Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Today is prophecy Friday, and we’ll read about the guy who was swallowed by a fish! We will read the book of Jonah And of course I’ll have an “On This Date In Church History” segment for you, too. I have a comment or two to share with you, and a really serious prayer request. I’m calling today’s episode “No, Not Them!“  

Comments on Jonah

As you know, this book called Jonah is grouped in with what are commonly called the books of the Minor Prophets. Did you notice any of what we commonly think of as prophecy in today’s reading? Not much. Just one sentence, and it wasn’t until chapter three, verse four: “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

But let’s remember that a prophet is not only one who tells what will happen. A prophet is one who carries a message from God. And this, Jonah did. Jonah was a prophet, as much as any of the other biblical prophets. 

Now, as for whether or not a man could actually be swallowed whole by a fish. First, in the original language, the word translated as “fish” is “dg” (pronounced dag). That actually is the Hebrew word for fish. So in my mind, that settles it. Jonah was swallowed by a great big fish. Is it  not entirely conceivable that God would be able to create a fish large enough to swallow a man? Of course it is. Some people say that it must have been a whale. I don’t know why it’s easier to believe that whale swallowed him than a fist, but ok. According to gotquestions.org: “There are at least two species of Mediterranean marine life that are able to swallow a man whole. These are the cachalot (also known as the sperm whale) and the white shark. Both creatures are known to prowl the Mediterranean and have been known to sailors since antiquity.” The entire article there at gotquestions.org is worth a read.

We first heard of the man Jonah in 2 Kings 14:25, where we were told that he was from Gath-hepher in Galilee. He brought a message of mercy to Israel during the reign of king Jeroboam II (who practiced the worship of the golden calf). 

In this book that bears his name, we read how God told Jonah to go to Ninevah and rebuke them and call them to repent. But Jonah’s response was “No, Not them!” The Ninevites were considered the worst of the worst. He didn’t want them to receive God’s mercy. And so he ran away, in the opposite direction from Ninevah. But through his experience with the fish, Jonah learned that following God is the better choice. So when God called him a second time to go, he went. But then Jonah became angry when Nineveh did repent, and at God’s mercy in forgiving Nineveh.

From the introductory notes at bible.com: “Jonah’s role in the book is to represent the attitude of many in Israel toward other nations. Instead of accepting their own calling to help these nations come to know the true God, they considered them enemies and expected God to destroy them. The book teaches that God’s love extends beyond Israel to other nations, indeed, to the whole creation. God’s final question to Jonah is intended for all the book’s readers.”

What was the final question? “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”

I’m so glad that God has offered redemption to all nations, because that offer was extended to me, and to you.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-4 NASB

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STEVE WEBB – 0:00
Why would anybody think they could get away from God?

INTRO S12E275 – 0:10
Coming to you from Lifespring Central in Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. Podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today’s Prophecy Friday and we’ll read about the guy who was swallowed by a fish. We’ll read the entire book of Jonah, four chapters. Of course, I’ll have an On This Date In Church History segment. I have a comment or two to share with you and a really serious prayer request. I’m calling today’s episode, “No, Not Them”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e275. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s begin.

JONAH 1 (NASB) – 0:55
Jonah, chapter one. (1) The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, (2) “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” (3) But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

(4) The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. (5) Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep. (6) So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.”

(7) Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. (8) Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” (9) He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.”

(10) Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. (11) So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. (12) He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.” (13) However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them. (14) Then they called on the Lord and said, “We earnestly pray, O Lord, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased.”

(15) So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. (16) Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

(17) And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.

JONAH 2 (NASB) – 3:20
Jonah, chapter two. (1) Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, (2) and he said,

“I called out of my distress to the Lord,
And He answered me.
I cried for help from the depth of Sheol;
You heard my voice.
(3) For You had cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the current engulfed me.
All Your breakers and billows passed over me.
(4) So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Your sight.
Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
(5) Water encompassed me to the point of death.
The great deep engulfed me,
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
(6) I descended to the roots of the mountains.
The earth with its bars was around me forever,
But You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.
(7) While I was fainting away,
I remembered the Lord,
And my prayer came to You,
Into Your holy temple.
(8) Those who regard vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness,
(9) But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation is from the Lord.”

(10) Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

JONAH 3 (NASB) – 4:29
Jonah, chapter three. (1) Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, (2) “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.” (3) So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. (4) Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

(5) Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. (6) When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. (7) He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. (8) But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. (9) Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

(10) When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

JONAH 4 (NASB) – 5:53
Jonah, chapter four. (1) But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. (2) He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. (3) Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” (4) The Lord said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?”

(5) Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city. (6) So the Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant. (7) But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered. (8) When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, “Death is better to me than life.”

(9) Then God said to Jonah, “Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “I have good reason to be angry, even to death.” (10) Then the Lord said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. (11) Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”

COMMENTS – 7:37
Well, beloved, as you know, this book called Jonah is grouped in with what are commonly called the books of the Minor Prophets. Did you notice any of what we commonly think of as prophecy in today’s reading? Not really, not much, just one sentence, and it wasn’t until chapter three, verse four, “Yet 40 days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

But let’s remember that a prophet is not only one who tells what will happen in the future. A prophet is one who carries a message from God. And this Jonah did, eventually. Jonah was a prophet as much as any of the other biblical prophets.

Now, as for whether or not a man could actually be swallowed whole by a fish. First in the original language, the word translated as “fish” is “dag” or “dog”, D-A-G. Actually, in the Hebrew, it’s just D-G. And that actually is the Hebrew word for “fish”. So in my mind, that settles it, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish. Is it not entirely conceivable that God would be able to create a fish large enough to swallow a man? Of course it is. Now some people say that it must have been a whale. I don’t really know why it’s easier to believe that a whale swallowed him than a fish, but okay. According to gotquestions.org, quote, “There are at least two species of Mediterranean marine life that are able to swallow a man whole. These are the cachalot, also known as the sperm whale, and the white shark. Both creatures are known to prowl the Mediterranean and have been known to sailors since antiquity,” unquote. Actually, that entire article that gotquestions.org is worth a read. I’ve created a redirect at lifespringmedia.com/jonah. That’ll take you over there to that article, if you want to look at it, lifespringmedia.com/jonah.

We first heard of the man Jonah in 2 Kings 14:25, where we were told that he was from Gath-hepher in Galilee. He brought a message of mercy to Israel during the reign of King Jeroboam II who practiced the worship of the golden calf.

Well, in this book that bears his name, we read how God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and rebuke them and call them to repent. But Jonah’s response was “No, not them”. The Ninevites were considered the worst of the worst. He didn’t want them to receive God’s mercy. And so he ran away in the opposite direction from Nineveh. Why would anybody think they could get away from God? But he did. But through his experience with the fish, Jonah learned that following God is the better choice. So when God called him to go a second time, he went. But then Jonah became angry when Nineveh did repent, and he became angry at God’s mercy and forgiving Nineveh.

Listen to this from the introductory notes at bible.com. Quote, “Jonah’s role in the book is to represent the attitude of many in Israel toward other nations. Instead of accepting their own calling to help these nations come to know the true God, they considered them enemies and expected God to destroy them. The book teaches that God’s love extends beyond Israel to other nations, indeed, to the whole creation. God’s final question to Jonah is intended for all the book’s readers”, unquote.

So to review, what was that final question? Here it is. Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right hand and left hand, as well as many animals?

Well, beloved, I’m so glad that God has offered redemption to all nations because that offer was extended to me and to you.

What do you think? Leave me a comment at lifespringmedia.com/s12e275. Tomorrow is Gospel Saturday, and our reading will be Acts 3 and 4. We’ll find out more about the early church. Did you know that the apostle Peter, the one who denied Jesus three times on the night he was crucified, did you know that he healed a lame man? Well, don’t miss tomorrow’s episode.

Here’s your cue to boost.

BROTHER PAUL OF SEATTLE’S COMMENTS – 11:56
Brother Paul of Seattle commented a little over a week ago on the Proverbs 25, “I Will, Part Two” episode. He sent the comment in when I was in the process last week of recording shows in advance for my heart procedure. And I set it aside until today. Here’s what he said:

“Love your enemy. Whenever I hear this I think of it as an abstract concept. I don’t have any ‘enemies’ directly in my life. I tend to think of enemies as those in the world who are against Christianity and the command makes sense, love them. In fact, that’s relatively easy, I don’t know them!

But, who’s my enemy? I don’t think it’s just someone I’m physically or verbally at war with, I think I need to think of it more broadly: who at work/family/church/etc. can I not stand? Who do I avoid because of what they talk about, their personality, their whatever. That person in the grocery store who cut me off or is just in the way. Maybe turn it around, who considers me their enemy because of my quirks and whatnot or something I did to them?

I know this concept is not new, I think Jesus even addressed this although I can’t think of where right now, but just wanted to bring it up as a reminder as I don’t think “enemy” is a narrow definition that we all need to be reminded of.” And he put a smiley face and he said, “Steve, I’m not implying you limited the definition, just something that hit me as I was listening.”

Well, Brother Paul of Seattle, thank you. That was a good comment. So I looked up the word translated as “enemy” in the original Hebrew. The word is “shnak”, S-H-N-A-K, as it’s transliterated from Hebrew. It literally means, get this, “one who hates you”. Isn’t that interesting? It isn’t one whom you hate. It’s one who hates you. So the human response, at least for me, is to think, Okay, you hate me, then I’ll hate you back with interest. And then maybe what have I done to you? Why do you hate me? I’m a nice guy. Everybody likes me. What’s your problem? Or maybe, What’s my problem? What can I do to make you like me. But go figure, Jesus approach sounds like the one that can bring about healing to that kind of a relationship. Love that person that hates you. Love is an action, don’t forget. It’s more than just a warm, fuzzy feeling. I won’t go over the Apostle Paul’s description of what love is from 1 Corinthians 13, but that kind of love that he describes there can make a difference. Thanks for your comment, Brother Paul of Seattle.

And, by the way, with people that we have bad feelings toward, then that’s more of an internal, spiritual battle that we need to deal with. And I think in most cases, that’s harder to deal with than someone who hates us. At least, that’s my opinion. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done, but what it does require is the Holy Spirit’s work on our own heart.

VALUE-FOR-VALUE – 14:58
You know, beloved, the value-for-value model is what helps keep the Lifespring Family Audio Bible going. And there are three ways that you can participate: time, talent or treasure. In terms of talent, I would love it if some of you with artistic skills would create show art. For me, I create unique album art for each episode. But if you’d like to contribute to the show in that way, that would be fantastic. And if you have a podcasting 2.0 app, you’ll see that the art changes for each chapter within the episode, take a look. And if you can help create the art, I would love it. Now if you don’t have a modern podcasting 2.0 podcast app, get one at newpodcastapps.com. Ditch that old legacy app and get with the times. And then treasure. If you believe that God’s word is needed in our world today, if the Lifespring Family Audio Bible has helped you to stay in the word, if you’ve been encouraged in your faith, then maybe it’s time to support the show.

The show’s only support is from the Lifespring family because there are no advertisers. And that’s the main reason this show can’t be canceled or de-platformed. They can’t pressure me to water down the message because there is no “they”. There’s only you. You know that I won’t compromise the message of the gospel. If you believe that’s important, then go to lifespringmedia.com/support, and see how easy it is to donate and pray about what God would have you send and then be obedient to His leading. If you do that, then I’ll be able to pay the bills and keep doing the show. If you believe in what the Lifespring Family Audio Bible is about, and if you’re receiving value from the show, then you know what to do.

There are ongoing expenses to create the shows to store the nearly 3000 episodes of Lifespring Media podcasts to pay the bandwidth for the downloads, to pay for software subscriptions and updates and studio equipment, and on and on. So if donating time or talent doesn’t work for you, then maybe donating some treasure will. You decide how much value the show brings to your life, then put a number on it, pray about it and send that to me at lifespringmedia.com/support.

BOOSTAGRAM – 17:06
Another way that you can donate treasure is to stream micro payments as you listen to the show with one of those snazzy podcasting 2.0 podcast apps I was telling you about. And as you stream when you hear something that you’d like to comment on, you can do that right from within the app as you’re listening by sending what we call a boostagram. Boostagram! And it’s very cool because when you send it I’ll receive it right here in the studio. And that’s what it sounds like when it comes in. Sean of San Pedro sent this boostagram this morning using the Fountain app. He sent 1000 sats and he said about the Proverbs 28, “The Symptom and The Cause” episode. “I haven’t heard that song in years, maybe decades. Thanks. Also another wonderful set of Proverbs.” Well, and I noticed he didn’t say how bad I sounded. I appreciate that. I might get a complex or something. Thank you, Sean.

ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 18:10
On this date in church history, June 3, 1726, Philip William Otterbein was born. He was the German Reformed pastor who helped establish the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, which was an early branch of the modern United Methodist Church.

PRAYER REQUESTS – 18:33
And now prayer requests. I told you at the top of the show that I had a serious prayer request. And this one comes in from Timothy LaFontaine. He said, “I have a friend who has been wrongly accused and is now being punished without a chance to defend himself. This is looking like it may be years before he’s completely free from these troubles. I would like to ask for prayers for his strength through this as well as his continued growth in the Lord. I pray that he not only grows in the Lord, but is able to help others while he is away.”

Wow, Timothy, my heart really goes out to your friend. The ninth commandment is “Thou shalt not bear false witness”. I would not want to be in the place of those who are accusing your friend. It’s a serious sin. But encourage your friend with these words from Jesus. “Blessed are you when people falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me? Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven.” That was for Matthew 5:11 and 12. No matter what others say about us falsely, we rely on God’s word. Psalm 119:69 and 70 says, “Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies. I keep your precepts with all my heart. Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law.”

CLOSING PRAYER – 19:51
Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word, Lord. As Paul wrote to Timothy, we know that all scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Lord, thank you for giving this to us. We pray for this friend of Timothy who has been falsely accused. Lord, we ask that you would walk with Him through this ordeal. May he feel your presence and your guidance and may his faith in you be strong. I pray that you would touch the hearts of the accusers that they would come forward and tell the truth. Give them no rest, Lord until they do, and give Timothy’s friend the peace that can only come from you. Lord, I thank you for the Lifespring family and I ask that you bless them today. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.

It just came to my attention today that prayer.lifespringmedia.com is broken. I’ll need to troubleshoot that tomorrow. But for now, you can go to lifespringmedia.com/prayer. Or you can just go to lifespringmedia.com and use the menu at the top of the page. But if you have a prayer request or a praise, go there, and let me know about it.

OUTRO S12E275 – 21:11
Share the show and comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e275. Email me at st***@*************ia.com. Thank you to Kirsty, thank you to Sean of San Pedro and thank you to Denise. I thank God for you every day. Thanks to Brother Paul of Seattle for his comment. Thanks to Sean of San Pedro for his boostagram. And thank you for sharing your time with me today. I don’t take it for granted. Support the show at lifespringmedia.com/support.

And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb.

Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai