Can The Story of Jonah Play Out Today?

[votivesoul]

I've been thinking about Jonah lately, particularly how his refusal to immediately obey God's command to go to Nineveh nearly caused the loss of life of those around him as he sailed for Tarshish.

Can the same thing happen today? Or is the story limited to that specific situation? Or is it given to us as a warning or reminder that any time a person doesn't immediately obey God, those around him or her can suffer immeasurable consequences, such as the men occupying the same ship as the Son of Amittai?

If it's a warning and reminder for all times, how would one go about discerning if a Jonah-esque scenario is being played out around them?

[Esaias]

Chapter 1 verses 5-17 indicate the mariners were non-Israelite heathens, and that the calamity brought upon them for Job's sake eventually caused them to glorify God. So the disaster following Job wasn't just disaster, but served a larger redemptive purpose in their lives.

[mfblume]

I see it in dispensationalism. lol

Will explain how later.

[TakingDominion]

I've always wondered, why did God send Jonah to an Assyrian city to preach repentance?

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by TakingDominion

I've always wondered, why did God send Jonah to an Assyrian city to preach repentance?

they did repent, so I guess He knew what He was doing . . . also, it was always God's plan that Israel would bring forth salvation to the gentiles along with the jews.

[Michael The Disciple]

Can the same thing happen today? Or is the story limited to that specific situation? Or is it given to us as a warning or reminder that any time a person doesn't immediately obey God, those around him or her can suffer immeasurable consequences, such as the men occupying the same ship as the Son of Amittai?

It seems the Bible shows us in both Testaments that disobedience to YAH can lead to immediate judgment. Sin flourishes (like today) when men dont fear God.

[mfblume]

DISPENSATIONALISM, THE NEW JONAH.

I did some more study on the issue of THE CHURCH actually being ISRAEL, with Gentiles grafted into to become part of national Israel.

And I realized something that seems to indicate the same spirit dispensationalism has is what Jonah had, in excluding GENTILES.

Peter had a problem with preaching to gentiles.

Acts 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Earlier, a GENTILE named Cornelius was praying and an angel told him to get a man called PETER and he’d tell him what to do.

Acts 10:1-6 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, (2) A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. (3) He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. (4) And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. (5) And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: (6) He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

Peter was IN JOPPA, BY THE SEASIDE.

Who else was at Joppa by the seaside?

Jonah 1:1-3 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, (2) Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. (3) But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

That’s where Jonah went to get a ship and run when God told him to PREACH TO GENTILES in NINEVAH!

God tells a GENTILE to send men to PETER WHO IS AT JOPPA, the same city where Jonah fetched a ship to run, to come and PREACH TO THEM WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.

Jonah was in Joppa and had a problem preaching to Gentiles.
• He went to Joppa to get on a ship and not preach to gentiles in Ninevah.
• So, God send a whale that eventually swallowed Jonah for three days and nights, before Jonah snapped out of it and obeyed God to preach to GENTILES.
• And we learn later why Jonah refused to preach to them and he fled.

Jonah 3:6-10 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, 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 Nineveh 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.

Ninevah REPENTS and God forgives them and doesn’t destroy them.

Jonah 4:2 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.

JONAH DID NOT WANT GOD TO SAVE GENTILES!

Peter being a good Jew had God give him a vision of UNCLEAN, animals that he refused to eat, presented to him to eat by GOD.
• Peter resisted.

Acts 10:11-17 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: (12) Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. (13) And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. (14) But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. (15) And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. (16) This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. (17) Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,

When Peter goes with these men, they take him to an Italian’s house.

Look how we see Peter resisted GENTILES at first.

Acts 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Remember that when Jesus gave Peter the keys, read what Jesus called Him.

Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

• Barjona is SON OF JONAH.
• Peter was called the SON OF JONAH.

John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

It seems Peter was SON OF JONAH in more than one way!
• He was LIKE JONAH.
• Resistant to the thought of GOD SAVING GENTILES.

Dispensationalism does not want GENTILES to be part of the covenant for Israel. So, they say the NEW COVENANT in Jer 31:31 is not the new covenant we have today. It is a millennial covenant FOR JEWS ONLY.

But the fact is, it is the covenant for today, and Gentiles have been engrafted into Israel, and we are enjoying the covenant and Abraham and of David NOW already before any millennium begins. There is NOT another covenant coming later on. Jesus is on the throne of David already. And God is showing us these Jonah's who resist the thought of gentiles coming into the kingdom had a similar pal named Peter whom God CORRECTED!



Come on, Jonah! Get right and stop separating Gentiles in some mythical "gentile church" where it is distinguished from Israel, when ISRAEL IS THE CHURCH, and gentiles were engrafted onto it by new birth!

God took Jonah through the three days and nights to get him to preach to gentiles.

Jesus said the work of the CROSS is the sign of Jonah. Three days and three nights! SO GENTILES can be saved, too! Gentiles are not going to be excluded from anything God planned for Israel because they become part of Israel in the New Covenant!

[mfblume]

No response?

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by mfblume

No response?

Good thoughts Mike

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Godsdrummer

Good thoughts Mike