God’s Dealings With Man: A Study of Prophet Jonah – Part 3

Posted by davidluiz in Daily Devotional, Featured, Messages

Over the last few weeks, we have studied the life of the bible Prophet Jonah and God’s dealings with him as recorded in the biblical account of his life. We were able to determine in the first and second parts of this message series that God IS merciful, that man was given freedom of choice by God and is not forced to obey God no matter how great the assignment he is given by the Lord or the mode by which the message was given i.e. how spectacular the mode was. Also, we were able to see from scriptures that even though man has been given free will and freedom of choice, it does not deny God the right to act in response to man’s choices; whether good or bad. God gave man freedom of choice but has put in place consequences or blessings (depending on whether the act is one of disobedience or obedience) that become man’s lot when he makes a choice. However, God also gave man the bible in order for man to learn what actions bring his judgment and those that bring his blessings. Thus, man literally determines the course of his life by the actions and decisions he makes. The more often he makes choices in line with the dictates of the bible; the Word of God, the better his life becomes.

In this last part of the message, we will go on to consider and establish some more lessons in regards to how God deals with man.

“Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly. And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice…But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” Jonah 2:1-2, 9-10

LESSON 4:

Praise is capable of moving God in ways that nothing else can. Time and time again across the pages of scripture, we see how God was moved to do literally mind boggling things simply because man worshipped or praised him. Psalm 22:3 further buttresses this point by explaining how God literally inhabits the praises of Israel; “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel”.

It is important for us to note this because although the entire Chapter 2 of Jonah is devoted to the Prophet’s prayer in the belly of the fish, God only commanded the fish to throw Jonah upon the land when he promised to pay his vows of thanksgiving and praise. God is not moved by our tears, complaints or even our well thought out arguments. However, when we engage the power of praise in our petitions to God, he attends to our requests personally because he inhabits i.e. literally lives in our praise.

Another lesson we learn from Jonah is that there is no situation too devastating or problematic that can deny God of the praise and worship he deserves. We do not thank God for bad things that happen to us; rather, we thank God despite the bad things that happen. We must make the choice to follow the admonition given in scriptures: “In everything, give thanks.”Notice however, that it doesn’t say for everything. So we thank God in the good and not so good times. And when there seems to be nothing to thank God for, we can thank him for who he is. This is the very definition of worship.

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