The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-11-18
INTERNATIONAL
SUEqlAY'S(,[I()()L
LESSON
(By E. o. SELLERS, Acting Director Of
sunday School Course Of Moody Bible
Institute OF Chicago)
Copyright. 1915, Western Newspaper Unioni)
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 21
JONAH A MISSIONARY TO
NlNEVEH.
LESSON 1ExT-Jonah s:1-1o

the Son and Of the Holy Spirit: teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I
command you: and 10, l am with Won al
ways, even unto the end of the world
Matt. 2S:19. 20 II. V.
The story Of Jonah is one Of the
most famous and most H. aresting in
the Bible. In former series OF lessons
more extended use has been made or
tho book giving time to discuss its
historicity and other questions in.
voived. This time only one reference
is used and that for the purpose OF it's
missionary teaching. We accept the
record OF Tic book literally because
similar facts are recorded in profane
history but chiefly because Of the tes,
timony and the usage made OF it by
Jesus (see Matt. l2:40; 1874 and
Luke 1880.
!. he Prophet Proclalmlng, w. IA.
Jonah paid the fare" 1:3) and "out
OF the depths Cps. 13O:D God de.
livered him that he might fulfill his
God-appointed task. Even so the na-
ton OF Israel is today crying from out
or the depths OF its woe among tho
nations and will certainly DO "deliy-
cred" whom the king comes, that it
it's ,Godappointcd tasks 1t Is a won
dorful testimony OF Gods grace (vD
that Gods word came to Jonah sec
ond time. Once lie ran from Gods
command but God is the God of the
gospel OF second chance" and y
third II only we repent and do his
commands, but God does not give q
second chance" to the unrcDentant
tNum. II 40-i5). Verse two explicitly
sets forth the message Jonah is to de-
! llVer even SO we are to proclaim tho
Gospel lsce Cor 1910 not the spec
ulatlOnS OF men nor the subtlctics CT
| philosophy. The messenger of God
VIII lnd his message in the word OF
hod ana Will declare it. 1t is the
/ word which reveals Gods love. his
| plan OF salvation, and the destiny OF
/ the saints. by the foolshness of
preaching mon will be saved. The
word preach literally means "to cry
out or call out" and implies that
earnestncss and insistcncc needful for
true advocate or witness OF God.
but the power is not in us; it is not
the word OF God mingled with the the
ories or men, or with such added to
the word. The Bible is the soul win
ners true staff. Nineveh, vast magnif-
lcent and wealthy could not atone
Tor It's wickedness; its greatness only
aggravated its condition. Jonah did
not spend any time to acquaint HIM
self with conditions or to do sight
seeing but cried, yet forty days, and
Nlneveh shall be overthrown." When
he explicitly and minutely obeyed
ana delivered Gods message he at
once aroused and arrested the atten-
ti0n OF the city. He did not attcmpt
10 present "credcntials,' nor explain
or defend his message He did not
seek to harmonize it with cur
rent thought" nor give 1t mod.
ern expression" He was blunt
ana without compromise but gave mn
opportunity for repentance.
u. The People Pentent, w. $40.
Nincveh paid immediate heed to the
man who did not slur over Gods warn
ing. Had the city continued in sin, It
bad not been delivered. Nineyeh did
four things and as result they were
saved: CD They believed, believed
God" ". 81. All true repentance Is
conditioned upon accepting God at
his word (John 1890. (2) They
evidenced humiliation ". g.. They
gave such evidence by humbling thcm.
selves In the sight Of God from tho
king upon the throne to even tho
least" There was no apparent attemnt
to qualify or to evadc Gods decree,
put rather to accept it and by taking
proper place in his sight be. deliv-
cred from the penalty Of their just
deserts. CD They prayed (v. 8; CT.
=. y. Their prayer was intense. The
Kind Of prayer that counts with Cod
must also count upon God and God
is slow to anger, and pcntcous in
mercy" (Neh. 9:1D. Prayer that Is
eHective is (a) grounded upon tho
word or God CD forsakes sin and (c)
obeys the will Of God. (James l. ,2;
GlO. CD They made sacrifice ". 81.
Mere humiliation and prayer does not
effect remedy unless there Is a mer-
cilcss judgment executed upon sin.
Did Jonah fail in bis. mission? No.
for Gods predictions Of ruin are net
absolute and unconditional Ger.
l8:FlO). Chapter four is the record
OF Jonah's petulance and OF Gods lov
ing-kindness.
Ninevch continued for nearly 200
years subsequently but it was then So
completely destroyed that for nearly
1000 years its location was unknown
and disputed though now yielding
rich harvest for the archeologist and
Bible student.
Can a nation be stirred today? For
answer witness Mott and Eddy in
China. In II Of China's chief cities
during three months OF 1913, 1000 Of