1. Lesson 4 for July 25, 2015
Acts 10:34,35
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that
God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth
him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

2. THE PROPHET JONAH“He [Jeroboam II] restored the territory
of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to
the Sea of the Arabah, according to the
word of the Lord God of Israel, which He
had spoken through His servant Jonah the
son of Amittai, the prophet who was from
Gath Hepher.” (2 Kings 14:25)
Jonah is introduced as the son of Amittai
(Jonah 1:1), a Galilean prophet who was born
in a village close to Nazareth.
He is a successful prophet. His prophecy
about Israel was fulfilled (Jeremiah 28:9).
Jonah had both great strengths and great
weaknesses.
He was stubborn and rebellious, but he was
willing to learn. He was faithful to God,
courageous and a praying man. Nevertheless,
he was narrow-minded, selfish and vengeful.
God is willing to use us despite
our faults.

3. “Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered
a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.” (Jonah 1:16)
God told Israel that the Gentiles would be drawn to them and converted by
Israel’s example (Deuteronomy 4:5-6; Isaiah 56:7). However, Jonah was called
to go to the Gentiles’ and to preach the message of salvation there.
He was asked
to go to the
east by land,
but he
decided to go
west by sea.
He disobeyed
God, but wind
and sea
obeyed their
Creator.
He was
sleeping, but
the sailors
asked him to
pray.
He didn’t want
to talk about
God, but he
was forced to
testify to his
faith and
mission.
The sailors on that boat were the first converted pagans in spite of Jonah’s
attitude. How great is the love of our God!

4. “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to
swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of
the fish three days and three nights. Then
Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the
fish’s belly.” (Jonah 1:17-2:1)
According to some writing of that time, “three days and three nights” was a
literary figure of the time it would take for someone to go to Sheol (Jonah 2:2).
Jesus used Jonah’s story as an example of
Him being “in the heart of the earth”
(Matthew 12:40). He would then resurrect
from the death like Jonah was vomited from
the large fish.

5. “Now the Lord had
prepared a great fish to
swallow Jonah. And
Jonah was in the belly of
the fish three days and
three nights. Then Jonah
prayed to the Lord his
God from the fish’s
belly.” (Jonah 1:17-2:1)
God showed His mercy to Jonah. That
was the same mercy that moved Him
to forgive the Ninevites.
Jonah faced an imminent death. He
trusted God’s forgiveness and he
believed God could save him. He
repented before Him (Jonah 2:6-9).

6. “‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell
you.’ […] And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he
cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’”
(Jonah 3:2-4)
1.God is willing to give us a second
chance when we fail.
2.We are sent to talk to those who
don’t know God yet.
3.The message we give is God’s, not
ours.
4.Gospel and judgment always come
together. Sin must be shown up so
men and women can find salvation in
Christ.
5.God always accept true repentance.
He doesn’t expect sinners to achieve
a full knowledge of the truth before
forgiving them.

7. “God’s messengers in the great cities are not to
become discouraged over the wickedness, the
injustice, the depravity, which they are called upon to
face while endeavoring to proclaim the glad tidings of
salvation. The Lord would cheer every such worker
with the same message that He gave to the apostle
Paul in wicked Corinth: ‘Be not afraid, but speak, and
hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man
shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people
in this city.’ Acts 18:9, 10… In every city, filled though
it may be with violence and crime, there are many
who with proper teaching may learn to become
followers of Jesus. Thousands may thus be reached
with saving truth and be led to receive Christ as a
personal Saviour.”
E.G.W. (Prophets and Kings, cp. 22, pg. 277)

8. THE CRY OF JONAH
“So he prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when
I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know
that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in
lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.’” (Jonah 4:2)
Unbelievable! Jonah is the only person in the Bible who accused God of
offering grace, of being compassionate, slow to anger and full of love. He
complained that God forgives instead of sending calamities. What was Jonah’s
problem?
His problem was selfishness. Jonah was unable to care about someone but
himself. His own fame and welfare were more important to him than the
salvation of more than 120,000 people.
Are we as blind as Jonah was? Are we aware of our mission—working for the
salvation of our neighbor? Are we willing to joyfully fulfill our mission?

9. “All are required to labor to diminish the ills and
multiply the blessings of their fellow creatures. If
we are strong to resist temptation we are under
the greater obligation to help those who are
weak and yielding. Have we knowledge, we
should instruct the ignorant. Has God blessed us
with this world’s goods, it is our duty to succor
the poor. We must work for others’ good. Let all
within the sphere of our influence be partakers
of whatever of excellence we may possess. None
should be content to feed on the bread of life
without sharing it with those around them."
E.G.W. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, cp. 74, pg. 606)