INTRODUCTION: Jonah tells the story of the prophet who ran from obedience to God. There are many lessons here to help us understand how God does His work through man and how He deals with His servants when they rebel against Him.

1. JONAH FLED FROM THE LORD (Jonah 1:1-3 [1] 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.
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1. The Call of Jonah (Jonah 1:1-2 [1] 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.
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1. Jonah the son of Amittai (Jonah 1:1Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
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1. The servant of the Lord (2 Kings 14:25He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
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2. The prophet of the Lord (2 Kings 14:25He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
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3. From the city of Gathhepher (2 Kings 14:25He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
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1. A town of Zebulon
2. In lower Galilee (compare John 7:52They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
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3. Three miles from Nazareth
4. Probably ministered before and around 750 BC, perhaps as a contemporary of Amos
2. The word of the Lord (Jonah 1:1-2 [1] 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.
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1. It came unto Jonah (Jonah 1:1Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
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2. It brought a specific message (Jonah 1:2Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
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1. Arise.
2. Go to Nineveh.
1. A great city
2. Of three days’ journey (Jonah 3:3So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.
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1. Many think this refers to the distance Jonah was from the city.
2. However, Nineveh certainly included a large area considered a part of the city, even if it was not all within a city wall. Evidently, it took Jonah three days to get through the city preaching the message of repentance.
3. Located on Tigris River
4. Founded very early (Genesis 10:11Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
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5. The capital city of the Assyrian Empire (2 Kings 19:36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
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6. Completely destroyed in 612 BC according to biblical prophecy (Nahum 1:1The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
   See All...; Nahum 3:7And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?
   See All...; Zephaniah 2:13And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.
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3. Cry against it.
1. Because of their wickedness
2. Because it got God’s attention (Genesis 18:20-21 [20] And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; [21] I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
   See All...; Revelation 18:4-5 [4] And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. [5] For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
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2. The Rebellion of Jonah (Jonah 1:3But 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.
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1. He rose up to flee.
1. Unto Tarshish
1. Probably referring either to a region in southern Spain or to Sardinia, an island off the coast of Italy
2. It was to the west of Israel while Nineveh was to the east. Jonah was going in the opposite direction to God’s command.
3. It was also considered to be at the edges of civilization at the time Jonah headed that direction. He was attempting to get as far away from where God had sent him as he possibly could.
2. From the presence of the Lord (see Genesis 3:8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
   See All...; Genesis 4:16And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
   See All...); Note: One cannot actually remove himself from the presence of God (see Psalm 139:1-13 [1] O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. [2] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. [3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. [4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. [5] Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. [6] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. [7] Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? [8] If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. [9] If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; [10] Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. [11] If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. [12] Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. [13] For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
   See All...), but it appears that this was Jonah’s desire.
2. He went down to Joppa.
1. Located on the Mediterranean coast where Tel Aviv is located today
2. He found a ship going to Tarshish.
3. He paid the fare of the ship. Application: we can run from the Lord, but we will have to pay the fare.
3. He went down into the ship and into its sides (Jonah 1:5Then 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.
   See All...). He will later be cast down into the sea (Jonah 1:15So they look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
   See All...). Application: running from God always takes us down .
2. THE LORD SENT A STORM (Jonah 1:4-6 [4] 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. [5] 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.
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1. The Fierceness of the Storm (Jonah 1:4But 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.
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1. A great wind
2. A mighty tempest
3. Threatening to wreck the ship (Psalm 107:24-28 [24] These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. [25] For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. [26] They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. [27] They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. [28] Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
   See All...; Acts 27:13-20 [13] And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. [14] But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. [15] And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. [16] And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: [17] Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. [18] And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; [19] And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. [20] And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
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2. The Fear of the Mariners (Jonah 1:5Then 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.
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1. They feared because of the storm, which means that it must have been more fearsome than the storms they typically endured.
2. Each cried to his own god (Isaiah 44:19-20 [19] And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? [20] He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
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3. They cast forth the wares (most likely the things they were to sell in Tarshish) to lighten the ship.
3. The Indifference of Jonah (Jonah 1:5Then 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.
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1. They found Jonah asleep in the sides of the ship (Jonah 1:5Then 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.
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2. The shipmaster came and rebuked him (Jonah 1:6So 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.
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1. O sleeper (Romans 13:11And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
   See All...; Ephesians 5:14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
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2. Call upon thy God.
3. JONAH ADMITTED HIS DISOBEDIENCE (Jonah 1:7-10 [7] 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? [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.
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1. The Choosing of Jonah (Jonah 1:7And 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.
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1. They cast lots so that they might know the person responsible for bringing this evil upon them (Proverbs 16:33The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
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2. The lot fell on Jonah.
2. The Inquiry of the Mariners (Jonah 1:8Then 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?
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1. What is the cause of this evil?
2. What is your occupation?
3. Where are you from?
4. What is your country?
5. Who are your people?
3. The Testimony of Jonah (Jonah 1:9And 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.
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1. I am an Hebrew.
2. I fear the LORD.
1. The God of heaven
2. Which hath made the sea and the dry land
4. The Rebellion of Jonah (Jonah 1:10Then 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.
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1. The men knew of his rebellion.
2. The men were exceedingly afraid.
3. The men wondered why he rebelled. Note: How could he rebel against such a wonderful God?
4. Note: the cause of Jonah’s rebellion is seen in Jonah 4:2And 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.
   See All.... He knew that God was likely to forgive the people of Nineveh if they repented. Israel had suffered much at the hands of the Assyrians. It must have been music to Jonah’s ears to hear that they were to be destroyed. The last thing he wanted to do was to give them a chance to escape the judgment of God.
4. THE MEN CAST JONAH INTO THE SEA (Jonah 1:11-15 [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. [14] 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 look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
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1. The Suggested Solution of Jonah (Jonah 1:11-12 [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.
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1. The men asked for a suggestion (Jonah 1:11Then 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.
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2. Jonah suggested that they throw him into the sea (Jonah 1:12And 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.
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1. This would bring calm to the sea.
2. Jonah evidently reasoned that it would also foil God’s purpose of him preaching to the people of Nineveh. Jonah had not repented of his disobedience at this point. He still wanted God’s judgment on Nineveh. If he was thrown into the sea, he would be killed (he thought), but Nineveh would still be judged. But God had different plans.
2. The Failed Attempt of the Mariners (Jonah 1:13Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
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1. The men rowed hard in an attempt to reach the land without having to cast Jonah overboard.
2. They had to admit their failure.
3. The Prayer of the Mariners (Jonah 1:14Wherefore 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.
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1. They asked for deliverance.
1. Let us not perish for this man’s life.
2. Lay not on us innocent blood.
2. They acknowledged God’s power – “for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee” (Psalm 115:3But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
   See All...; Psalm 135:6Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
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4. The Fate of Jonah (Jonah 1:15So they look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
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1. They took up Jonah.
2. They cast him forth into the sea.
3. The sea ceased from her raging.
5. THE LORD PREPARED FOR JONAH (Jonah 1:16-17 [16] Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. [17] 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.
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1. The Changed Mariners (Jonah 1:16Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
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1. They feared the Lord exceedingly.
2. They offered a sacrifice to the Lord.
3. They made vows to the Lord.
2. The Great Fish (Jonah 1:17Now 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.
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1. Prepared by the Lord; this fish was especially prepared by the Lord, so it does not have to match any living fish. This fish was called a whale by Jesus (Matthew 12:40For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
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2. For the purpose of swallowing up Jonah
3. Jonah remained there for three days and three nights – a picture of the time Christ spent in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
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CONCLUSION: Jonah ran from the Lord, but he could not get away from Him. His running took him continually down and he had to pay the fare. But God had a purpose for him and would not let him go. Are you running away from God?