The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-04-09
JONAH SENT 70 RaNevEM
fupsenatioual eunAsy-Svaas1R XsssSa ~
April 10, 1891.


GOLDEN T'pxr--Presch unto n tAs pseashsnS
thpt bid thee. e.-JouaA >. 0.
TINR--B. c. S96r7A Joaeh AveA during ~
reign OF JerobosIn IL, the greet nrandsoA q
Jehu, perhaps somewhat before ana sfesa.
PLAcEs-Q) Jonah was bon . 0stA-As3he8 |
IN the tribe OF zebulon, three niles nertheass
Of Nazareth, on the road " TfbsfiaA N) joppA |
then the only seaport Of Palestine. ~ The
Mediterranean sea. az Ninevah, on the Tigris. |
RuLERs-Jeroboam IL, the thistssath king |
Of Israel the fourth Of Jehn's dynastyj Amsr
Eiah, or his son UKsiah, king OF Judahi Hen |
hadad III, king Of Damascus -
HELPS OVER HARD PLAcrs-i. 'Now," He !
brew, "And." The word Of the Lord came. In
what way Is unknown. and ysa In sons unnis- I
taxable way. Jonah the SON Of Amittsi" ~
His name Jonah means "A dove" ~ HIS
family His fathers name. Amittai, means
"Ihe truth OF God" Nothing further u known
Of him. t3) His birthplscs was qsth.hephcf
(see place., in Galilee ~ His dste was dur.
ing the reign Of Jeroboam IL ~ His age, ~
the time Of this lesson, must have besH mature
after he had been prophet for some timA
This hard duty was not 70 be performed by
novice Q. Arise, 60 10 Ninevsh, that great
CITY," Nineveh, situated on the TiariA was
the capital OF the Assyrian empire, and at that
time the largest city Of the world, noted for its
magnifcence, luxury and grandeur. And CRY
against it." Warn them, show them their
danger, persuade them 70 repentance. For
Inscriptions recording the eonQHests OF the
kings, had probably begun to be erected In pub
lie places. 8. "But Jonah rose up" Ho must
do something, go somewhere Is come uy %
ifore me-" Is so great that II is necessary to
take more than ordinary notice Of II TO nee
unto Tarshish." Probably Tartessus, an an
cient mercantile city Of the Pboenicians. IN the
south of Spain. From the presence Of the
Lord" Jehovah. This may mean from stand
! ing before the Lord or being In His presence as
His servant or minister. (Dsut. 10: 81 Matt
18: 10; Luke 1: 10); "And went down 70 JoppA"
Then the only seaport Of Palestine, on the Med
iterranean and still the seaport Of Jerusalem,
the modern Jaffa. "And he found ship" Tho
ships OF Tarshish were among the largest
then constructed 80 he paid the fare there
Of" He was an honest man. "And went down
into it." Jonah had now dono oil he could.
The winds and waters must do the rest.
4. But the Lord sent" Literally. cast
forth, indicating the suddenness and violence
of the storm. "And there was mighty tenn.
pest" A hurricane, a Levanta like the
euraquilo experienced by Paul (Acts 2I:1D.
''Was like to be broken" Broken up, wrecked,
foundered. B. 1.-THE mariners" The Hebrew
word is formed from the word for salt, and de-
notes those occupied with the salt sea. ''Cried
every man unto his god." 1t IL probable that
the crews employed in their ships were often
drawn from great variety Of nations; ana
these, of course, would have various forms OF
idolatrous worship "And cast forth the
wares" This may include parts Of the cargo,
or it may refer to the spare tackling and furrf
ture OF the ship. "To tighten it Of them"
Unto them" 70 make things easier for them.
But" While others we're praying the guilty
one was sleeping. Jonah was gone down"
Probably before the storm began, and was too
sound asleep to be awakened by the noise.
Into the sides of the ship" Down below the
deck .And was fast asleep" ~ Either
from o feeling Of security; or, Ca) and with far
more probability, the sleep Of great weariness
and exhaustion from his long journey, and the
great and fierce contest that must have ragged
within him before lie decided to take his pres
ent course. 8. so the shipmaster." The cap
tain. "What mcanest thou, o slecperr' How
is it possible for you to be SO stupid and indif-
ferent in such o storm as this. ARISE, call
upon thy God" Prny, for your only help Is In
| God. No human power con save. III SO be
| that God" Literally, the God, hint that
''tLe heathen retained Q vague idea, starting
into prominence In times Of distress, Of one su.
| preme God, by whose providence the world Is
| governed" Z. Come, and let Us cost lots. !"
"Jonah, too, had probably prayed" as much as
| man can prey who is still doing wrong. He
| probably prayed more for repentance and for
| giveness than for safety. For whose cause
| this evil is upon u.s." No one can conflne to
| himself the effects OF his sin. $50 they cast
| lots" Homer describes the lots as put In o
helmet and shaken till one fell out And the
| lot fell on Jonah" BY the guiding providence
| Of God.
| 8. "Tell us, we pray thee" etc. They made
such inquiries as would throw light upon the
| case. He was a perfect stranger.
@ II am Hebrew" The name BY which the
| Israelitcs designated themselves in contradts-
tipction to other nations. "And fear" ON
worshiper and servant Of tho "Lord, which
| hath made the sea-" He declares the truth OF
| one God and Creator.
| GFnl lnnaSRA R,z1A
| For they were exposed to the same danger
| which the Great Creator was sending upon the
! disobedient prophet For tho men know.
| One might see In the scene torrible tribunal,
for the ship was the court Of Justice the judges
| were tho sailors, tho exscutioners were
the winds. the priconer Vt the bar va.
the prophet, the house Of correction and
prison Of safe keeping was the whale.
and the accusey was the angry sea
II. "What shall We DO unto theer' They
| knew him to be q prophet Tho see wrought
and was tempestuous;" literally, was going and
| whlrling. 12. take mo up and cost mo forth
| into the sea-" Neither might Jonah have said
| without the command Of God ~.
1a Nevertheless the men rowed hard }"
They answered unselhshness b. unselfshness
| Prov. 81: 19). "Rowed hard" Literally,
digged with the oars Broke through the
waves. "But they could not" II was impoe
| sASs 49,
gave the waves to do was done. n. They cried
unto the Lord" Jehovah. Lay not upon us
innocent blood" { e., the guilt Of having shed
innocent blood. "For thou. o Lord. eto" Tho
death OF this man Is no doing of ours.
49, "They took up JONAH" as 1t were, bear
| ing him with respect and honor. "And cast him
forth" To them, at least thus died Jonah
| Q criminal pursued by justice. The sea ceased
from her raging" Tho sea when 1t had re-
ceiyed Jonah, was hushed at once
49, .Then the men feared the Lord exceed
fngly" as they witnessed not only his power
but his justice. "And offered Q sacrifice In 90
acknowledgement OF the true God "And made
| vows" Promised to worship God and offer
more sacrifices whom they should reach land
II. "Now the Lord had prepared" The word
| does not mean created, but assigned appoint
| cd. "A great fish," Not . whale but some
sea monster, probably the white shark, which
| has been found thirty-six feet long. "And
| Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days
and three nights" This was Of course mir
acle. BY what method it was accomplished is
| unknown
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
1. We are not to wait till all are con-
varfad at hOma hefOrta wa send the Cos.