Jonah, Marching Orders Part 2: Change Happens When You Obey Your Marching Orders

Marching Orders
Part 2: Change Happens When You Obey Your Marching Orders

Jonah 2-3

“But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.”
Jonah 1:17(NIV)

1. What we believe to be a problem; God uses as provision.

“From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.”
Jonah 2:1(NIV)

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.”
James 5:13(NIV)

- In all moments we should pray.

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.”
Jonah 2:2(NIV)

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again towards your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.”
Jonah 2:2-9(NIV)

Jonah 2:2 – Psalm 3:4
Jonah 2:2 – Psalm 16:10
Jonah 2:4 – Psalm 31:22
Jonah 2:5 – Psalm 69:1
Jonah 2:8 – Psalm 31:6
Jonah 2:9- Psalm 116:14

“And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”
Jonah 2:10(NIV)

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:”
Jonah 3:1(NIV)

2. God’s capacity to redeem is greater than our capacity to rebel.

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days.”
Jonah 3:2-3(NIV)

“Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.”
Jonah 3:4(NIV)

“The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.”
Jonah 3:5-6(NIV)

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
Hebrews 4:12

3. When the heart seems harder, God’s word remains sharper.

“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.”
Galatians 3:26-27

“But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”
Jonah 3:8-9(NIV)

“When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.”
Jonah 3:10(NIV)

“If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned.”
Jeremiah 18:7-8

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”
Isaiah 30:18(NIV)