JONAH'S TWO RESURRECTIONS:
FROM SIN & SELFISHNESS

Mar 19, 2006 pm
Mike Blume

  Scripture Text:

 
Jon 3:3-4:1 KJV  So Jonah arose, and went unto Ninevah, according to the word of the LORD. Now Ninevah 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 Ninevah shall be overthrown.  (5)  So the people of Ninevah 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 Ninevah, 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 Ninevah 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.  (4:1)  But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

  Message:

Eph 5:18-21 KJV  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  (19)  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  (20)  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;  (21)  Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

 Eph 3:14-19 KJV  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  (15)  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,  (16)  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;  (17)  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,  (18)  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;  (19)  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

 THIRD DAY RESURRECTION TO A FURTHER SPIRIT INFILLING

 Last week we taught about the filling of the Holy Ghost which speaks about more than having the Holy Ghost within.

  • The issue of why Paul spoke to Holy Ghost people of their need to be filled with the Spirit indicates that you can HAVE the Spirit within,m but not be filled with it.
  • Since then I considered the concept of what many people believe is the reason for loss of Spirit Filling.
  • Some say it is because the SPIRIT LEAKS OUT.
  • And this is yet another instance of misunderstanding the ways of the Spirit Of God.

 

When we receive the Spirit, we are FILLED as well with it.

  • And as we explained, we give full and complete submission to the Spirit so it can enter our lives.
  • When you FULLY YIELD to the Spirit, you are FULLY INFLUENCED by the Spirit.
  • That is what Spirit Filling means.

 I taught indepth about that last week in bible study.

 But when the Spirit no longer fills us, and we require filling again, it is because it did not leak out, BUT SHRANK in it's degree of influence inside us.

 SELF FOCUS and SELF CENTREDNESS and SELF WILL compartmentalize the Spirit of God and hem it inside of us.

 Mat 5:13-16 KJV  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  (14)  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  (15)  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  (16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 The verses above propose we have a great treasures inside, BUT IT MUST COME OUT.

 When God spoke to Jonah to go to Ninevah and cry against their wickedness, Jonah knew God had to destroy them, but did not want to do so if they would repent.

  • Jonah did not want to see them saved.
  • We know this from 4;2, after God did spare them.

 Jonah 4:2 KJV  And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

 Joel 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he [is] gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

It seems Israel would not do this, and some scholars actually feel Jonah did not want to see Israel shamed by a heathen people who WOULD rend their hearts and turn to God and be spared, out of some demented concept of loyalty to Israel.

 But when he took ship to Tarshish to escape the will of God to preach, God prepared something for Jonah.

 Jonah 1:4 KJV  But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

 The mariners of the ship knew it was that odd that something supernatural was occurring.

 Jonah 1:5-6 KJV  Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.  (6)  So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

 They prayed to any god they knew, and even told Jonah to pray to his God!

 They finally realized that throwing things off the ship did nto stop this supernatural tempest, so they concluded it must be some PERSON responsible.

 They cast lots, which was commonly done in those days in faith that God would actually intervene and make the cupl

 Pro 16:33 KJV  The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

 Jonah 1:7-8 KJV  And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.  (8)  Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

 Jonah told them he was a Hebrew and that he was running from God.

  • And notice what he tells them to do and what they actually do.

 Jonah 1:8-13 KJV  Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?  (9)  And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.  (10)  Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.  (11)  Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.  (12)  And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.  (13)  Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

 Rather than throw this SINGLE MAN overboard into the sea, and remove the danger to themselves, these heathens continue to fight for JONAH, and save him by attempting to row to land rather than save themselves by throwing him overboard.

 But it was to no avail.

 Jonah 1:14-15 KJV  Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.  (15)  So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

 The storm ceased.

  • Jonah's God was made known to be real!
  • And we read:

 Jonah 1:16 KJV  Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.

 Think of these people!

  • They worshipped false gods.
  • But they tried to save Jonah when he told them he was the problem.
  • And when they knew they had to throw him overboard, they cried to God and begged Him to not judge them murderers, for they knew he had innocent blood and committed no crime against them.

 Jesus said the sign he would give to the people of Israel was that of Jonah.

  • 3 days and 3 nights in the earth as Jonah was in the whale.
  • But when Israel asked to put Christ on the cross, as the ariners sought to throw Jonah overboard, they spat upon the idea that Christ had innocent blood.
  • When Pilate sought to wash his hands of Jesus'innocent blood, the jews cried for His blood to be upon them and their children, they were so hateful and shameful.

 
And then the heathens worshipped God and sacrificed to him!

 Jonah 1:17 KJV  Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

 God prepared one more thing to get Jonah to preach to Ninevah.

 Jesus' Gospel is the good news of the DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION that saves our souls.

 Chapter one of Jonah could be said to speak of the DEATH.

  • People are suffering under God;s wrath and anger DUE TO ONE MAN's ACTIONS - Jonah.
  • All humanity suffered due to ADAM.
  • But Jesus identified Himself with Adam and took all the sin caused by Adam and everyone's sins born from Adam to DIE FOR US.
  • As Jonah was cast into the sea to remove the tempest and wrath of God from all the people, Jesus was wounded for OUR trasngressions and bruised for OUR iniquity.
  • And as the whale swallowed Jonah for 3 days and nights, Jesus was swallowed of death in the grave for 3 days and nights.

 AND GOD PREPARED THE WHALE, just as the death of Jesus was prepared and planned for by God.

 Act 2:23 KJV  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

 Act 2:23 CEV  God had already planned and decided that Jesus would be handed over to you. So you took him and had evil men put him to death on a cross.

 And the BURIAL could be seen in chapter 2 of Jonah.

  •  Jonah was in the whale for the entire chapter 2.

 And the whole chapter is spent on JOnah praying quite eloquently for mercy from God.

 Jonah 2:1-10 KJV  Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,  (2)  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.  (3)  For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.  (4)  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.  (5)  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.  (6)  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.  (7)  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.  (8)  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.  (9)  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.  (10)  And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

 And Chapter 3 shows RESURRECTION.

 Jonah is out of the whale, as Jesus came out of the grave so that tghe world, like Ninevah might at least hear the Gosp[el and be saved if they would obey it.

 But while a three days occurs for JONAH TO BE SAVED, another three days occurs for JONAH TO LET GOD USE HIM.

 We think salvaiton is just for us.

  • And God did indeed save US each from sin and hell.
  • Praise God!
  • BUT GOD SAVES US AND PUTS HIS SPIRIT IN US SO ONCE INSIDE US HE CAN REACH THROUGH AND TOUCH THE LOST WORLD AND RESCUE THEM NOW!

 Jonah needed THIRD DAY to escape his self-centredness and total lack of understanding why God wanted to use him.

 If Jonah's resurrection from the whale represents our salvation from sin, fo rwhich we are VERY graetful, as he was, to God, then the NEXT THREE DAYS Jonah experienced, in which God taught him about his need to love others represents how we need to get FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT FOR MINISTRY.

 What is fascinating in this is that we spiritually RESURRECT with Jesus when we have the Spirit baptism and are filled with it.

  • Everyone is FILLED witrh teh Spirit when they receive it.
  • But it's as though ANOTHER THREE DAYS occurs to REALLY be filled for more reasons than ourselves simply wanting it so bad that we fully yield and allow him to enter.
  • And this hints at why folks do not stay Spirit filled.
  • TO STAY FILLED, we must have more of a desire in God than for our own salvation.
  • We must NOW realize He is in us to reach out to a world.
  • Maybe that is reason we do not stay filled.
  • We got out lot, and are saved, so who cares about the world.
  • So we SHRINK the infleunce of God in our lilves down to a compartment in our lives.

 It doesn't leak out.

  • It gets pushed down and squashed out of influence over us.

 I told you how Jonah complained about Ninevah';s repentance.

 Jonah 3:3-4 KJV  So Jonah arose, and went unto Ninevah, according to the word of the LORD. Now Ninevah 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 Ninevah shall be overthrown.

 So ONE DAY passes when Jonah preaches.

 Ninevah repents.

 Jonah 4:1-5 KJV  But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.  (2)  And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.  (3)  Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.  (4)  Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?  (5)  So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.

 The forty days did not yet pass.

  • Scholars say verse 5 notes he went out of hte city and waited to see if God would destroy Ninveah anyway.

 That would make it ANOTHER DAY, because he went ONE DAY's journey into the city.

 
Jonah 4:6-8 KJV  And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.  (7)  But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.  (8)  And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

 THE THIRD DAY ARRIVES.

  • God prepared a gourd for Jonah to be shaded from the HEAT of the sun.
  • The morning comes.
  • God prepared a worm and killed the gourd so its hug leaves did not shade him any more.
  • Then God prepares ONE MORE THING.
  • He only sent the wind and prepared the whale for Jonah's third day resurrection.
  • But he prepares THREE things for his resurrection from SELFISHNESS.
  • And on a third day in the morning, Jonah cries like an infant that he wants to DIE rather than live.

 He said the same thing when he saw NIOnveah repent.

 Jonah 4:3 KJV  Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

 He was going to die, alright, but not as he thought.

  • God was fixing to kill that miserable selfishness he had within.

 Jonah 4:9 KJV  And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

 God asked him if he was jusitified in his complaint.

 He asked the same thing earlier as well when JOnah said it the first time.

 Jonah 4:4 KJV  Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

 By saying this about JOnah';s disreghard for Ninevah's salvation, and also for the gourd's destruction, God is CONNECTING SOMETHING ABOUT NINEVAH AND THE GOURD.

  • And we see what it is here:

 John says HE IS JUSTIFIED in being upset over the destruction o the plant.

 Jonah 4:10-11 KJV  Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:  (11)  And should not I spare Ninevah, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

 
And like leaving us STUNNED with this severe rebuke from God, the story fo Jonah ends.

  • It leaves you reeling!
  • What an effect!
  • What a way to end a book and to stress something!

 He had more compassion for a PLANT than thousands and thousands of people.

 The heathen mariners had more concern over JOnah when they knew it was one man's fault they all were feeloing God's wrath.

  • Rather than throw him overboard, they tried rowing to shore.
  • But JONAH, the man of God, cared more for one plant being destroyed than thousands upon thousands of living souls being destroyed..

 It was a three days journey through all of Ninevah, alright.

  • But not only physically.
  • God had to take Jonah through a period of THREE DAYS after he alrfeady spent a former three days to resurrect from his own death.
  • This was so that he would resurrect from his self centred ways of not caring for Ninevah.
  • God had to get him through to Ninevah.

 He was so eloquent about mercy of God for HIMSELF to be saved.

  • Read chapter 2.
  • But when it came to an entire metropolis being saved from wrath...

 Jonah 4:1-3 KJV  But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.  (2)  And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.  (3)  Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

 He wants to be killed, when he was so distraught and hurt and smashed down in the whale that he prayed a fancy prayer that takes up just about the whole chapter of John 2 in order to NOT BE KILLED.

 Church, God wants to FILL YOU after another THREE DAYS.

  • You experience the Holy Ghost baptism because you went through a three days and nights worth of identification with Jesus.
  • Your third day was Spirit infilling after God took you out of sin!
  • But the Spirit within that filled us is shrunk to the state of inability to flow through and help others because of our selfishness.
  • And we must have another three days for another filling so HE CAN INFLUENCE US TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT HE FREELY CAN TOUCH THE WORLD THROUGH US!

 It was death to sin that allowed Him to fill us with His Spirit.

  • But to fill us with His Spirit again so that it is not just freedom from sin we enjoy, it is death to selfishness and disregard for the lost around us we must experience.

 People come to church once they get salvation, and never feel an ounce of burden to come hardly any more so that GOD CAN USE THEM to reach others!

  • The Jonah complex!
  • Lack of faithfulness is the JONAH COMPLEX!
  • Just get ourselves filled, and who cares about seeing God fill us to NOW REACH OTHERS.

 After a point in time, you do not come to the altar to feel a nice fuzzy feeling for yourself from God's Spirit inside, but to come and let God's inside MINISTER to someone else so they can know Him, too!