00:00 Introduction and Casual Banter

00:08 Spider Stories and Office Talk

02:52 Neighborhood Adventures

04:45 Church Announcements and Guest Speaker

05:26 Introduction to the Book of Jonah

09:59 Jonah's Mission and Disobedience

12:47 Jonah's Reluctance and Selfishness

13:12 Debating the Allegorical Nature of Jonah

13:31 Jesus' Reference to Jonah

14:51 Jonah's Partial Repentance

16:07 Jonah's Mission in Nineveh

17:43 Jonah's Anger and God's Mercy

20:48 God's Mercy and Justice

27:27 Concluding Thoughts on Jonah

Happy Sunday, everybody.

2

And welcome back to another

edition of the daily Bible podcast.

3

Thank you for having us.

4

Hey, you're welcome.

5

I'm always happy to have you here.

6

Thank you.

7

Get you out of your office with

those spiders that are attacking you.

8

I know, man, I don't know

what gifts I feel like.

9

No, I don't feel like I know, like I know.

10

That there are spiders on the daily,

just dropping from the ceiling.

11

Yeah.

12

Thankfully, they're not

massive, so it's not terrifying.

13

But it is disconcerting at the very beach.

14

Have you tried to shoot webs

from your hand or anything?

15

Like, are they having caught the bug?

16

I haven't caught anything specifically.

17

I just, every time I'm working,

I'll, I'll find a little guy just

18

dropping from the ceiling either

to the left or to the right of me.

19

I just, I don't know.

20

I kind of wonder if there's

a nest above me, you know,

21

we're in an office park that.

22

Yeah, we're next to people and there's

lots of different neighbors, right?

23

There's also lots of construction.

24

So I'm wondering if bugs

are moving in our direction.

25

I don't know.

26

I just don't like the

spiders drop it on the head.

27

No, that's fair.

28

I I'd rather not have that either.

29

And once you see one.

30

Then you feel them everywhere.

31

Right.

32

It's like that sense of, I

there's a creepy crawly on me.

33

And even though I can't see you, I know

you're there and you're probably re

34

wreaking how to cut my life right now.

35

Right.

36

Well, you can come hang out in

my office anytime, because I have

37

not seen any spiders dropping

from the ceiling, how to be here.

38

There's so many.

39

That I just can't imagine

they're not everywhere.

40

Well, yeah.

41

If those horror.

42

Videos that you see have like an

exact breaking open with the spiders

43

and they just launch everywhere.

44

Like they just scattered.

45

Yeah.

46

Yeah.

47

And they're, they're making babies

and producing and reproducing.

48

All those things.

49

So, yeah, I'm sure you haven't.

50

I'll I'll I'll look for

for them in your office.

51

I'm sure they're here somewhere.

52

Thanks man.

53

Sure.

54

Yeah.

55

And if I find a live one, I'll

come in here and I'll show him.

56

Uh, I'll share it.

57

I'll let him out in your

office and let him explore.

58

And maybe he'll like this way better.

59

Maybe, maybe.

60

Are you afraid of spiders?

61

Uh, I wouldn't say that.

62

No, I like spiders generally speaking.

63

I like when they're outside.

64

Yeah.

65

In fact, we had this massive Wolf spider.

66

On the front of our home, kind

of on wonder, I don't know

67

what you call those things.

68

A pillar, a bricks.

69

There was a massive, I mean, huge.

70

He was at least the size

of the Palm of my hand.

71

Probably a little larger.

72

Uh, he looked like a tarantula

and the fact is that's what

73

I first thought he was.

74

And we went up there and

like, oh, this is cool.

75

Yes, I want to close

call the family outside.

76

I took a look and.

77

It was cool.

78

And then I thought, you know what?

79

I, I probably don't want it in my house,

but I don't want to disturb him either.

80

He's probably eating good bugs

for us taking care of other things

81

that we wouldn't want in our house.

82

So I let him be.

83

You know, walked away.

84

It's big of you.

85

I felt pretty kind about that.

86

Is this spider large enough that

he could be the corporate of what's

87

leaving deposits in your lawn?

88

No, it's not that big.

89

And you know, if he did do that,

that would be pretty impressive.

90

I would probably let stay.

91

You wouldn't even be mad.

92

I would not even be mad about that.

93

I haven't had any at any aggressive,

uh, Any aggressive packages left on

94

my lawn, at least not to my knowledge.

95

Yeah.

96

Uh, for awhile.

97

Good.

98

It's been several weeks now.

99

Happy for you.

100

Thank you.

101

Yeah.

102

That's good.

103

I know you sleep better at

night, knowing that I do and.

104

I was walking through the

neighborhood the other day.

105

So.

106

So one of our neighbors hired.

107

My son, Jacob too.

108

And really they put it out

in the whole neighborhood.

109

It was on the neighborhood, Facebook.

110

And they asked someone to come out.

111

And destroy a wasp nest.

112

That was in their front porch.

113

Okay.

114

And I say, Jacob, do you

want to earn 20 bucks?

115

And so we wasted the neighbor's house.

116

And he's been on a 10 or 12 minutes,

just kind of flirting with it, trying

117

to knock it off from a distance,

but I'm like, did you got to commit.

118

So he took his broom

and he knocked it down.

119

And of course there was actually

a sparely sizeable wasp nest.

120

There was probably 20.

121

Maybe 25.

122

And there was babies.

123

You could see it.

124

So he knocked it down.

125

He ran away.

126

And then we got the nest

and we took care of it.

127

I think we did any way.

128

We put it in a trash can after

stepping on it several times.

129

So Jacob earned $20 and our

neighbors earned some safety.

130

Although I saw the wasps in

the w what do you call those?

131

We polls.

132

Yeah.

133

Yeah, I saw them in there.

134

So I was wondering if they're actually

embedded in there somewhere if they're

135

deeper inside, but anyway, That's the

kind of fun we have in the neighborhood.

136

And as I walked by, I noticed that

there were several neighbors who have

137

cameras in front of their house, not

just the doorbell cameras, but actual

138

cameras that are facing on the go.

139

I'm not the only one.

140

It's catching a ferry activity.

141

People who've been on

their lawn, probably dogs.

142

All the people's dogs.

143

I attributed it to them.

144

It's not the dog's fault.

145

At least not strictly speaking.

146

They're the ones doing it.

147

It's.

148

It's the, it's the person.

149

If Jacob's going to continue to knock

down wash nest, a safer alternative

150

is if you go to the grocery store,

they'll sell raid wasp spray.

151

And I ordered some after that event.

152

Like, you know what?

153

That would probably be helpful.

154

And it's super effective.

155

I remember.

156

I remember when you used it.

157

I think you used it here.

158

Yep.

159

And so, yeah, I bought some.

160

I just haven't received it.

161

I go through a can or two every summer.

162

It was much more enjoyable to

watch them knock it down though.

163

Cause then it had to run away.

164

Yeah.

165

Yeah.

166

That was fine.

167

Yeah, that's fine.

168

Yeah.

169

I just like killing them.

170

I have no remorse about killing loss.

171

Me neither.

172

Yeah.

173

They're they're a terror

to the environment.

174

They need to die.

175

Debt.

176

Yep.

177

A hundred percent.

178

Hey, uh, we hope that you're

at church today or on your way,

179

or you've been to church today.

180

We've got Eric Zeller, Dr.

181

Eric Zeller.

182

Who's going to be preaching to us

today at the compass Bible church.

183

Exactly.

184

Yeah, it's a mouthful.

185

That's what I'm saying.

186

She is not only a missionary in Dubai

and an elder at Redeemer Bible church of

187

Dubai, but he is also a president, the

president of Gulf theological seminary.

188

And so be there, it's going

to be an awesome service.

189

Can't wait, he's going to be preaching

to us out of the book of Ephesians.

190

Should be a challenging and encouraging

message, uh, for us there, it comes

191

to Bible church tomorrow, sir.

192

Um, today, Sunday.

193

Cause not tomorrow.

194

Yeah.

195

Uh, yeah, so be there, it

should be a great time.

196

Well, let's jump into our

Bible reading for the day.

197

You get a whole book today.

198

A whole book.

199

The book of Jonah pithy and punchy.

200

Yeah.

201

Yeah.

202

It's uh, yeah.

203

Book of Jonah.

204

What's super helpful.

205

Again, just like we've been talking

about with the harmonization

206

of Kings and Chronicles is.

207

We're jumping into Jonah, having

read about the things that are

208

taking place around the same time.

209

Uh, second Kings 14, 25,

210

And we probably just glazed over it,

not even paying attention to it because

211

you're not thinking about other books as

you're reading through these accounts.

212

But in second Kings 14 25, 1 of the

names that you will find there is Jonah.

213

The son of And so it says there, he

restored the border of Israel from

214

Leibow Hamas, as far as the sea of the

aerobars, according to the word of the

215

Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke

by a servant, Jonah, the son of Amittai

216

the prophet who was from Gathy for.

217

So here you have.

218

Yeah, this is what's taking place.

219

What we're reading about all the things

taking place, and this is kind of like

220

a, meanwhile, God had a mission for one

of his prophets, Jonah to go to Nineveh.

221

Uh, Nineveh.

222

What is the deal with Nineveh?

223

Well, Nineveh was about 500 plus

miles away from Jerusalem there.

224

So it's, it's quite a hike.

225

And God wants to send Jonah there in order

to bring a message of warning and a call

226

to repentance to this godless people.

227

The Assyrians.

228

Or who would eventually

ransack the Northern kingdom?

229

Exactly.

230

Exactly.

231

Yeah.

232

Yeah.

233

And so as just a, to set the stage

again, Syria has been the one

234

that we've been talking about most

recently, not us Syria, but Syria.

235

And so Syria has been one of Israel's

most powerful enemies though,

236

during Jera bone's rain, which is

going on at the same time here.

237

Uh, they're getting a little bit of a

respite respite from a serious oppression.

238

Israel's regaining some of its territory.

239

Uh, they're enjoying some

peace during this time.

240

Uh, Syria on the other hand was a

growing threat and this like cost

241

Roger said, it's going to be the one

that God is going to bring along to

242

ultimately be the one that's going

to destroy the Northern kingdom and

243

carry off all of the people into exile.

244

So the book of Jonah stands really.

245

Isn't a , it's an indictment,

not a guest, a Syrah.

246

That's what we might be thinking.

247

We might be thinking that this is God

sending his people to go, Hey, you're so

248

godless and look how awful you are and

look how great Israel is, but really the

249

book of Jonah services and indictment

against God's people, because it shows the

250

contrast wherein you have God's people.

251

Multiplying their

wickedness and their evil.

252

And what we're going to see shortly

is things aren't going a whole lot

253

better down to Judah as, than they

are up here in, in Israel either.

254

And that here you have this

pagan nation who spoiler alert

255

is going to actually listen to.

256

Uh, the warning from God and repent the

way that Israel should have repented.

257

And so Jonah stands kind of as

a, as a, a mirror that doesn't

258

make Israel look too good.

259

He's probably one of the worst profits.

260

He as an individual?

261

Yes, I would agree.

262

It's funny in, in a very, not

funny way that Jonah would get

263

this message from God, go to this.

264

People tell them to repent.

265

And he says, no.

266

I'm not going to do that.

267

What could a profit is

this I I'm appalled.

268

I'm shocked and I'm appalled.

269

I don't understand.

270

Uh, and I still, I don't understand

besides what he mentioned as the reason

271

why he doesn't want to go, I don't.

272

I don't get it.

273

Jonah.

274

You're a product of grace too.

275

Like what kind of mercy and

grace have you received that

276

you're not willing to extend it.

277

And I get it though.

278

The enemies and mortal

enemies of Israel slash Judah.

279

But I just don't understand.

280

This is such an interesting.

281

Dynamic that God has with

one of these profits.

282

Th one of the people that

are supposed to be God's

283

representatives, God's mouthpiece.

284

And yet you have this

guy who's deplorable.

285

Yeah.

286

It's, it's almost like when your

kids are trying to learn, like

287

how far can I push mom and dad?

288

Like what's what's and like, you'll ask

them to do something they'll say no.

289

Or they'll say something to you,

like trying to see, like, is it okay

290

for me to say this to mom and dad?

291

And then they quickly realize Nope, not.

292

Okay.

293

Can't say that.

294

Shouldn't have said that.

295

I'm gonna take that back.

296

Yeah.

297

Did a great mercy of God to, to.

298

I mean tolerate this.

299

On the, on the one hand,

but also to engagement.

300

Yeah.

301

Yeah.

302

I guess we'll get there in a second, but

I'm just impressed by this whole book

303

and triggered and in some ways, yeah.

304

Yeah, a good outline.

305

I found.

306

It comes from John MacArthur on

this one and it has everything

307

to do with God's will.

308

So chapter one, it breaks down.

309

According to the chapters.

310

And I think it's, it's simple

and helpful way of remembering

311

what the book of Jonah is about.

312

So chapter one, you've got

running from God's will.

313

Chapter two, you've got

Jonas submitting to God's.

314

Will.

315

Chapter three, you've got

Jonah fulfilling God's will.

316

And then chapter four, you've

got Jonah questioning God's will.

317

So running from submitting to

fulfilling and questioning and all

318

of that has to do with God's will.

319

So that's a helpful breakdown, I think.

320

And good summary of the book as a whole.

321

Uh, anyways, he's called to go to Nineveh.

322

Nineveh is called the great city.

323

Great in size.

324

Uh, possibly at this time, the largest

in the world it's inner walls, the

325

archeology that's been done have

discovered that its inner walls were

326

probably about eight miles in length.

327

So this was, this was significant 600,000

plus people was that the estimate at

328

this, but it was also great in influence.

329

Again, the Assyrian nation was growing

and his domination was ultimately going

330

to last all the way until Nebuchadnezzar

would come along and destroy them.

331

And that's not until six, 12 BC.

332

So Nineveh was a significant city.

333

This is a big player on the world scene.

334

God wants to deliver this message.

335

He taps Jonah.

336

Well, Jonah.

337

And chapter one again, running from God's

will does just that he, he tries to get as

338

far away from Nineveh as he possibly can.

339

He's going in the opposite direction.

340

And it's interesting as

you read chapter one.

341

The descriptions of Jonah going down.

342

Somebody pointed that out long, not

long ago to me and said, you know how

343

many times, just in chapter one, it

says Jonah went down general, went

344

down, generally, went down general,

went down, even down into the belly of

345

the ship after they get on the water.

346

And so it's, it's, it's, it's a picture

that's put there of, of what's happening.

347

This is not a good thing.

348

Jonah is, is going down in, in

more ways than one here as he's

349

running from the will of God.

350

Chapter two then or, well, I guess

as we consider continuing chapter

351

one, we've got a storm that God says

you're going to run not so fast.

352

And he throws this massive

storm so much so that the

353

seasoned sailors are terrified.

354

I don't like being on water.

355

Uh, just cards on the table, all

the shark attacks that are happening

356

in the world right now, I'm like,

this is C this is proving my point.

357

I don't want to be in if I can't

see the bottom and that's not

358

chlorinated, I'm not going in.

359

I don't need it.

360

So God throws a storm.

361

That's so bad that the seasoned

sailors that are like, bring

362

on the water are terrified that

they're not going to survive.

363

And I've already promised a

few people at our church that

364

you're going to be posting.

365

Why are we doing skydiving and cruising?

366

We don't need either one.

367

Bible teaching on a cruise.

368

Sounds like a good God

did not give me wings.

369

And he did not give me gills.

370

I think he was telling me

something on that front.

371

Dominion though.

372

Yeah.

373

Yeah, but, uh, I can take dominion

with my feet on the ground anyways.

374

Uh, Jonah.

375

I realize of what's going on.

376

They wake them up.

377

They say, Hey, what's going on?

378

Jonah knows what's going on.

379

And he says, you need to, you

need to throw me overboard.

380

And there's more compassion mercy

from the sailors than Jonah had

381

on the entire city of Nineveh.

382

Because before they throw them

overboard, they try to get the land.

383

Th they, they take more pity on

this individual who they don't know.

384

Then they then Jono

does on an entire city.

385

And so they try to get back to land.

386

It's not going to work.

387

So finally they conclude this,

they plead their innocence, they

388

throw them overboard, the sea.

389

Stills immediately and whether or

not they're converted, you have

390

a fear that overwhelms a fear of

God that overwhelms the sailors.

391

That is a fear that Jonah

himself should have had.

392

So chapter one, It's kind of

a foil between Jonah and the

393

sailors, as we see it here.

394

You also see Jonah selfishness on

display too, because instead of going

395

and doing what God says, he says,

oh great, here's a convenient way

396

to not do what God wants me to do.

397

I'm still opposed to preaching to

the Assyrians that I would rather

398

die and I'll let them do it.

399

Yeah.

400

I'm not committing suicide.

401

I'm dying at the hands of these sailors.

402

Sure.

403

And Jonah now showcases some of the

incredible selfishness that feels as hard.

404

Yeah.

405

Yeah.

406

And so the load of points on a

larger fish, it's traditionally

407

been Jonah in the whale.

408

We don't know if it was a whale.

409

It was a large fish, large

enough that it could.

410

Swallow him.

411

Those things get really big, actually.

412

So who knows, but mark.

413

Before we continue.

414

Yeah, this book has been allegorizing.

415

As being something, this is, this, isn't

really a story that happened in history.

416

This is a, this is meant to depict the

way that God feels about the nations.

417

Is there.

418

Any credibility to those ideas or those

understandings of the book of Jonah.

419

No, because in one of the biggest

reasons why I would say no.

420

Uh, is Jesus' own testimony of the

421

just as Jonah was three days and three

nights in the belly of the great fish.

422

So will the son of man be three days and

three nights in the heart of the year.

423

Which is helpful that you

bring that up because I was

424

going to allude to that verse.

425

People have looked at this and

said, well, what does this do for

426

the timeline of the crucifixion?

427

Because three days, three

nights, how does this work?

428

And there was a Jewish way of

reckoning time that a portion of

429

the, of the day was the whole day.

430

And so that's how we look at this and

we conclude that Jesus was not crucified

431

on a Wednesday, but on a Thursday.

432

And we know it was a Thursday because we

know it was the night before the Passover.

433

And we know all of these things

were taking place according to the,

434

the traditional Jewish timeline.

435

So Jesus points back to Jonah and

says just as he was in the belly of

436

the fish three days and three nights.

437

So too must the son of man be in the belly

of the year, three days and three nights.

438

But if we take that partial

reckoning, that's how that comparison

439

can, can hold water and bear out.

440

So did you say Jesus was

crucified on a Thursday?

441

Friday.

442

Sorry.

443

Okay.

444

Yeah.

445

Arrested Thursday.

446

Yeah.

447

I was like, wait a minute.

448

Hold.

449

Matthew.

450

Sorry.

451

To carry the floor.

452

Okay.

453

Yeah.

454

That's fine.

455

Yeah.

456

I'm going to be clarified.

457

So you would say then that there's

no credibility in someone saying this

458

is just a, it's a, it's an allegory.

459

Gory.

460

It's not.

461

So, and the reason why I would

say that is because Jesus quotes

462

it as being something that he's

going to parallel his life writing.

463

That's great.

464

Yep.

465

In Matthew 1240.

466

Yep.

467

So then chapter two, you've got here.

468

Uh, the Jonah.

469

Ultimately submitting to

God's will, and it may be.

470

Not willingly so much.

471

Uh, and it appears that Jonah is not

immediately swallowed by the fish because

472

he talks about in chapter two that

the, the weeds, the seaweed, the other

473

things, the plants growing up around

him, he he's, he's fearing for his life.

474

He, he thinks he's drowning.

475

And then the Lord delivers

him with this fish.

476

It seems like he, he did sink for a

little bit and then here comes the

477

fish, the fish Wallison the Inn.

478

And that's where he spends its time.

479

And it's from the belly of

the fish that Jonah repents.

480

Uh, at least.

481

Somewhat.

482

It's a partial dependence.

483

It's a partial repentance.

484

I'm sorry.

485

He notices.

486

It was true and he just, he just

says, thank you for saving me.

487

We're joking.

488

It's implied, certainly, but

I'm just, I'm put off by this.

489

Just don't.

490

Why don't you just humble yourself and

just be okay with what God wants to do

491

then granted, we're looking at this,

you know, thousands of years are moved

492

with, with the obvious answers in mind.

493

I just I'm triggered by this.

494

I don't like it.

495

Yeah.

496

I think I suggest is repentance

because in chapter three, then

497

when the Lord returns to him and

says, go to Nineveh, he does it.

498

Right.

499

And so there's the.

500

The change in attitude, change in mindset,

change in direction, change in direction.

501

Is all that different though,

because the chapter four, right.

502

Yeah.

503

And that's fair.

504

And that's fair.

505

Chapter three, before we get to

chapter four, he's here now fulfilling

506

God's will he's going to Nineveh.

507

And it says he went a days journey

in some people have questioned.

508

Okay.

509

Does this make sense?

510

A three days journey through the city.

511

That's pretty massive.

512

Um, some have suggested that, that

this is the circumference of the

513

city, that it would have taken three

days to walk around the whole circle.

514

Uh, circumference of the city,

others has suggested other reasons.

515

Some have said, and I tend to lean towards

this, that, that Jonah's mission to preach

516

to the whole city was a three-day task.

517

That it.

518

To go preaching repentance would have

taken him three days to make it all

519

the way through this, this large city.

520

It was massive.

521

I don't know that it was a full three

days journey walk from one side of the

522

city to the other side of the city,

but to walk and preach repentance,

523

which is what he's been tasked to do.

524

Yeah, that's going to

take that amount of time.

525

So he goes to a day's journey

and he's preaching this message.

526

The message even gets all the

way up to the king of Nineveh.

527

And he declares, Hey, listen, we

are all participating in this.

528

There's going to be a massive

national fast that we're nationally.

529

Uh, going to enter into

a state of repentance.

530

We're going to.

531

Uh, for sake, our sins, even the animals

are going to put on sackcloth here.

532

So this is a response that's a

right response to God's warning.

533

So much show that the load relents

from the disaster that he was about

534

to bring on the people, the irony.

535

God's people are not repentant,

but the enemies of God's people.

536

Right.

537

Right.

538

It drips.

539

Yeah, it does.

540

It does.

541

And that's why this book

is an indictment on Israel.

542

That's why it's in the Canon.

543

It is, this is an indictment

against God's people for being

544

so proud as to not repent.

545

When here you have a nation that you

would think would never repent and

546

here they are in sackcloth and ashes.

547

Well, chapter four.

548

Uh, verse one.

549

We see that things are not going to

go well, this is Jonah questioning.

550

God's will arguing against hating

God's will you could even say, cause

551

it says in verse one, it displeased

Jonah exceedingly and he was angry.

552

What displeased him?

553

Well that God relented.

554

Uh, from the disaster that he was

going to bring upon Nineveh, Jonah.

555

Didn't want these godless people

to be spared and Jonah hated

556

that he was the mouthpiece that

God used to bring that about.

557

Uh, which is just a.

558

It's a, it's an ugly glimpse

into the human heart.

559

Th that he would be that hardened towards

a group of people that he would despise.

560

That they might be repenting and

wanting to follow after the Lord.

561

Um, And so he sits outside the city.

562

And he pounds and he says, God, kill me.

563

And to your point about chapter

one, when he says, throw me

564

overboard, he wants to die.

565

Now he wants to die.

566

Because he's just miserable that God has

this mercy on these, this group of people.

567

So it highlights at least a few things

to me, number one, the way that we

568

feel about our enemies, because I

know, I remember hearing someone

569

say that one of the reasons, one of

the reasons Jonah was so upset about

570

this is because he was a racist.

571

He was racist against

the Syrians and okay.

572

Maybe.

573

Maybe the texts say that right?

574

The text simply says that he knew that

that was going to be kind to them.

575

And for what reason?

576

I don't know, they're there.

577

Israel's enemies.

578

They're bad people.

579

They're doing that things.

580

So that's probably the most that we can

say whether or not he was raised as we,

581

I don't know that we can be confident

about that, but loving our enemies.

582

Uh, was at least hinted at here in the

way that God says, I'm going to show

583

these people kindness and, and they

don't know their right from their left.

584

There's much cattle.

585

Uh, but I think this points to, and it

looks forward to the ultimate fulfillment

586

of God, loving his enemies by sending

Jesus to love his own enemies, to love us.

587

And while we were still

sinners Christ died for us.

588

This is one of the clearest

ways that Christians can stand

589

up in the world around us.

590

We love the people that hate us.

591

Love people that love

the things that we hate.

592

And I think, especially right now

in another election cycle with

593

another round of vitriol and hatred,

that's being spewed on the various

594

networks and channels, et cetera.

595

This is one way that we can showcase

the kind of love that Christ has for us.

596

I love for the enemy and this is

what God is highlighting with Jonah.

597

Chapter four here.

598

Uh, I I'm going to love my enemies.

599

In the same way that you should, I'm

just demonstrating what this should

600

be like in God's love for them.

601

It's not without war.

602

Do you think I'm taking pity on them?

603

Pity that they don't notice.

604

And can't a Christian feel the same way.

605

Can we have pity for people

that don't know that for sure.

606

Pity for people whose eyes are darkened.

607

Yeah.

608

Yeah.

609

W what a good reminder for us as

we enter the next political cycle.

610

Yeah.

611

And, and that involves your

neighbors, that you can have a,

612

a heart towards your neighbors.

613

That's similar to Jonah's

heart, heart towards Nineveh.

614

Even though you're not running, even

though that you're not sitting there angry

615

and, and bemoaning, if you do nothing

and just watch your neighbors perish

616

and watch your neighbors kind of Andrew.

617

Yeah, it is absolutely.

618

It's it's the same.

619

Pacivity it's it's refusing to go to them.

620

With the gospel that God has called us to

go to, to, to people with the gospel for.

621

Um, one of the things that I

want to ask you about pastor PJ.

622

It is how God views and invites

at the end of the chapter.

623

He says, should I not pity Nineveh

the great city in which there

624

are more than 120,000 persons.

625

You do not know the right hand from

the left hand and also much cattle.

626

So he seems to create this category

of people that are, I don't want

627

to say innocent, but at least.

628

The less guilty.

629

Are there gradations of guilt

within God's economy of justice.

630

Uh, to the point where is, is, is, should

you expect that God's going to show mercy

631

to people that have never had the gospel?

632

And if so, what kind of mercy

does that lead to salvation?

633

Or is it just something else?

634

I I'm going to say it.

635

It's not a mercy that leads to

salvation unless the gospels is

636

proclaimed because notice the pity

that God shows Nineveh is bringing

637

the message of repentance to them.

638

Uh, the pity is not just a pardoning

of their sinfulness and saying,

639

well, they didn't know any better.

640

So I'm just going to forgive all of their

sins and they're all going to be fine.

641

No, the, the, the pity and the mercy of

God towards Nineveh was to send Jonah

642

with a message that says, if you don't

repent, you're going to be destroyed.

643

The wrath of God is

going to come upon you.

644

They had done things that were

drawing the just wrath of God.

645

And that's true of any nation.

646

Um, no.

647

Are there gradations of responsibility?

648

Yeah.

649

To, to whom much is given

much will be required.

650

And there are people who in

eternity will have less a

651

lessened portion of God's wrath.

652

That would still an eternal portion of

God's wrath, but a lesson degree of his

653

wrath, because they didn't know because

they weren't exposed to the truth of the

654

gospel because they didn't know the right

hand from the left hand, so to speak.

655

And so God will have a, a, even a

mercy in judgment on them though.

656

His judgment will still be poor because

their sin still deserve the wrath of God.

657

Uh, the mercy, he would show

to a people if he chose to.

658

Towards salvation is to bring a

missionary into their midst, to share the

659

gospel with them and bring the message

of repentance and faith in Christ.

660

That's the only way somebody

is going to be sick.

661

No one is saved.

662

Without the gospel message, just like

Nineveh wasn't saved without Jonah

663

first going and say, you need to repent

because what you're doing is wrong.

664

It's so important that we remember these

things because Christians can own, we

665

were talking about this last night.

666

Or a two nights ago now.

667

Um, my HSG.

668

At my community group.

669

It's a blast from the past.

670

I can't get over it.

671

The muscle memory is there.

672

We were talking about it in our community

group that, you know, people need

673

to hear the gospel, the respondents.

674

On the heels of your sermon,

we were discussing the sermon.

675

Uh, stuff like this is

helpful for us to remember.

676

The kind of mercy God wants

to display is sitting there.

677

Sending the servant, the mouthpiece.

678

Yeah.

679

To open people's eyes and

to see this, this is a good,

680

helpful thing for us to see.

681

And who's gonna, who's gonna

understand who's gonna respond unless

682

someone goes to bridges, right.

683

And that's why the church is here.

684

And that's what it means.

685

When, when Peter says, God doesn't

wish that anyone should perish, but

686

that all should reach repentance.

687

That's why he's left the church here.

688

To go with the message.

689

Uh, he hasn't left us here

to be bystanders until, you

690

know, he sends Christ back.

691

He's left us here to do the work, to

take the gospel, to reach your neighbor,

692

to have them over for dinner, just to

get to know them and to look for an

693

open door for the gospel to open up

your mouth and say, Hey, what are you?

694

Have you ever been to church?

695

Hey, has anyone ever told you about Jesus?

696

What do you know about Jesus to.

697

To get into conversations like this

that are going to get you to the point

698

of being able to share the gospel.

699

That's why we're here.

700

That's, that's our point.

701

That's why we still exist as

the church to fill up what is

702

lacking in Christ's afflictions.

703

I didn't get to that on, on Sunday,

but that's what that verse means.

704

It's such a weird verse, right?

705

Because we think, what do you mean what's

a lacking in Christ's afflictions, right?

706

Well, what's lacking is that Christ

himself is not here on earth going

707

in and preaching the gospel anymore.

708

He's in heaven, seated at

the right hand of the father.

709

We, as the body of Christ

are the manifestation of his.

710

Of his body, of his hands and feet.

711

We are the hands and feet of Christ.

712

We are the ones going.

713

That's how we fill up.

714

What's lacking in the afflictions

of Christ by spreading the

715

message to the ends of the earth.

716

Allah acts chapter one, verse eight.

717

Let me bring you back.

718

Just a few, a few minutes

here, you, you talked about the

719

gradations of guilt and sin.

720

Is there anything here

about people that die?

721

Who are either in utero or babies, the

young or the mentally dysfunctional.

722

I'm not sure if I have a

mentally incapacitated.

723

Does this have anything to

speak to, to that situation?

724

Or is this something that we

should see in a different category?

725

I think.

726

The Bible does speak to.

727

To that, although not as, not as

nice and neat as we wish it would.

728

I don't know that I would draw that

from here, because again, the mercy, the

729

pity that got us talking about here's

going and saying y'all y'all aren't sin.

730

You're a wicked nation repent or die.

731

Uh, if Nineveh had not

repented, they would have died.

732

God would have wiped him out.

733

His judgment would have come there

would have been complete destruction.

734

So I think that the persons who

do not know the right-hand from

735

the left in this context is not

implying an inability as a child in

736

utero or even a newborn or a child.

737

That's not able to fully

comprehend things of the gospel.

738

The way that we would look at a

child who dies at that age and

739

say, you know, there's, there's

hope that there with Christ.

740

We believe that that's true, or

somebody who doesn't have the mental

741

capabilities to, to understand, even

at an older age, as they grow older.

742

Their mind is not working

because of the fall.

743

Uh, to an extent to which they can

understand these things we might say.

744

Yeah.

745

That there's hope there's hope.

746

And there's grace that can be

applied in those situations.

747

I don't think this passage necessarily

is one that I would argue for that.

748

So here's something that

I understood this 120,000.

749

Not to be the total population, but

referring to, to younger people.

750

Um, that at least that

was my understanding.

751

And I think I can like, I'm almost certain

that I could pull up someone else who

752

would say, oh yeah, because I didn't,

I didn't come up with that idea myself.

753

Uh, so you would suggest that

this 120,000 refers not to the

754

young or the, the very young.

755

But refers to the entirety of

the people and that it's a,

756

it's a moral, a moral ignorance.

757

Is that what you're saying?

758

You know, I I've heard

that as well in the past.

759

And now that I'm looking at that number

again, Yeah, I, I it's possible that it is

760

just applying to the young that are there.

761

Um, and, and that goes back

to what I said earlier.

762

It's not as nice and neat

as we'd like it to be.

763

Oh, totally.

764

Um, and so.

765

In a situation like this, is this 120,000?

766

Yeah.

767

It's yeah, it's possible.

768

We could argue that.

769

And I think you could argue

that and be okay with that.

770

Yeah.

771

Because I mentioned even earlier, when

I was talking about Nineveh, the whole

772

population of the city was estimated

to be about 600,000 plus at this time.

773

So that's certainly not

the full number there.

774

Uh, and so why only 120,000?

775

Yeah.

776

Um, but then.

777

W why does he throw in the cattle?

778

In there too.

779

That's it.

780

Yeah.

781

God's mercy, except to indict

Jonah to be like, dude, I'm even

782

going to have mercy on the cattle.

783

Well, Jonah had mercy on the planet.

784

Yeah.

785

It was really moved about that plant.

786

Yeah, he was bummed about it.

787

And he was, he was, yeah,

that's a good point though.

788

So this could be.

789

I suppose those that don't know.

790

Uh, in the sense of being

too young to understand.

791

Yeah.

792

Yep.

793

So there go the book of Jonah.

794

Again, it's helpful to read this in

the context of what is going on in

795

second Kings and second Chronicles.

796

And so we get, uh, we get that whole

book knocked out, Jonah one through four.

797

This is kind of a, an aside a meanwhile,

this is what's happening outside of

798

the realm of Israel and Judah here.

799

We're going to get back to

Israel and Judah though tomorrow.

800

As we keep going.

801

So keep her in your Bibles

and tune in again tomorrow.

802

with, with us for another episode

of the daily Bible podcast.

803

Bye.