The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-04-27
GODS PITY FOR
THE HEATHEN
Sunday seheel Lesson for April 30. 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper


GOLDEN TExT-"Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations Matt. 2S:19.
TIME-Jeroboam II, king Of Israel. in
whose time Jonah prophesied. reigned
tBeecher) b. G. s32-792. OHastings) B. c.
so4-7sS. Amos and Hosea were contem-
porary prophets.
PLACE Gath-hepher, north OF Naza-
reth in Galilee. the Mediterranean Sea,
Joppa,. and Nineveh.
KINGS-Jeroboam III attained suze-
rainty over all the peoples from the Medi-
terranean to the Euphrates THE writer
Of the book OF Jonah has presented accu-
rately the values of the historical situa-
tion. II was the unknown diasters I'm As
syria, Just after Ramman -nirari had bro
ken the power of Damascus, that rem
dered the successes OF Jeroboam possl
ble."
Jonah was unquestionably his
torical parsonage. He lived in the
reign Of Jeroboam H.. king of Israel,
In whose time Amos's work was ac-
complished. According to Kings IA:
25, he prophesied the recovery from
Syria Of the lost border possessions OF
Israel, He is said to have belonged
to Gath-hepher, town of Zebulon
and his grave is still shown in the
vicinity OF Nazareth. Gath.hephef
was about an hours walk north OF
Nazareth. Jonah was therefore
prophet of Galilee. Jewish legend
said that he was the son of the widow
OF Sarepta, whom Elijah had restored
TO life; and also that he was the youth
whom Elisha had sent to anolnt Jehu
king OF Israel.
This little biography begins with
the announcement that God asked
man TO do something for him. II is
significant that other Bible writer's
nehemiah, jeremiah, Zephaniah
Haggai, Micah) begin the story OF
their lives at the same point. Our ac
quaintance with Paul begins with his
summons to duty, and the apostles
were not known until Christ bade
them follow him. Jonah's call was to
20 to Nineveh, the greatest and wick
edest city In the world and threaten
1t with doom from Jehovah.
How did Jonah answer his mission.
ary call? BY running away. He fec
from the presence OF the Lord, as Ii
God were, In his mind, only local
divinity. ruling over Israel, but unable
to see the fugitive II he fed far enough
beyond his territory. Jonah should
have asked himself, IF the God o.
Israel sees what is going on at distant
Nineveh, and Is concerned about II, L.
II to be supposed that his unfaithfu
servant will escape his notice, like
some defaulting apprentice lad, who
running away to sea?"
Jonah jumps in board q vessel
bound for the most remote place
known to the ancient world, Tarsus,
that is Tartessus, on the Guadalquivir
in Spain. God interfered with Jonah's
plans by sending one of those sudden,
treacherous storms so frequent on the
even the skilful Phoenician sailors
were compelled to throw out their
cargo. and were filled with terror.
Jonah calls upon the sailors to
throw him into the sea-to purchase
their peace by his sacrifice. That call
is the finest thing in the picture. II
is the real miracle. II marks the en-.
fellows were loath to take him at b.
word, and the poor rowers piled the
long sweeps more earnestly than ever.
Even when obliged at last to throw
Jonah overheard, they did 1t with q
prayer to Jehovah. And at once the
sea was calm.
How long was Jonah In the great
fish? Three days and three nights,
which, according to the Jewish mode
OF reckoning, might. as In the case OF
our Lords stay In the tomb, have been
only one entire day and parts of the
day preceding and the day following
II is striking to notice the change
In Jonah as soon as he ceased to run
away from his duty and became obe-
dent to Gods command. What was
the commando The first repeated :
60 to Nineveh, that great city, and
proclaim what | bade you proclaim,
the doom of their SINS"
Then God prepared a gourd. This
book is full of this word prepared. We
are told that the Lord prepared q
great fish, a gourd, worm, and a sui
try east wind This gourd was most
likely the bottle-gourd, often planted
to grow over trellis-work. II is thought
by some to have been the palma
christi, or castoroil plant, which still
grows to q great size In the Jordan
valley. II is so-called because It is a
five-leaved plant, one leaf Of which
outspread was thought to represent
the hand of Christ.
Next In the acted parable came a
worm. destroying the gourd. and the
sirocco, driving it's hot blast down
upon the sweltering prophet. Then,
by wonderfully true touch of human
nature, Jonah transfers his pity for
himself, as an ill-used prophet, to the
gourd which likewise had been hard.
ly treated.
The divine question, Should not |
have pity?" remains unanswered.
Above the stir and din and wickedness
the divine compassion IL still brooding
The argument is yary fna IN tha