The Arvada enterprise., 1922-03-02
LESSON FOR MARCH S
JEHovAH's MERCY TO A HEATH.
En- CITY

LESSON TExr-Jonah s:l-l:li
GOLDEN TExT-lat the wicked for.
eAke his way. and the unrightsous man
ets thoughts: and let him return unto the
Lord. and he will have mercy upon him:
And TO our 0od. for he will abundantiy
pAfdon.-Isa. H:7.
REFERENCE MArERIAI-Isa. go.
=: D:s-7; Jonah l:i-a:lo: Nal. l:lo. II:
John 3:N
PRIMARY ToPIc-ood ssnds Jonah On
IN Errand.
JUNIOR ToPIc-How God Spared .
Wicked City.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Jonah's Missionary Adventure.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Tho Missionary Teaching Of the Book
oe Jonah.
That the book Of Jonah Is histOri.
cal we believe for the following rea.
sons: First. it, record and use In
the Scriptures. That the writer's Of
the Bible intended the impression Of
its historicity ID without the shadow
Of doubt. The suggestion that 1t 10
q parable Il absolutely gratultous.
Second. the unbroken testimony of
tradition among the Jews is that It is
historic. Third, the testimony Of Jesus
Christ Matt. 12:S9-41). The words Of
Jesus Christ are fnal.
I. Jenah's sseend Commission
wv. I, y.
When called the first time to 20 to
Nlneveh, he found the task too great
for him. For his unfaithfulness, he
was chastised. He repented and God
restored his commission. The Lord
said to him. "Preach the preaching
that ! bid thee" ". p. God knows
how he wants His work done. Happy
Il the missionary. minister. Sunday.
school teacher, who breaches Gods
Word Just a. He gave 1t.
u. Jenah's Preaching (vv. 8, ~.
I. His Geld ". 81. -Nineveh was IN
exceeding great city" Not only was
the city large, but it, Inhabitants were
noted for their cruelty.
2. His message ". ~. "Yet forty
days and Nlneveh shall be overthrown."
This means that forty days were given
By God for repentance ere the judg.
ment would fall. God 10 long-sufSer.
Ing. not willing that any should perish.
but that all should repent I'll Pet. 8 :9).
Though He u msrciful. Jet there 70
q limitation to 1t. He says, "Yet forty
days"
III. The Repentance es Ninsvsh wv.
6-1O).
!. They believed God ". 81. They
believed that God was speaking to
them through the prophet about their
sins and impending Judgment.
2. They proclaimed q fast tvv. 6-s).
The king and people Joined sincerely
In this movement. The call was for
them to turn away from their sins.
Their psnitencs was genuine. for they
not merely put on sackcloth. the Wis
ibls sign Of mourning. but they cried
to God ". o..
& They reasoned that God would
repent ". o.. Though they had no
assurance that God would have mercy.
yet they reasoned that the sending Of
. prophet and the giving Of q time
before the fall Of deom implied that
God would b msrciful II they repent.
ed. They were Wise In % doing. We
today know that God will have mercy
II We repent (Acts 3:l9). What ut.
ter folly to 20 on In sin In the face
Of tl,e assurance that God will judge.
8. Gods mercy shown ". 10Y.
'God saw their works that they turned
from their evil way" Gods eye 10
omniscient. Wherever there Il a soul
who is turning from sin In penitence.
He sees. No one has ever wept oves
sin unnoticed BY God. God rcjolces
when . sinner repents (Luke Is 10Y.
In tho Book Of Jonah We have por.
trayed the typical history Of Israel:
II. Jonah was called to 4 world
mission. and no was israel. (2) Jonah
at FIRST refused compliance with the
divine purpose and plan. and 10 did
Israel. (O Jonah was punished BY
being cast Into the sea. and 10 was
Israel BY being dispersed among the
nations. ~ Jonah was not lost. but
rather especially preserved during this
part Of his experience. and Israel 10
not being assimiiated BY the nations.
but being kept for God. (5) Jonah.
repentant and cast out By the fish. 10
restored to life and action again. and
Israel. repentant and cast out by the
nations, shall be restored to her former
national position. (0) Jonah. obedient,
goes upon his mission to NIneveh. and
Israel obedient. shall ultimately en-
gage In her original mission to the
world. az Jonah IL successful In that
his message 10 acted upon to the
salvation Of Nineveh. 20 Israel shall
be blessed In that she shall bs used
to the conversion Of tho whole world"
DIR. GrayS Commentary.
The Apsstlss Work WeNdses.
And by the hands Of the apostles
were many signs and wonders wrought