Jonah Chapter 4

[Van]

Here I sit, sulking, complaining that the poster's who in my opinion are openly hindering the ministry of Christ are allowed to trample all over God's word. Of course I am sitting in the shade of a vine, now withering due to a God ordained worm.

I am rebellious, thinking I know how God should distribute His grace, with the lion's share going to those who agree with me.

Why should I accept the sovereignty of God's grace, who has compassion of whom He has compassion, when it seems off kilter to me.

Matthew 6:14-15
"For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.
​

God uses "broken reeds" people who sometimes act in accordance with God's will, but at other times miss the mark. Sometimes these broken reeds, among whom I am chief, come to the conclusion they are special.

 

[Van]

Why did Christ stay "three days and three nights" (or parts of those periods) in the tomb, just as Jonah had spend time in the great fish (Jonah 1:17)? Why did Christ bring the Prophet Jonah into His gospel? Was it to reinforce the message of Chapters 1, 2 and 3 or was it reinforce chapter 4?

 

[taisto]

The story of Jonah seems to express the anti-type of Christ.

 

[kyredneck]

The story of Jonah seems to express the anti-type of Christ.

Definitely

... but an anti-type in the same vein as Adam - 'not as'/'so is':

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam`s transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come.
15 But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many.
16 And not as through one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses unto justification. Ro 5

Jonah fled but Christ was willing. Nineveh repented, Jerusalem did not.

 

[Van]

Matthew 12:39-41
But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them - and now, something greater than Jonah is here!

What is the "sign" or confirming miracle of Jonah? Was it how he looked after spending days in the belly of a huge fish, but was still alive? What is the confirming miracle of Jesus, that He rose on the third say from the dead?

 

[Van]

What is one of the things we must believe to be saved? That God raised Jesus from the dead. Romans 4:23-25.

 

[Van]

Did the people of Nineveh repent after hearing and seeing Jonah, the prophet who had spent days in the belly of a great fish? Yes
Did some of the witnesses of Christ's miracles not repent and believe? Yes

Luke 11:32
The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them - and now, something greater than Jonah is here!​