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The Strange Case of a Whale and the Whining Prophet

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Remember being in VBS and listening to the story about Jonah and the whale? (Well the Bible says “great fish”, but the key thing is he was swallowed. That DOES recall a Seinfeld episode where George pretended to be a marine biologist (https://youtu.be/0u8KUgUqprw ) and said he walked right up to the big fish! Jerry corrected him: “Mammal.” George, engrossed in telling his story about being a marine biologist: “Whatever.”) You probably recall that Jonah was ultimately successful in preaching mission to Nineveh, but then he kinda spoiled the whole love thing by whining about it to God. There are several lessons about whining imbedded in Jonah, and I’m pretty sure they weren’t covered extensively in Vacation Bible School…

More Than a VBS Story

At any rate, Jonah is one of the more famous prophets, probably because of the whole “made for VBS” fish story, but his story is really deeper than just being eaten by a whale. He really should be famous because ran from and disagreed with God’s will, and then couldn’t stop whining about it. Unfortunately, this whole whining thing still pops up in the church from time to time… In Jonah’s case, he was party to a downright miracle, and he was unhappy about it. Is there anything we can learn from him today?

“Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it… But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” (Jonah 3:10; 4:1-3, NKJV).

The Problem With Jonah

Jonah was not a very cooperative prophet. First, he ran in the opposite direction of where God wanted him to go. (Thank goodness we’ve never done that!) He only finally went to Nineveh kicking and screaming, objecting to the possibility that God might spare them. (Apparently he knew better than the Lord did, so he was just going to go his own way, thank you. Have you ever run from a ministry opportunity because it didn’t fit in with YOUR plans?) And second, when God spared Nineveh, Jonah went off and pouted. He set a new record for whining among great men of God. Even when good happened, he had the wrong attitude about the right thing.

On one hand, Jonah could be compared to some pastors today: they are motivated by ego more than by God; they have their own agenda, not the Lord’s; and they are driven by culture instead of God’s word. But, wait! If you agreed with the comments about some of those Pastors, then read through Jonah again…BECAUSE:

Looking at this text, Jonah would also fit in well with some of today’s churchgoers: he knows more than the leadership; if he doesn’t like what they are doing he’ll go somewhere else; if the church doesn’t do what they want, then the whining starts: they will go off and sulk; and they’ll gripe and complain every step of the way. (Ha, you were nodding your head when I was talking about preachers, but now you’re saying, “Wait just a dang minute! He’s quit preaching and gone to meddling!”) Sometimes, it’s probably best to 1) listen to God, 2) just roll up our sleeves and be open to the ministry God wants us to do, and 3) serve.

The Whining Prophet

Jonah rebelled. He wasn’t quite Aligned with God: He ran from sight! So he was caught in a fish’s bite And stayed in its belly a couple of nights. When Jesus calls, don’t be uptight; Don’t worry about who’s wrong or right, Just serve Lord with all your might! Humility is God’s delight: It doesn’t honor Him when we fight. Remember these words in capital type: THE HOLY SPIRIT DOESN’T GRIPE!

Jonah hated Nineveh, where God asked Him to preach,
So Jonah sailed to Tarshish just to get beyond God’s reach!
He hoped he could escape, but Jonah didn’t get his wish
When he was thrown into the sea and swallowed by a fish!
He made his way to Nineveh, where everyone repented:
Instead of giving them destructive judgement, God relented.
It made Jonah angry that the Ninevites were saved,
And so he threw a fit, complained, and downright misbehaved.
The sovereign Lord told Jonah that what happened was ordained,
That Jonah did no service by the way that he complained.
If God does something you don’t really like, remember this:
Remember who you are and then remember who HE is.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Critics, Well, Mainly Criticize; Do They Matter More Than Those Who Compete?

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There are plenty of critics in the world. As Benjamin Disraeli pointed out, “How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.” The Apostle Paul encountered criticism during his ministry, and Paul gives critics the same answer that God does…read this and see if you agree:
“For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing. Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present. ” (2 Corinthians 10:10-11, NIV).

Paul apparently had critics when he was alive; he still has them today. Women’s rights advocates and even Christian egalitarians criticize his view of women. Our culture sees him as outdated and out of touch. In a world where we are supposed to tolerate everything, his strong stance about many issues seems harsh and unyielding. Critics abound in every culture and every forum.

How Important are Critics?

But as Teddy Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; and who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Roosevelt himself faced many critics, and he knew from personal experience that endeavor and perseverance were always more substantial than armchair criticism. Critics are often bold in the shadows of social media, but not so much, face-to-face. Today’s academics and armchair theologians are critical of Paul’s writings, which perhaps can be expected from a world that reacts against strong doctrinal stances. But it’s not just current culture that is critical of Paul– even when he was alive, he heard murmurs about his style and ability.

What They Said When Paul Wasn’t Around

His critics said he wasn’t a good preacher, that he was not as impressive in person as he was in his letters. People said, “Yeah he sounds pretty tough in the things he wrote, but he’s not around, so don’t let him intimidate you.”

Funny, people say the same thing about God today. His book seems pretty impressive, but where is He when I want to see him? God has plenty of critics in our culture. He really doesn’t seem to be visible, so why should I worry about His judgement? Make him appear, show me some evidence! What?! God doesn’t want me to just enjoy myself? Who is HE to order me around?

They say, “Surely a loving God won’t judge sinful, independent men as harshly as the Bible says He will. No doubt we can do whatever we want, and God won’t mind “that” much. Surely He is like the nice parts of the Bible and not the parts that talk about eternal separation and the lake of fire.” Hmm… I wonder if God would give them the same answer that Paul did: “What I am in my Book when you do not see me, I will be in my actions when you see me.” Something to think about.

For All You Critics Out There

It’s easy just to criticize, to throw some shade, to offer lies,
To try to throw someone off track, to sneak around and take the tack
Of offering innuendos and some snide remarks behind their back…
Paul’s critics said, “He seems to be an authority, but he’s absentee,
And you should really not believe in someone that you cannot see.”
Paul said that he would soon return, and all his critics then would learn
That if they thought him less than strong,
Their judgment could not be more wrong,
And when he finally appeared, he would be stronger than they feared!

Hmmm… much like all of those who said,
“God is not here, He must be dead.”
I’d recommend they take a look at what is written in His Book,
And feel its depth, and read its length-
Just hear it talk about His strength!
Have faith in Who you cannot see,
For God is not an absentee,
And all within His Book will be fulfilled for all eternity.
If He were writing this today, I think, like Paul, that He might say,
“What I’ve written, although absent, I will be when I am present.”
There are those who criticize, but someday, you’ll look in His eyes,
And see the Truth, and realize that faith in Him is pretty wise…

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

An African Eunuch Who Listened to a Hebrew Rabbi

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After the crucifixion and resurrection, there was strong persecution against the church in Jerusalem. Followers of The Way were scattered out into Judea. Both the Romans and the Pharisees tried to stamp out the Christian movement. However, the unintended consequence was that believers began sharing the good news wherever they were.

In one such instance, Philip encountered a eunuch from Ethiopia who was reading from the OT Scriptures. “The Eunuch was reading this passage (Isaiah 53:7) of Scripture. “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. The Eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” (Acts 8:32-35, NIV)

Common, Yet Uncommon

At one time it was pretty common for kings’ courts to have a resident eunuch or two. They were men who looked after the royal harem. They were emasculated so they could guard the king’s harem without being tempted to make any romantic advances to them. I’m sure, for the eunuchs, it was a life-changing career choice.

In many ways a eunuch probably had a pretty good life (got to live in the palace, eat well, hang out with pretty women all day…). But they paid a high price to be the harem’s bodyguard. I would think at some point most eunuchs had to be somewhat philosophical. They experienced something terrible for a man, but then had to consider that, well, perhaps life is still not so bad after all…

Unburdened by sexual entanglements, eunuchs apparently had time for travel and study. (Kind of like George Costanza in the Seinfeld episode where he gave up even thinking about sex, and freed up large portions of his brain…) This Ethiopian eunuch was riding along in his chariot, reading the Scriptures. When Philip showed up, he asked Philip to explain Isaiah’s metaphor about a lamb being led to slaughter. Philip then guided their discussion into the Hebrew Scriptures, explaining how they related to Jesus.

This conversation is really key in understanding something very important about Jesus. If you just take Jesus at face value, and consider only his teachings, he is at the very least an amazingly gifted Rabbi who taught revolutionary things. He spoke ground-breaking truth about interpersonal relationships, the Kingdom of heaven, the law, forgiveness, priorities, and love. He broke social barriers, elevated women, and reached out to the sick and marginalized people in his culture.

More Than a Rabbi

The truth of his teaching resonates not only for first century Judea, but also down the corridors of history. Even today his teachings stand brilliantly at odds with all of the “me-first” humans in a selfish world. But consider this. When you look at the Old Testament Scriptures, they provide a lens through which Jesus of Nazareth must be viewed. Peter quoted them in his first sermon. Stephen was stoned to death while expounding upon them. Philip used them to tell the eunuch the good news. And the Apostle Paul logically connected Christ’s work to the Hebrew Scriptures.

In every case these Scriptures create a context that makes it impossible to dismiss Jesus as a mere brilliant Rabbi. He is the one about whom the Old Testament foretold with detail and accuracy. He was the one about whom Isaiah was speaking, as well as Moses and Micah, and David, and Daniel.

You can be impressed with Jesus if you just read some of his teachings. But, you’d be rightly amazed if you study just a few of the ways his mission was accurately predicted. Men who lived hundreds of years before pointed to details of his life. If you think Jesus was only a good Rabbi who taught good things, think again. The Scriptures said he was coming, and that he would be our Savior. To paraphrase Philip, that is very good news indeed!

To Ethiopia and the World

The Eunuch in the chariot was reading from Isaiah;
(His life had been adjusted so he couldn’t be a playa),
But when he had an inquiry about Isaiah’s lamb
Philip helped him see that Jesus was the great “I am.”
Jesus was a Rabbi, yes, whose teaching was so bold,
But more than that, he was the one Isaiah had foretold,
And who the Scripture said would come way back in days of old.
Ask the questions. Search the Scripture, and I bet you’ll see
That Jesus was the man the Scriptures and he claimed to be!

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread