SCPC Podcast: Jonah Talk 1, The Pathetic Prophet
Pete Thompson spoke to us from the book of Jonah and how Jonah stands as an example of how NOT to respond to the word of the Lord – first, outright disobedience, then, grudging obedience. He is motivated by selfishness and prejudice rather than gratitude and grace yet God uses him as a messenger of salvation.
Bible Reading: Jonah 1-4
Outline:
Intro: a ripping yarn
1. “Go to Nineveh…” take 1 (ch. 1-2)
2. “Go to Nineveh…” take 2 (ch. 3)
3. Jonah shows his true colours (ch. 4)
Conclusion: a ridiculous story
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Hi Pete,
Thanks for the talk. I’ve come across this site (http://creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/tj/j19_1/j19_1_6-7.pdf) that talks more about how the account of Jonah being swallowed by a fish and surviving 3 days is plausible based on remains found of great fish.
Regards,
David.
Hi David
To be honest I find articles like this quite frustrating because they miss the point. Jonah survived inside the fish not because it was possible or plausible but because God made it happen. Once someone accepts that the LORD is the God of heaven who made the sea and the land (and of course everything in them including the great fish in question) – Jonah 1:9 – then they will have no problem accepting Jonah 1:17.
I realise that you might want to argue that establishing the “plausibility” of such events may help to either “silence critics” (as the author says in his article) or provide a foundation for subsequent belief in God, but this is very rarely how people come to faith. Much better to throw the question back at them and show them that you do not worship a God who is restricted by “the laws of nature”.
I read a great quote recently (sorry can’t remember who said it): “The word of God is like a lion: when someone attacks it, you don’t try to defend it, you let it out of its cage!” Personally I reckon we need to learn to be much more on the front foot as we talk with non-Christians and show them that God is BIG – he doesn’t need to be defended or “plausible”.