31:31.179 After recalling his crisis, Jonah repeats his appeal for mercy and his call for help in verse 7 to make it stand out. 00:31:31.180 --> 00:31:42.960 God had sent the fish long before Jonah had called out. 00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:46.940 God appointed the fish. 00:31:48.940 --> 00:31:49.820 It says, 00:31:49.820 --> 00:31:53.360 As Jonah was hurled into the deep. 00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:59.060 God did not have his hands tied until the moment Jonah called out. 00:31:59.059 --> 00:32:03.960 God had initiated Jonah's deliverance long before. 00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:10.159 In the moments Jonah gave up on God, God had not given up on him. 00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:13.940 And here's the reason for rescue in verse 8. 00:32:15.419 --> 00:32:21.000 Those who pay regard or cling to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 00:32:22.339 --> 00:32:25.099 Steadfast love is the reason for rescue. 00:32:25.099 --> 00:32:39.379 It's the word hesed, which is a beautiful picture of when someone in a high position commits to acting in the best interests of someone in a lower position for the long haul. 00:32:39.380 --> 00:32:49.580 When the Supreme Court of New South Wales makes an adoption order, they have to be convinced it's in the best interests of the child. 00:32:50.680 --> 00:32:58.160 A person in a higher position acting in the best interests of a person in a lower position for keeps. 00:32:58.160 --> 00:33:06.759 So steadfast love is this picture of covenant or agreement the Lord makes with his people. 00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:20.380 And so a likely interpretation of verse 8 is that Jonah, now humbled and clinging to the Lord, is saying to his fellow Israelites, 00:33:20.380 --> 00:33:50.360 those who are forsaking your hope of steadfast love, 00:33:50.380 --> 00:33:54.560 the reason the Lord committed to Jonah's deliverance and discipline. 00:33:55.340 --> 00:33:58.900 He won't give up on us, even when we give up on him. 00:34:00.060 --> 00:34:02.640 We also, though, need to hear Jonah's warning. 00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:09.800 Don't forsake the steadfast love of the Lord by clinging to vain idols. 00:34:09.800 --> 00:34:16.960 Perhaps this ought to inform the way we think about times of trial and loss. 00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:24.700 God can and will remove lesser goods that become our vain idols so that we cling to God himself. 00:34:28.200 --> 00:34:33.180 Jonah finishes his prayer by proclaiming, 00:34:33.879 --> 00:34:36.119 Salvation comes from the Lord. 00:34:36.659 --> 00:34:47.460 Jonah is now fit to declare the excellencies of him who called him out of darkness and into his marvellous light. 00:34:47.460 --> 00:34:52.860 However, he was vomited out 00:34:52.860 --> 00:35:04.039 And so not all lessons have been learnt as we shall see as we move into chapters 3 and 4 in the coming weeks 00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:09.380 Something greater than Jonah is here 00:35:09.380 --> 00:35:16.900 Where would you rank Jonah among the prophets of the Old Testament? 00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:22.500 I think most of us would probably rank him fairly lowly 00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:26.679 Maybe actually giving him the wooden spoon 00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:33.820 In the book of Jonah he spoke just 8 words of prophecy 00:35:33.820 --> 00:35:38.679 If we give Jonah the wooden spoon it's sort of awkward 00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:42.900 Because Matthew thinks of him highly enough to compare him to Jesus 00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:46.800 So in what sense is Jonah great? 00:35:47.460 --> 00:35:50.280 That Jesus may be considered even greater 00:35:50.280 --> 00:35:57.000 Matthew chose Jonah because of the Lord's great deliverance of him 00:35:57.000 --> 00:36:01.860 Which declared the Lord's steadfast love to those who looked on 00:36:01.860 --> 00:36:09.480 So three brief points about Jesus in comparison to Jonah to finish 00:36:09.480 --> 00:36:12.860 The three points are 00:36:12.860 --> 00:36:14.559 He came down 00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:16.920 Like Jonah he was forsaken 00:36:16.920 --> 00:36:20.140 And like Jonah he is risen 00:36:20.139 --> 00:36:25.159 Like Jonah Jesus had to descend 00:36:25.159 --> 00:36:30.420 To be miraculously delivered to confirm his message 00:36:30.420 --> 00:36:35.379 Jonah descended rebelliously 00:36:35.379 --> 00:36:37.819 Jesus went willingly 00:36:37.819 --> 00:36:43.400 Not even the suffering that lay ahead could deter him 00:36:43.400 --> 00:36:47.720 Love overcame all obstacles 00:36:47.720 --> 00:36:51.880 But who do we speak of? 00:36:52.460 --> 00:36:53.539 Who came down? 00:36:55.619 --> 00:36:57.180 The Christmas song 00:36:57.180 --> 00:36:58.880 Once in Royal David City 00:36:58.880 --> 00:37:00.099 Says 00:37:00.099 --> 00:37:02.880 He came down to earth from heaven 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:05.980 Who is God and Lord of all 00:37:05.980 --> 00:37:08.219 Isn't that the best news? 00:37:09.800 --> 00:37:11.119 Glenn Scrivener 00:37:11.119 --> 00:37:13.300 Writes this 00:37:13.300 --> 00:37:17.300 He came down to our darkness from heaven above 00:37:17.300 --> 00:37:20.940 He stooped to the crib and the cross out of love 00:37:20.940 --> 00:37:24.719 He shared in our weakness, meekness and mess 00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:27.760 And still he embraced us nevertheless 00:37:27.760 --> 00:37:31.760 Like Jonah 00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:33.540 Jesus was forsaken 00:37:33.540 --> 00:37:38.660 But not for his own sin 00:37:38.660 --> 00:37:44.240 Jonah called out and God answered 00:37:44.240 --> 00:37:47.000 Jesus cried out 00:37:47.000 --> 00:37:48.540 My God, my God 00:37:48.540 --> 00:37:50.240 Why have you forsaken me? 00:37:51.320 --> 00:37:53.880 And there would be no immediate answer 00:37:53.880 --> 00:37:55.900 Rescue or respite 00:37:55.900 --> 00:38:02.420 Jesus had all God's wrath poured upon him for our sin 00:38:02.420 --> 00:38:05.680 And in this he became sin 00:38:05.680 --> 00:38:07.220 Who knew no sin 00:38:07.220 --> 00:38:11.380 Quoting the Heidelberg Catechism 00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:15.119 This Jesus did 00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:17.840 In order that he might set us free 00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:19.480 Body and soul 00:38:19.480 --> 00:38:21.400 From eternal condemnation 00:38:21.400 --> 00:38:23.920 And gain for us God's grace 00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:26.619 Righteousness and eternal life 00:38:26.619 --> 00:38:29.159 This he did 00:38:29.159 --> 00:38:33.059 To assure me in times of personal crisis and temptation 00:38:33.059 --> 00:38:35.400 That Christ my Lord 00:38:35.400 --> 00:38:37.860 By suffering unspeakable anguish 00:38:37.860 --> 00:38:39.900 Pain and terror of soul 00:38:39.900 --> 00:38:41.820 Especially on the cross 00:38:41.820 --> 00:38:42.980 But also earlier 00:38:42.980 --> 00:38:44.559 Has delivered me 00:38:44.559 --> 00:38:47.380 From anguish and torment of hell 00:38:47.380 --> 00:38:51.440 Like Jonah 00:38:51.440 --> 00:38:52.900 He is risen 00:38:52.900 --> 00:38:56.059 Yet Jesus' resurrection 00:38:56.059 --> 00:38:57.579 Was not just for himself 00:38:57.579 --> 00:39:04.900 Jesus was raised 00:39:04.900 --> 00:39:05.860 As the head 00:39:05.860 --> 00:39:07.079 Of the church 00:39:07.079 --> 00:39:09.240 The head of this church 00:39:09.240 --> 00:39:12.099 And Jesus is not ashamed 00:39:12.099 --> 00:39:14.440 To call himself 00:39:14.440 --> 00:39:15.099 Our head 00:39:15.099 --> 00:39:18.539 As the head of the church 00:39:18.539 --> 00:39:20.300 He secured safe passage 00:39:20.300 --> 00:39:22.519 Through those floodwaters of judgment 00:39:22.519 --> 00:39:24.639 Emerging the other side 00:39:24.639 --> 00:39:25.519 To dry land 00:39:25.519 --> 00:39:26.940 And new creation 00:39:26.940 --> 00:39:29.559 Because Jesus has done 00:39:29.559 --> 00:39:30.380 The heavy lifting 00:39:30.380 --> 00:39:31.440 As our captain 00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:33.099 We can be assured 00:39:33.099 --> 00:39:34.079 His body 00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:35.759 The church 00:39:35.759 --> 00:39:36.320 Will follow 00:39:36.320 --> 00:39:38.920 God is just 00:39:38.920 --> 00:39:39.539 As committed 00:39:39.539 --> 00:39:40.860 To our deliverance 00:39:40.860 --> 00:39:41.480 And discipline 00:39:41.480 --> 00:39:42.699 As his big plan 00:39:42.699 --> 00:39:44.019 And Jesus shows 00:39:44.019 --> 00:39:45.300 Neither will fail 00:39:45.300 --> 00:39:47.960 Let's pray 00:39:47.960 --> 00:39:54.420 Dear Father 00:39:54.420 --> 00:39:59.539 We can see ourselves 00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:00.220 At times 00:40:00.220 --> 00:40:01.400 In this story 00:40:01.400 --> 00:40:01.880 Of Jonah 00:40:01.880 --> 00:40:05.099 But we thank you 00:40:05.099 --> 00:40:05.860 That you 00:40:05.860 --> 00:40:07.640 Are just as committed 00:40:07.640 --> 00:40:08.740 To our deliverance 00:40:08.740 --> 00:40:09.320 And discipline 00:40:09.320 --> 00:40:11.260 As this big 00:40:11.260 --> 00:40:12.420 Great plan 00:40:12.420 --> 00:40:14.039 To gather 00:40:14.039 --> 00:40:14.920 In the nations 00:40:14.920 --> 00:40:16.940 We thank you 00:40:16.940 --> 00:40:17.460 For Jesus 00:40:17.460 --> 00:40:18.619 Who is not ashamed 00:40:18.619 --> 00:40:19.579 To be our head 00:40:19.579 --> 00:40:20.680 And captain 00:40:20.680 --> 00:40:21.800 We thank you 00:40:21.800 --> 00:40:22.680 That he has done 00:40:22.680 --> 00:40:23.500 The heavy lifting 00:40:23.500 --> 00:40:25.579 And ensured 00:40:25.579 --> 00:40:27.039 Our own deliverance 00:40:27.039 --> 00:40:29.159 We pray 00:40:29.159 --> 00:40:31.179 That knowing this 00:40:31.179 --> 00:40:31.759 Would help us 00:40:31.759 --> 00:40:32.579 To lean into 00:40:32.579 --> 00:40:33.759 Times of discipline 00:40:33.759 --> 00:40:35.860 And discomfort 00:40:35.860 --> 00:40:36.960 Knowing that they 00:40:36.960 --> 00:40:38.019 Are our own good 00:40:38.019 --> 00:40:38.860 For our good 00:40:38.860 --> 00:40:39.779 Amen