Lesson 179: More than Fish Food

  
Pastor J. W. Binion
Pvt. Edward F. Arthur Camp 1783 SCV
5th Ky. Infantry CSA

Lesson 179: More than Fish Food

When we think of the Old Testament book of Jonah, we think about a man who rebelled against God’s command and plan for his life. Most associate Jonah with being swallowed by a “whale” and that is where our immediate recall of this individual stops.

Jonah is much more than fish bait. He is an example of how many people respond to God’s will for their lives. As you will see when you read this short account, Jonah was minding his own business and the Lord commanded him to go to Nineveh and warn the people there that unless they change their way of life the Lord would destroy them.

The city of Nineveh was the capital of Assyria – bitter enemies of the Israelites. These people were not just enemies, they were so hated by Israelites that a Jew would not give one of them a drink of water if the Assyrian was about to die from thirst. They would not walk across a road to save an Assyrian’s life. And here the Lord was telling this good Jewish prophet to actually go to the capital city of this hated country and warn them to get right with the God of Jacob and Abraham or be destroyed. Jonah knew that this had to be a mistake on the Lord’s part – surely no prophet should be required to subject himself to such low-life people.

Jonah runs in the opposite direction. Oh well, you know the story. He runs – God stops him by having a big fish consume him. Jonah prays for forgiveness – the Lord God takes pity on him and decides to give him a second chance. Jonah is saved from his sin of disobedience and does what God wants him to do.

Jonah does such a good job at warning the Ninevehites that they turn to the God of Abraham and change their life style. They have heard the word and believed, they repented and the Lord was pleased. Because of this conversion the Lord recants and does not destroy them. Now Jonah reverts to his human side – he is angry at God for not destroying the sinners.

Imagine that, a man disobeys God because he doesn’t want to serve the people the Lord is sending him to, he goes on to actually doing the Lord’s will and does it so good that the result is pleasing to God. Then the man gets mad because his work has actually saved a group of low-lifes.

Does that sound like something that happens among some so-called Christians today? Does Jonah not sound like a lot of modern day Christians, offering to do God’s will as long as that meets with what the human wants to do? How many modern day Christians do you know that get upset when God’s plan works? I hope that none of you fall into this type of Christianity.

We see a man not following God’s will and things go astray – we say, “he deserved what he got because he didn’t follow God’s will.” How many times do we think along that line? Shouldn’t we be ready to stand up and say - “Your will Lord and nothing else.” Not only to say that but willing to take whatever comes along the way in obeying the Master’s command for us. Let us always be tuned to what the Lord wants for our lives and be willing to follow through regardless of the hardships. There will be blessings along the way as we obey HIM.

Jonah was so much more than fish bait – he was and is the example of how we should serve God and be happy when the plan works. Don’t be a Jonah – be an obedient child of the Most High God. Next time you go fishing, think about Jonah when you bait the hook. As the General says – “With Sacred Principles to Maintain” I am your obedient servant and humble chaplain, J. W. Binion, D.P.Min. 5th KY Inf. Reg. CSA, E. F. Arthur Camp 1783 SCV.