Overview:
Chuck Swindoll begins his series on Jonah, not by immersing us in the intricate details of this literary masterpiece but by giving us a bird’s-eye-view of the book.
Immediately, we’ll learn how running from God is a theological impossibility and how running with God is a remarkable discovery.
No matter the season in which you find yourself, whether you feel distant from God or close, listen in to the first message of Chuck’s nine-part series on Jonah and get a fresh insight into God’s Word.
Message Summary:
In this foundational message, Chuck Swindoll introduces the book of Jonah not merely as a “whale of a tale,” but as a profound look at the missionary heart of God and the stubborn resistance of the human heart. While Jonah is often remembered for being swallowed by a great fish, Swindoll emphasizes that the true core of the story is Jonah’s reluctance to share God’s mercy with his enemies. This study provides a “bird’s-eye view” of the book, exploring how Jonah’s prejudice blurred his vision of his enemies, causing him to know God’s words without knowing God’s heart.
Message Key Facts:
- The Historical Context: Jonah was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel during the prosperous reign of Jeroboam II (793–753 BC).
- The Conflict: God called Jonah to Nineveh (East), but Jonah fled to Tarshish (West)—the farthest point known to the ancient world.
- The Core Theme: God’s infinite mercy for all people vs. human reluctance to share that mercy.
- The Christ Connection: Jonah’s three days in the fish foreshadow Christ’s death and resurrection (Matthew 12:38–45).
Message References:
- Introduction: The Enigma of Jonah
- Discussion of Jonah as a “steer in a blizzard”—a prophet standing against the grain, yet moving in the wrong direction.
- Scripture: 2 Kings 14:25 (Jonah’s historical identity).
- The Divine Commission and Human Resistance
- Analysis of God’s specific call to Nineveh and Jonah’s immediate, self-centered act of disobedience.
- Scripture: Jonah 1:1–2 (“Arise, go to Nineveh…”).
- The Theological Impossibility of Escape
- Why running from an omnipresent God is a futile effort.
- Scripture: Jonah 1:3 (Jonah flees to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord).
- Four Principles for the Journey
- 1. Running from God is a theological impossibility (Jonah 1).
- 2. Running to God is a personal necessity (Jonah 2).
- 3. Running with God is a remarkable discovery (Jonah 3).
- 4. Running against God is a pitiful catastrophe (Jonah 4).
