Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-03-01
MPKoyD vnItokm InltarAilvnAL
SllngdaySehoel.
' Lesson V
(By REV. p B. FITZwATER, D. d.
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute Of Chicago)
Copyright. 1922 Western Newspaper Union.
LESSON FOR MARCH 5
JEHovAH,s MERCY TO A HEATH.
EN- CITY
LESSON TExT-Jonah $3.50.

SEHONNdFS mEhCY 10 a HEATH.
EN- CITY
LESSON. TExT-Jonah s:1-4:ii.
!. GOLDEN TEXT-Let the wicked for.
sake his way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts: and let him return unto the
Lord. and he will have mercy upon him
and to our God. for he will abundantly
psAdon.-Isa. 55:z.
REFERENCE MATERIAL,-Isa. S:0
q: 1851; Jonah 1:i-2:1o; Mai. l:1e, Il,
John SIG.
PRIMARY ToP1c-God Sends Jonah on
an Errand.
JUNIOR ToP1c-How God Spared a
Wicked City.
INTERMEDIARY AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Jonah's Missionary Adventure.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Missionary Teaching of the Book
of Jonah.
That the book of Jonah is histori
cal we believe for the following rea
sons: First, its record and use in
the Scriptures. That the writer's OF
the Bible intended the impression OF
its historieity is without the shadow
of doubt. The suggestion that It is
parable Is absolutely gratuitous.
Second, the unbroken testimony OF
tradition among the Jews is that it /,
historic. Third, the testimony of Jesus
Christ Matt. 2:394D. The words OF
Jesus Christ are final.
I. Jonah's Second Commission
wv. I, p.
When called the first time to go t.
Nineveh, 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 l bid thee" w. y. God knows
how he wants. His work done. Happ,
Is the missionary. minister, Sunday
school teacher, who breaches Gods
Word just as He gave it.
II. Jonah's Preaching wv. 8, A..
1. His field ". 81. "Nineveh was an
exceeding great city," Not only was
the city large, but its inhabitants were
noted for their cruelty.
2. His message ". ~. "Yet forty
=
days and Nineveh shall be oyerthrown.
This means that forty days were givei
by God for repentance ere the judg
ment would fail God is long suffer
ing not willing that any should perish
but that all should repent Gil Pet 500
Though He is merciful, yet there Is
Limitation TO It, He says. "Yet forty
days"
III. The Repentance of Nineveh wv.
5-1O). ~
l. They believed God ". 81. They
believed that God was speaking t,
them through the prophet about theil
sins and impending judgment
2. They proclaimed fast wv. 5-S)
The king and people joined sincerely
in this movement. The call was fol-
them to turn away from their sins
Their penitence was genuine, for they
not merely put on sackcloth, the Wis.
ible sign of mourning, but they cried
to God ". 81.
3. They reasoned that God would
repent ". 81. Though they had ne
QSSQi dAIC Ludl 0Uu NOutd nave H1eTCN
yet they reasoned that the sending o.
prophet and the giving of a time
before the fall of doom implied cha
God would be merciful If they repent
ed. They were wise in so doing We
today know that God will have mere,
if we repent (Acts 3:19). What ut
ter folly to go on in sin in the face
of the assurance that God will Judge
5. Gods mercy shown (v. 10)
"God saw their works that they turned
from their evil way" Gods eye is
omniscient.s Wherever there Is soul
who is turning from sin In penitencel
He sees. No one has ever wept ovel
sin unnoticed by God. God re;nices
when sinner repents duke 1910
In the Book OF Jonah we have por
trayed the typical history of Israel:
81. Jonah was called to a world
mission, and so was Israel. (2) JONAH
at first refused compliance with the
divine purpose and plan. and so die
Israel. (3) Jonah was punished by
being cast into the sea, and so was
Israel by being dispersed among the
nations. az Jonah was not lost, but
rather especially preserved during this
part Of his experience. and Israel is
not being assimilated by the nations.
but being kept for God. 80 Jonah.
repentant and cast out by the fish, is
restored to life and action again. and
Israel, repentant and cast out by the
nations, shall be restored to her former
national position. (6) Jonah, .ohedient.
goes upon his mission to Ninereh, and
Israel obedient, shall ultimately en-
gage in her original mission to the
world. I'D Jonah is successful in that
his message IS acted upon to the
salvation of .Nineveh, so Israel shall
be blessed in that she shall be used
to the conversion of the whole world"
DIR. Gray's Commentary.