Amen and praise the
Lord! I will echo that.
00:00:50.45\00:00:53.22
This is to prepare your heart
for the coming of the Lord.
00:00:53.42\00:00:56.75
And Jesus Christ is
coming soon, Amen? Amen! Amen.
00:00:57.05\00:01:00.09
We have wonderful people.
They have come from different
00:01:00.29\00:01:02.24
parts of the United States
00:01:02.35\00:01:03.57
and even outside
of the United States
00:01:03.77\00:01:05.31
here in southern Illinois.
00:01:05.41\00:01:07.36
And we are praising the
Lord because we are here
00:01:07.56\00:01:10.74
to hear the
preaching of God's Word
00:01:10.94\00:01:13.35
and we just praise the Lord
for what we have heard thus far.
00:01:13.55\00:01:16.39
Would you say amen to
that? Amen! Amen. Amen.
00:01:16.69\00:01:19.28
It's my privilege to be here
with you during this moment.
00:01:19.52\00:01:23.01
My name is John Dinzey.
00:01:23.24\00:01:24.58
And I just praise the Lord
for what God is doing through
00:01:24.78\00:01:27.58
Three Angels
Broadcasting Network.
00:01:27.78\00:01:29.86
And this Camp Meeting
we are in expectation of
00:01:30.26\00:01:34.69
great blessings from God
because we have come together
00:01:34.89\00:01:37.57
to worship His name and to
hear the preaching of His Word.
00:01:37.77\00:01:41.11
During this hour we
have with us the speaker
00:01:41.31\00:01:44.51
Director and
President of Amazing Facts
00:01:44.81\00:01:47.81
Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Praise the Lord! Amen!
00:01:48.01\00:01:51.42
And he will be
coming out in a moment
00:01:51.56\00:01:53.75
to preach a message that
has an interesting title:
00:01:53.95\00:01:56.84
The Storm of
Jonah... The Storm of Jonah.
00:01:57.34\00:02:01.11
How many were blessed
last night during the message?
00:02:01.31\00:02:03.63
Praise the
Lord; praise the Lord.
00:02:03.93\00:02:05.57
And we expect God
to bless us again.
00:02:05.97\00:02:09.29
We're going to pray in a moment
and we're going to ask for
00:02:09.59\00:02:12.97
God's blessing for this hour.
00:02:13.07\00:02:15.03
And we are also blessed to have
Sr. Celestine Berry with us.
00:02:15.33\00:02:19.66
And the Lord has blessed her
with a wonderful musical talent,
00:02:20.09\00:02:23.83
and her husband also has
this musical talent in his blood
00:02:24.03\00:02:28.05
and Bro. Michael Berry will be
00:02:28.25\00:02:30.26
accompanying her on the piano.
00:02:30.46\00:02:32.15
Before that I would like
to invite you to please stand
00:02:32.36\00:02:34.92
for prayer, and let us
approach God's throne of grace
00:02:35.12\00:02:38.37
and let us humble ourselves
before the Almighty God.
00:02:38.77\00:02:42.20
Let us pray together.
Our loving Heavenly Father,
00:02:42.50\00:02:47.48
we thank you so much for
Your great goodness and mercy
00:02:47.88\00:02:52.25
and for this opportunity,
Lord, that You give us
00:02:52.65\00:02:55.89
to hear Your words through Your
servant: Pastor Doug Batchelor.
00:02:56.09\00:03:01.06
We pray that You will use him.
Bless him with the Holy Spirit.
00:03:01.37\00:03:04.62
Use him to speak Your words
00:03:05.02\00:03:07.65
and help us understand of
Your goodness, Your mercy,
00:03:07.85\00:03:12.31
and to warn us
00:03:12.51\00:03:14.72
of a change that is
needed in our lives.
00:03:15.12\00:03:19.22
We pray, Heavenly Father,
for a blessing upon all that are
00:03:19.42\00:03:22.53
here and all the people that
accompany us in different parts
00:03:22.63\00:03:26.83
of the world. We thank
you for hearing our prayer
00:03:26.93\00:03:30.12
for we ask it in the
blessed and mighty name
00:03:30.32\00:03:33.36
of Jesus. Amen... amen.
00:03:33.56\00:03:36.04
You may be seated. I leave
you with Sr. Celestine Berry
00:03:36.24\00:03:38.88
and then after
this musical offering
00:03:39.08\00:03:41.55
the next voice you
will hear will be that of
00:03:41.75\00:03:43.24
Pastor Doug
Batchelor. May God bless you.
00:03:43.34\00:03:45.25
Speak, O Lord,
00:04:07.35\00:04:10.52
as we come to You
00:04:10.82\00:04:14.53
to receive the food
00:04:14.74\00:04:18.88
of Your Holy Word.
00:04:19.18\00:04:23.12
Take Your truth,
00:04:24.05\00:04:27.28
plant it deep in us,
00:04:27.48\00:04:31.30
shape and fashion us
00:04:31.60\00:04:35.30
in Your likeness.
00:04:35.60\00:04:39.59
That the light of Christ
00:04:39.89\00:04:43.62
might be seen today
00:04:43.92\00:04:47.58
In our acts of love
00:04:47.88\00:04:51.55
and our deeds of faith
00:04:51.85\00:04:55.95
Speak, O Lord,
00:04:56.35\00:04:59.35
and fulfill in us
00:04:59.65\00:05:03.30
All Your purposes
00:05:03.61\00:05:07.14
for Your glory.
00:05:07.34\00:05:11.13
Teach us, Lord,
00:05:20.18\00:05:22.99
full obedience,
00:05:23.19\00:05:27.00
Holy reverence,
00:05:27.30\00:05:30.77
true humility.
00:05:31.07\00:05:34.76
Test our thoughts
00:05:35.63\00:05:39.02
and our attitudes
00:05:39.22\00:05:42.91
in the radiance
00:05:43.11\00:05:46.73
of Your purity.
00:05:47.03\00:05:50.71
Cause our faith to rise,
00:05:51.01\00:05:54.87
cause our eyes to see
00:05:55.07\00:05:58.40
Your majestic love
00:05:58.70\00:06:02.38
and authority
00:06:02.58\00:06:06.78
Words of pow'r
00:06:07.18\00:06:10.33
that can never fail
00:06:10.53\00:06:14.21
Let their truth prevail
00:06:14.51\00:06:17.96
over unbelief.
00:06:18.16\00:06:22.03
Speak, O Lord,
00:06:32.05\00:06:34.96
and renew our minds,
00:06:35.16\00:06:38.96
Help us grasp the heights
00:06:39.26\00:06:42.62
of Your plans for us...
00:06:42.92\00:06:46.70
Truths unchanged
00:06:47.46\00:06:50.44
from the dawn of time
00:06:50.64\00:06:54.19
That will echo down
00:06:54.49\00:06:57.99
through eternity.
00:06:58.29\00:07:01.82
And by grace we'll stand
00:07:02.22\00:07:05.89
on Your promises,
00:07:06.19\00:07:09.45
And by faith we'll walk
00:07:09.75\00:07:13.22
as we walk with You.
00:07:13.52\00:07:17.56
Speak, O Lord,
00:07:17.97\00:07:20.76
till Your church is built
00:07:20.86\00:07:24.64
And the earth is filled
00:07:24.94\00:07:28.38
with Your glory.
00:07:28.58\00:07:31.92
And by grace we'll stand
00:07:32.32\00:07:36.04
on Your promises,
00:07:36.34\00:07:39.42
And by grace we'll walk
00:07:39.82\00:07:43.33
as we walk with You.
00:07:43.63\00:07:47.14
Speak, O Lord,
00:07:48.03\00:07:50.93
till Your church is built
00:07:51.23\00:07:54.67
And the earth is filled
00:07:54.97\00:07:58.45
with Your glory.
00:07:58.58\00:08:03.14
Amen!
00:08:21.19\00:08:23.16
Amen! Thank you very
much. That was beautiful.
00:08:25.44\00:08:27.84
Afternoon everyone. Afternoon!
00:08:30.30\00:08:32.90
Boy, you folks are
faithful. You even come out
00:08:33.10\00:08:34.80
for the mid-day meeting on
a Friday. Bless your hearts.
00:08:34.90\00:08:37.66
And very thankful for those
who are joining us also on TV
00:08:38.40\00:08:41.59
for this 3ABN
Homecoming Camp Meeting.
00:08:41.89\00:08:44.63
It's a delight to
be back here again
00:08:44.83\00:08:46.41
and see so many of our friends
00:08:46.61\00:08:48.60
and to be able to study
and proclaim the Word of God
00:08:48.90\00:08:51.94
together. Now, some interesting
things are coming soon.
00:08:52.15\00:08:56.51
In about a month... Yep,
just a little more, couple days
00:08:57.23\00:09:01.25
more than a month,
3ABN is also going to be
00:09:01.45\00:09:04.24
uplinking a special evangelistic
program with Amazing Facts
00:09:04.44\00:09:08.61
from New Mexico... from
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
00:09:08.91\00:09:12.02
And some of you have heard
about this. Several times in the
00:09:12.32\00:09:15.23
past we've done
programs like this with 3ABN
00:09:15.33\00:09:17.54
where we do sort of a
Net evangelistic meeting
00:09:17.84\00:09:20.60
where people can invite
their friends into their home
00:09:20.80\00:09:23.48
or into their church, and
we try to make evangelism easy.
00:09:23.69\00:09:27.90
And so if you have no
evangelistic plans for this Fall
00:09:28.30\00:09:31.66
we'd encourage you
to think about tuning in
00:09:31.96\00:09:34.25
to the Landmarks of
Prophecy evangelistic program.
00:09:34.45\00:09:38.48
You can make your
church, you can make your home
00:09:38.78\00:09:40.79
one of the sites.
It'll be here on 3ABN.
00:09:40.89\00:09:43.13
It'll be on AF
TV... it'll be on YouTube.
00:09:43.43\00:09:45.61
But one of the best
places is going to be right here
00:09:45.81\00:09:48.32
because you'll get
a nice, strong signal.
00:09:48.52\00:09:50.59
And there online.
Just go to the website...
00:09:50.79\00:09:52.83
it's landmarksofprophecy.
com landmarksofprophecy. com
00:09:52.93\00:09:57.10
We've got a whole new
series of lessons called
00:09:57.57\00:09:59.61
Landmarks of Prophecy. You
can go through the lessons.
00:09:59.71\00:10:02.19
We'll be preaching the gospel
and bringing souls to Christ.
00:10:02.39\00:10:05.15
Can you say amen?
Amen! And please pray now for
00:10:05.35\00:10:07.65
those meetings that God
will pour out His Spirit
00:10:07.76\00:10:10.39
and it will be just as
successful as a number of
00:10:10.59\00:10:14.05
these other series in the past.
I think people are wondering
00:10:14.15\00:10:16.90
what's coming and
people are asking questions.
00:10:17.10\00:10:20.06
So we're excited about
that. About a month away.
00:10:20.70\00:10:22.89
We're... we're
starting on October 31st.
00:10:23.08\00:10:26.11
And so we're putting a
sign up there on the freeway
00:10:27.37\00:10:31.64
in Albuquerque that
says Landmarks of Prophecy.
00:10:31.74\00:10:35.09
If you want beasts,
come to this program.
00:10:35.39\00:10:38.75
So we'll have monsters...
something like that. But anyway
00:10:42.59\00:10:45.21
we're advertising
right there on the highway.
00:10:45.41\00:10:48.52
As a matter of fact, we had a
call yesterday from some of the
00:10:48.72\00:10:51.39
leaders of the Texaco Conference
and they were wondering
00:10:51.49\00:10:53.50
"Can we do two programs
because we think there's so many
00:10:54.00\00:10:57.44
people that are planning
on coming they may not all fit
00:10:57.54\00:11:00.19
in the building. " So
we're real excited and
00:11:00.29\00:11:03.47
just pray that God blesses and
that the word goes out clearly.
00:11:03.67\00:11:07.20
We're talking about storms this
week, and before we get into
00:11:07.50\00:11:10.81
today's study why don't we
just have another brief word
00:11:11.02\00:11:13.64
of prayer. Loving Lord,
00:11:13.74\00:11:17.15
again we just recognize the
times in which we're living.
00:11:17.35\00:11:20.50
Though we don't know the
day or hour, You've told us
00:11:20.80\00:11:23.30
to look at the signs
and to lift up our heads.
00:11:23.50\00:11:25.95
And as we do that, we do
see the day is approaching.
00:11:26.26\00:11:28.84
And we know that
there'll be a storm at the end.
00:11:29.15\00:11:31.26
We pray that You'll grant
us the faith that will endure
00:11:31.56\00:11:34.37
whatever You send. I pray
that You'll just teach us now
00:11:34.58\00:11:37.85
through our study today.
We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:11:38.05\00:11:42.25
Jesus said the storm
comes to the wise man
00:11:43.82\00:11:47.15
and the storm comes to the fool.
00:11:47.25\00:11:49.43
And what separates
the wise man from the fool
00:11:49.73\00:11:52.23
is the wise man hears
the Word of God and does it.
00:11:52.43\00:11:56.44
The Bible tells a story
about a stubborn prophet
00:11:56.74\00:12:00.37
who heard the Word of
God but he was frightened
00:12:00.67\00:12:04.17
and he did not want to do it.
00:12:04.27\00:12:05.89
And his name is Jonah.
00:12:06.73\00:12:08.20
Now we started out with the
words of Jesus talking about
00:12:08.40\00:12:11.35
Noah. Again we're going to
start with the words of Jesus
00:12:11.55\00:12:13.70
talking about Jonah. And
you can read a couple of places.
00:12:13.90\00:12:16.94
One is in Luke chapter 12.
00:12:17.24\00:12:21.75
Jesus says in verse 29:
"And when the crowds were
00:12:23.28\00:12:27.48
thickly gathered... " I
think that's the only place
00:12:27.68\00:12:29.66
you find that term...
"thickly gathered together
00:12:29.76\00:12:32.33
He began to say:
'This is an evil generation.
00:12:32.53\00:12:35.78
It seeks a sign, and no
sign will be given to it
00:12:35.98\00:12:39.33
except the sign
of Jonah the prophet.
00:12:39.63\00:12:41.79
For as Jonah became
a sign to the Ninevites
00:12:42.19\00:12:45.45
so the Son of Man will
be to this generation. ' "
00:12:45.55\00:12:48.37
Remember we had a question
during the Bible question time
00:12:48.67\00:12:50.79
last night about Jonah and
we quoted from Matthew 12:40
00:12:50.99\00:12:55.03
where Jesus says: "As Jonah was
in the belly of the great fish
00:12:55.23\00:12:58.08
three days and three nights.
" You notice Luke doesn't even
00:12:58.28\00:13:00.46
reference that. He says that
as Jonah was assigned to the
00:13:00.56\00:13:03.25
Ninevites. Be that as it may,
00:13:03.35\00:13:05.74
both in Matthew and in Luke
00:13:05.94\00:13:07.90
Jesus is saying:
"Jonah is the only sign
00:13:08.10\00:13:11.64
that will be given
to this generation, "
00:13:11.74\00:13:13.33
speaking of His time,
but Jonah is also a sign
00:13:13.63\00:13:16.45
for our
generation. We'll find out how
00:13:16.55\00:13:19.96
as we go to that famous
story. So go to that little book
00:13:20.16\00:13:22.92
in the Bible
called the book of Jonah.
00:13:22.95\00:13:24.84
And you'll find that
there among the minor prophets.
00:13:25.24\00:13:29.02
Verse 1: "Now the Word
of the Lord came to Jonah
00:13:29.43\00:13:34.49
the son of Amittai. " Jonah
is a real prophet in the Bible.
00:13:34.79\00:13:38.11
He not only appears in
this book that is by his name
00:13:38.51\00:13:42.25
probably by his hand.
You also read about Jonah
00:13:42.45\00:13:44.89
in II Kings 14:25 and
other prophecies that he gave.
00:13:44.99\00:13:49.07
He really lived.
He's a person of history.
00:13:50.07\00:13:53.13
If you've been watching the news
you saw that one of the things
00:13:53.53\00:13:56.15
that ISIS did...
the Islamic state...
00:13:56.35\00:13:59.59
recently is they
blew up the proposed
00:13:59.79\00:14:04.26
tomb of Jonah
over there in Iraq.
00:14:04.46\00:14:07.48
How many of you
remember hearing that?
00:14:07.58\00:14:09.12
He's a historical character.
It's been accepted just all over
00:14:09.42\00:14:12.21
the Middle East...
not only among Christians
00:14:12.41\00:14:14.81
and Jews but among Muslims.
00:14:15.01\00:14:17.31
Heard about an old lady who
was riding the bus every day.
00:14:19.17\00:14:22.09
She'd go take care of
her grandchildren and babysit
00:14:22.29\00:14:24.32
during the day. It was
the same time when a man
00:14:24.43\00:14:26.38
rode the same bus
on his way to work.
00:14:26.58\00:14:28.81
They frequently saw
each other on the bus.
00:14:29.01\00:14:30.90
He was an atheist; she
was a very devout Christian.
00:14:31.20\00:14:33.69
And he'd usually get
up and give her his seat.
00:14:33.99\00:14:36.68
He noticed that she
always read the Bible.
00:14:36.98\00:14:39.42
And she seemed so nice he
thought it was such a shame
00:14:39.92\00:14:43.01
that here she was so deluded
to believe this ancient book.
00:14:43.21\00:14:47.18
Finally he couldn't contain
himself one day and he said:
00:14:47.42\00:14:49.67
"Grandma, I see you
on the bus every day. "
00:14:49.98\00:14:52.71
He said: "I see
you're reading the Bible. "
00:14:52.91\00:14:55.70
"Yes sir... Word of God. "
00:14:55.90\00:14:57.43
He said: "Do you really
believe it's all true? "
00:14:57.83\00:15:00.47
She said: "Absolutely!
I believe it's all true. "
00:15:01.78\00:15:03.97
He said: "Including all the
stories? You believe all those
00:15:04.37\00:15:07.40
miracles and stories are true? "
00:15:07.50\00:15:09.31
She said: "I believe it's
the Word of God absolutely. "
00:15:09.61\00:15:11.90
He said: "You mean to tell
me you believe that God made
00:15:12.30\00:15:15.02
the whole world starting
out with just Adam and Eve? "
00:15:15.12\00:15:17.20
"God's Word said
it, sir. I believe it! "
00:15:18.61\00:15:20.68
And he said: "And you believe
that the whole world was flooded
00:15:21.75\00:15:25.23
in the days of Noah? "
She said: "I have no problems
00:15:25.33\00:15:28.16
believing the Word of
God. It says so in the Bible. "
00:15:28.26\00:15:30.08
And he said: "I suppose you
believe that Jonah was in the
00:15:31.11\00:15:34.12
belly of a fish for
three days and three nights? "
00:15:34.22\00:15:36.23
She said: "Absolutely!
00:15:36.73\00:15:38.33
God said he did it, and I
believe the Word of God. "
00:15:38.63\00:15:41.04
He said: "But how in the
world could a man survive
00:15:41.54\00:15:44.49
inside a fish for three
days and three nights? "
00:15:44.59\00:15:46.46
She said: "Well I'm not exactly
sure. I suppose when I get to
00:15:46.86\00:15:49.61
heaven I'll have to ask him. "
00:15:49.71\00:15:51.10
He said: "But what if
Jonah's not in heaven? "
00:15:51.60\00:15:53.51
She said: "Well then, of
course, you can ask him. "
00:15:53.91\00:15:56.00
But you know, for me
some of the strongest evidence
00:16:00.83\00:16:03.34
that Jonah is true is if
you say "I believe the Bible
00:16:03.54\00:16:07.92
but you know that
story of Jonah... "
00:16:08.12\00:16:09.69
Well you can't believe
any of the Bible because Jesus
00:16:09.89\00:16:12.48
says it's true. Amen!
And the fact that Jesus says
00:16:12.78\00:16:17.46
that God made the world
in six literal days and Jesus
00:16:17.76\00:16:21.18
says Adam and Eve are true
and Jesus says that the words
00:16:21.38\00:16:24.38
of Moses are true, we have
to believe the whole Bible.
00:16:24.48\00:16:27.84
Amen! 'Cause Jesus treated
the whole Bible as though it was
00:16:28.14\00:16:30.78
real and true and if you
believe the words of Jesus.
00:16:30.88\00:16:33.52
So the word of the
Lord comes to Jonah.
00:16:33.62\00:16:36.25
The word Jonah means dove.
00:16:36.66\00:16:39.12
And it says: "Arise, go to
Nineveh - that great city -
00:16:39.42\00:16:43.70
and cry out against it for
their wickedness is come up
00:16:43.90\00:16:46.79
before Me. " Same terms that you
find in Genesis 18 when it says
00:16:46.89\00:16:50.24
the wickedness of Sodom
had "come up before the Lord"
00:16:50.34\00:16:53.51
meaning there is impending
judgment. There's a limit
00:16:53.71\00:16:56.62
to what God can take. We
talked about the days of Noah
00:16:56.72\00:17:00.15
last night and compared it
with our age in which we live
00:17:00.25\00:17:02.91
where violence and wickedness
and evil is rife in the land.
00:17:03.41\00:17:08.12
And you just marvel at the
patience of God when that was
00:17:08.42\00:17:11.31
going on. God's Spirit
bore with them 120 years.
00:17:11.41\00:17:14.76
Seventh-day Adventist Christians
are sometimes mocked because
00:17:15.26\00:17:18.72
we talk about the
eminence of God's coming.
00:17:18.92\00:17:21.42
And people say: "Oh,
you've been saying that
00:17:21.72\00:17:24.03
for 150 years.
Who're you kidding? "
00:17:24.13\00:17:26.10
Ah, but of this
they're willingly ignorant:
00:17:26.93\00:17:29.38
that the Lord is longsuffering
with usward, not willing
00:17:29.58\00:17:32.57
that any should perish.
And when that day does come
00:17:32.78\00:17:35.85
people will think it
came too soon... not too late.
00:17:36.05\00:17:38.94
It's going to come... even
though God bore long with them
00:17:39.37\00:17:42.91
in the days of Noah, He
bore long with the Ninevites
00:17:43.11\00:17:47.49
in the time of Jonah.
00:17:47.59\00:17:49.93
God is very patient, but there
is a limit where the judgment
00:17:50.13\00:17:53.47
just comes up before Him.
Says: "I have to do something. "
00:17:53.67\00:17:56.52
I think we're at that
point with our world right now
00:17:57.59\00:17:59.96
but God is patient.
But God's Word says: "Arise
00:18:00.16\00:18:04.90
and go and preach. "
Jesus said for us to go
00:18:05.00\00:18:07.15
and tell the world.
But Jonah didn't want to.
00:18:07.25\00:18:10.85
Now you can understand that.
00:18:11.05\00:18:12.76
The feelings were not very
affectionate between the people
00:18:15.00\00:18:18.68
of Assyria and Nineveh
and the Israelites back then.
00:18:18.88\00:18:22.46
They were constantly at war.
00:18:22.56\00:18:24.36
And that would be something
like asking an Israelite to go
00:18:24.66\00:18:27.69
into central Gaza and tell
them all how wicked they are.
00:18:27.89\00:18:31.73
How long would you last?
00:18:32.13\00:18:34.06
Or if you were to send
a Jew up into Syria today
00:18:35.00\00:18:39.58
and tell them all
to repent of their sins
00:18:39.79\00:18:42.22
how long would you
last? And the idea that
00:18:42.42\00:18:47.13
their judgment was looming and
God was about to destroy them
00:18:47.16\00:18:50.50
but God wanted Jonah to
go preach and warn them.
00:18:50.60\00:18:52.76
Jonah thought: "And if I don't
warn them, they'll be destroyed.
00:18:52.96\00:18:56.03
That'll be a good thing. "
00:18:56.33\00:18:58.08
So Jonah had a lot of
reasons to not want to go
00:18:59.06\00:19:02.01
to Nineveh. And so
the Bible says: "But Jonah
00:19:02.21\00:19:07.38
arose... " And he ended
up running as far as he could
00:19:07.58\00:19:10.90
in the diametric
opposite direction.
00:19:11.10\00:19:13.66
The word of the Lord
said: "Arise and go east. "
00:19:13.96\00:19:15.94
Jonah went west. God
told him: "Go by land... "
00:19:16.14\00:19:19.53
he went by sea.
00:19:19.73\00:19:20.85
When you go towards the Word
of God you get closer to God's
00:19:22.98\00:19:25.74
presence, but he was fleeing
from the presence of God.
00:19:25.84\00:19:28.31
But can you really flee
from the presence of God?
00:19:29.24\00:19:32.21
The Bible tells us in Psalms:
"Where can I go from Your
00:19:33.27\00:19:36.43
Spirit? Where can I
flee from Your presence?
00:19:36.53\00:19:39.17
If I go to the farthest parts
of the sea, You're there. "
00:19:39.57\00:19:42.86
And it says: "He
went down to Joppa
00:19:45.52\00:19:48.21
and he found a
ship going to Tarshish.
00:19:48.51\00:19:51.18
And he paid the fare
and he went down into it
00:19:51.38\00:19:54.45
to go with them to Tarshish
from the presence of the Lord. "
00:19:54.65\00:19:57.64
How foolish even for a prophet
to think you can hide from God!
00:19:58.04\00:20:02.74
But you know, you can talk
yourself... If you don't want to
00:20:03.86\00:20:05.86
do something and you make up
your mind you don't want to do
00:20:05.96\00:20:07.81
God's will, you can convince
yourself that anything's OK.
00:20:07.91\00:20:10.97
Well for one
thing, his launching point
00:20:11.93\00:20:16.72
to run from God's presence
00:20:16.92\00:20:19.04
because he did not want
to preach to the Gentiles
00:20:19.24\00:20:22.29
was Joppa. Isn't it interesting
00:20:22.49\00:20:26.25
that 800 years later the
Word of the Lord came to Peter
00:20:26.55\00:20:30.05
and said: "Arise and go
and talk to the Gentiles. "
00:20:30.25\00:20:33.59
And Peter said: "I don't
want to go... they're unclean. "
00:20:34.10\00:20:36.81
God gave Peter a vision
of that sheet with all these
00:20:37.11\00:20:40.41
unclean animals. He said:
"Do not call unclean what I have
00:20:40.51\00:20:43.04
cleansed. " Peter
said: "OK, Lord, I'll go. "
00:20:43.14\00:20:45.27
So from Joppa 800 years
later Peter goes and preaches
00:20:45.77\00:20:49.43
the gospel to the Gentiles.
00:20:49.53\00:20:51.32
God asked Jonah to go
and preach to the Gentiles.
00:20:51.62\00:20:54.91
He didn't want to go. Same
town. Just goes to show you
00:20:55.21\00:20:58.29
God does what He sets out to do.
00:20:58.39\00:21:00.88
So Jonah... he's
running from the will of God.
00:21:01.96\00:21:04.86
By the way, you're going
to hear about a storm before
00:21:05.16\00:21:08.14
the story's over. Some storms
just come because of what's
00:21:08.24\00:21:11.54
happening around
you. You have no control.
00:21:11.64\00:21:13.67
Some storms happen
because of decisions you make.
00:21:13.97\00:21:16.93
And Jonah is an example of
someone who's bringing his own
00:21:18.14\00:21:21.61
trials on himself, and he brings
his trials on those around him
00:21:21.81\00:21:25.30
as well. If we are not
doing God's will for our life,
00:21:25.50\00:21:29.11
it will not only impact us.
It will certainly impact those
00:21:29.32\00:21:32.30
around us. So if we think:
"Well, if I don't want to serve
00:21:32.40\00:21:36.01
God, that's just
between me and God. "
00:21:36.12\00:21:37.75
No, you're wrong.
No man is an island.
00:21:37.95\00:21:40.32
Your decision to serve the
Lord will influence other people
00:21:40.82\00:21:44.02
towards God or away from God.
00:21:44.22\00:21:46.79
All of us create drag behind
us that brings other people
00:21:47.09\00:21:53.09
in our direction.
00:21:53.39\00:21:54.71
By your example you will
pull people to the kingdom
00:21:55.12\00:21:58.42
of God or to the lake of fire.
00:21:58.62\00:22:01.44
So people who think, well you
know, "I am not real interested
00:22:02.26\00:22:05.45
in church but I'm going to
encourage my wife to get up
00:22:05.55\00:22:07.56
the kids and take
them to Sabbath School, "
00:22:07.76\00:22:09.59
they're going to follow your
example as much as anything.
00:22:09.89\00:22:13.11
Amen! And Jonah thought:
"Well, I'll just keep this all
00:22:13.41\00:22:16.58
to myself and I'm
just going to run from God.
00:22:16.68\00:22:18.57
I'm going to take a
little cruise and maybe God will
00:22:18.67\00:22:20.31
forget about this. " And
as Jonah is talking to himself
00:22:20.41\00:22:25.00
maybe he throws out a
fleece if he's like some of us.
00:22:25.40\00:22:28.68
And Jonah - on his way
down to Joppa - he says:
00:22:29.18\00:22:32.17
"All right, well Lord, if
there's a ship that's heading
00:22:32.27\00:22:36.67
towards Tarshish... " Tarshish
was the furthest destination
00:22:36.88\00:22:40.99
that they knew of in
the then marine world.
00:22:41.19\00:22:44.14
Tarshish was one of
the sons of Japheth.
00:22:44.64\00:22:48.16
He settled the region
they believe around Spain.
00:22:48.47\00:22:51.20
It was the furthest-most port
that the Phoenicians would sail
00:22:51.50\00:22:55.12
to because after you
left the gates of Hercules -
00:22:55.22\00:22:57.45
that's where it was, you
know, the Straits of Gibraltar.
00:22:57.55\00:22:59.27
That's was where Tarshish was.
00:22:59.47\00:23:00.56
And after you left there
you went off into the Atlantic
00:23:00.87\00:23:03.58
and as far as they knew
you dropped off the end of
00:23:03.78\00:23:05.14
the earth. And it
was out in what they call
00:23:05.24\00:23:07.74
"dragon country. "
And so... It's like today
00:23:07.84\00:23:11.63
if you've ever heard the
expression: "He went all the way
00:23:11.83\00:23:14.77
to Timbuktu. " You
know where that comes from?
00:23:14.88\00:23:17.36
Because it used to be
the furthest-most place
00:23:17.86\00:23:22.18
a U.S. Marine could be
stationed in the 1800's.
00:23:22.38\00:23:24.94
We actually had a base in
Timbuktu in northern Africa.
00:23:25.14\00:23:28.81
And so the Marines would
say: "Where are you going? "
00:23:29.15\00:23:30.86
He'd say: "I'm
going to Timbuktu. "
00:23:31.07\00:23:33.04
That meant as
far as you could go.
00:23:33.24\00:23:35.06
It was the ends of the earth.
00:23:35.27\00:23:36.30
And so the very fact
that Jonah fled to Tarshish
00:23:36.50\00:23:39.42
you may as well put
in the word "Timbuktu"
00:23:39.62\00:23:41.48
because that's what it
meant to the readers back then.
00:23:41.78\00:23:43.70
He wanted to go
into a far country.
00:23:43.81\00:23:47.23
Where did the Prodigal Son go?
00:23:47.43\00:23:48.85
As far as he
could from his father.
00:23:49.25\00:23:51.90
Tried to get away from
that nagging conscience
00:23:52.10\00:23:54.30
of his father.
"Maybe if I go to Timbuktu
00:23:54.51\00:23:56.64
and Tarshish I
won't hear that voice
00:23:56.74\00:23:59.62
bothering my
conscience any more. "
00:23:59.83\00:24:01.82
So he thought:
"Well, if there's a ship
00:24:02.79\00:24:05.73
and it's going that way,
I'll take it as a sign that
00:24:05.93\00:24:08.88
God is going to relieve me of my
obligation to go to Nineveh. "
00:24:09.08\00:24:12.45
He gets to Joppa.
Sure enough, there's a ship
00:24:13.40\00:24:15.82
and it's going to Tarshish.
00:24:15.85\00:24:17.50
And he thought: "Well,
maybe I need another sign.
00:24:17.90\00:24:19.96
Maybe there's no
room on the ship.
00:24:20.16\00:24:21.47
If there's room on the ship,
I'll take that as a sign. "
00:24:21.87\00:24:25.14
And he talks to one of
the sailors there when they're
00:24:25.64\00:24:28.29
loading up, and he says:
"Sure enough, it looks like
00:24:28.39\00:24:30.15
we've got berth for
one more passenger. "
00:24:30.25\00:24:32.20
"Praise the Lord. " And then,
you know, he said: "I need one
00:24:32.70\00:24:35.22
more sign Lord. I need
to have enough money. "
00:24:35.32\00:24:38.26
"So how much does it
cost? " He tells him the amount.
00:24:38.56\00:24:40.94
Jonah checks his pocket...
has just the right amount.
00:24:41.14\00:24:43.97
"Praise the Lord. God
has let me off the hook;
00:24:44.27\00:24:46.20
God is going to
bless my journey. "
00:24:46.40\00:24:48.30
And then he says:
"Just one more thing:
00:24:49.99\00:24:51.31
we'll need good weather. "
00:24:51.41\00:24:52.44
Beautiful
gentle sailing weather.
00:24:52.73\00:24:55.07
And Jonah has so convinced
himself that God is going to
00:24:55.67\00:24:58.64
relieve him of His command to
go and preach to the Ninevites
00:24:58.74\00:25:02.55
he says: "Look...
what providential openings!
00:25:02.75\00:25:05.19
He's arranged the
cruise; they've got room for me.
00:25:05.49\00:25:08.54
I just happened to
find the last cabin;
00:25:08.75\00:25:10.89
I have just enough money.
God is going to let me go. "
00:25:11.09\00:25:14.35
You know why I say that? I
meet people all the time...
00:25:15.72\00:25:19.13
They know what the Word
of God says, but they try to
00:25:19.43\00:25:22.82
talk themselves into thinking
somehow they are exempt.
00:25:22.92\00:25:25.81
And they look for... It's
almost like people witching
00:25:26.11\00:25:29.80
for water. They just look
and grasp around for any kind of
00:25:30.11\00:25:32.77
evidence they can find
that God is going to let them do
00:25:32.87\00:25:35.06
what they want to
do. I have met people -
00:25:35.26\00:25:38.43
Christians...
raised in the church -
00:25:40.02\00:25:42.42
a man or a woman will
come to me and they'll say:
00:25:43.54\00:25:46.63
"Pastor Doug, I realize
I'm married to John or Betty
00:25:46.73\00:25:51.91
or whatever the case might be
00:25:52.01\00:25:53.12
but we've just had
such a difficult marriage.
00:25:53.22\00:25:55.76
We're just
unhappy... it was a mistake.
00:25:55.96\00:25:58.06
And I've met this other person
and I know what the Bible says
00:25:58.36\00:26:02.43
but I see such
providential openings.
00:26:02.63\00:26:06.34
God just is
blessing... God is leading,
00:26:06.54\00:26:09.73
and I just sense
that this is His will. "
00:26:10.13\00:26:13.21
It's like, the Bible
says don't commit adultery
00:26:13.91\00:26:16.07
but they found the
way to convince themselves
00:26:16.17\00:26:19.10
that He really has another plan
'cause they don't want to stay
00:26:19.30\00:26:23.00
with this character any more.
00:26:23.10\00:26:25.23
They've got their
sight set on something else.
00:26:25.73\00:26:28.09
Now that's one of many
examples. You've seen it before.
00:26:28.39\00:26:30.71
When a person decides they don't
want to do what the Bible says
00:26:31.01\00:26:34.37
the Word of the Lord
says "do such and such"
00:26:34.40\00:26:37.67
and they say: "I
don't want to do that. "
00:26:37.77\00:26:39.65
I've gone to churches before
where I've preached the Sabbath
00:26:40.15\00:26:42.58
truth and I'll talk to
individuals afterward. I'll say:
00:26:42.68\00:26:46.19
"Subject make
sense? " "Made sense. "
00:26:46.29\00:26:47.57
"You believe it's biblical?
" "Yes, it's biblical...
00:26:47.68\00:26:49.65
but the Spirit is telling me
00:26:50.05\00:26:54.17
that God really wants me
to just stay where I'm at
00:26:54.47\00:26:56.87
right now because He's got a
mission project for me there. "
00:26:56.97\00:27:01.30
And I say: "You don't think
He wants you to keep the Sabbath
00:27:01.82\00:27:04.61
today? " "Well, you know, these
things started happening. "
00:27:04.82\00:27:07.20
Can the devil change your
providence and circumstances?
00:27:07.60\00:27:11.13
You know, sometimes the
devil can give you prosperity
00:27:13.99\00:27:16.18
and calm sailing - Amen! -
00:27:16.38\00:27:18.53
to deceive you.
00:27:18.83\00:27:21.26
And so he went
down into the ship.
00:27:21.76\00:27:24.46
You notice how many times
the Word of the Lord comes
00:27:24.96\00:27:26.94
and says "Arise! "
When he runs from God
00:27:27.05\00:27:29.57
it says he goes down to Joppa.
00:27:29.67\00:27:31.48
And he goes down to the ship
and he goes down in the ship.
00:27:31.78\00:27:34.57
He's going down, down, down,
and he's getting ready to go
00:27:34.77\00:27:36.33
down one more time from
the presence of the Lord.
00:27:36.43\00:27:40.31
The Word of the Lord says
"Arise! " You run from God down.
00:27:40.51\00:27:43.77
But the Lord...
So the boat leaves.
00:27:45.24\00:27:47.90
They untie;
they hoist the sails.
00:27:48.31\00:27:51.39
Gentle breeze; gentle
rocking. Jonah finally says:
00:27:51.59\00:27:54.24
"Haa... free at last! "
00:27:54.54\00:27:56.44
And he goes down into
the lowest parts of the ship
00:27:57.55\00:28:00.63
and he goes to sleep on some
bedding or baggage down there.
00:28:00.84\00:28:05.49
And he begins to snore and
sleep the sleep of the lost.
00:28:05.83\00:28:10.52
Are there people sleeping
on their way to destruction?
00:28:11.57\00:28:14.12
Could Peter sleep
in prison on death row
00:28:14.62\00:28:17.34
when he was
about to be executed?
00:28:17.84\00:28:19.63
Are there people in the world
out there that seem perfectly
00:28:19.73\00:28:21.66
content on their
way to destruction?
00:28:21.76\00:28:23.60
And here you have Jonah.
00:28:24.00\00:28:26.37
Funny thing is he's the
only one on the boat that knows
00:28:26.67\00:28:28.48
Jehovah... and he's sleeping.
00:28:28.58\00:28:32.08
"So the Lord in His
mercy He sent out a great wind
00:28:34.45\00:28:37.75
on the sea and there was a
mighty... " Notice that word
00:28:38.05\00:28:41.57
great, you might circle
that. "And there was a mighty
00:28:41.67\00:28:44.07
tempest on the sea that the
ship was about to be broken up
00:28:44.27\00:28:47.81
and the mariners were afraid. "
00:28:48.21\00:28:50.05
These sailors who had a
lot of experience sailing...
00:28:50.15\00:28:52.21
"Every man cried
out to his god... "
00:28:52.41\00:28:55.93
Notice "his god... " small g.
00:28:56.13\00:28:57.79
All their various
gods... all these pagan gods.
00:28:57.99\00:28:59.96
"And they threw the cargo that
was in the ship into the sea
00:29:00.16\00:29:03.28
to lighten the load. "
They were afraid they were
00:29:03.38\00:29:04.85
going to perish. The
purpose for this trip was
00:29:04.95\00:29:07.20
to make money, but
they're saying to themselves:
00:29:07.40\00:29:09.41
"What profit is it if
you gain the whole world
00:29:09.51\00:29:11.11
and lose your soul? "
And they had sense enough
00:29:11.21\00:29:13.13
to unload in order to be saved.
00:29:13.33\00:29:16.30
Now that's something
that you might make a note of.
00:29:16.80\00:29:19.24
"A man's life, " Jesus
said, "does not consist in the
00:29:21.81\00:29:24.42
abundance of things
that he possesses. "
00:29:24.52\00:29:26.47
And we just so happen to
be living in the generation
00:29:26.87\00:29:29.36
that possesses more things
than any other generation.
00:29:29.46\00:29:31.92
The average person today
00:29:32.42\00:29:35.18
has infinitely more than the
average person 100 years ago.
00:29:35.38\00:29:38.87
Just walk around Wal-Mart. Look
how many things you could buy.
00:29:39.57\00:29:42.81
It used to be when you went
to the supermarket there was
00:29:43.21\00:29:45.61
only about 50 things you
could buy in the supermarket.
00:29:45.71\00:29:47.72
That was super back then!
00:29:47.92\00:29:49.91
Now look at all you could buy.
00:29:50.21\00:29:52.18
The reason they had a super-
market is they had different
00:29:52.58\00:29:54.62
sizes, but there
weren't that many things to buy.
00:29:54.72\00:29:57.44
I remember when I was in Russia
right around the fall of the
00:29:58.59\00:30:00.72
Iron Curtain.
Someone said: "We'll take you
00:30:00.82\00:30:02.19
to the supermarket. "
I couldn't believe it.
00:30:02.29\00:30:04.76
They took us to a market
where they had about 6 things
00:30:05.06\00:30:07.15
and everyone was lined up.
They called it a supermarket.
00:30:07.36\00:30:10.15
What's your garage look like?
00:30:11.65\00:30:13.42
How about the closets?
00:30:16.40\00:30:18.53
There's a law in life: Whatever
space you have will fill
00:30:18.83\00:30:24.34
unless you're very disciplined.
00:30:24.68\00:30:26.72
I see they're having kind
of a... There's a fad going
00:30:27.02\00:30:29.80
around right now...
people are downsizing.
00:30:29.90\00:30:32.19
Talk about downsizing,
people are moving into houses
00:30:32.49\00:30:34.75
that are ridiculously small.
00:30:34.95\00:30:36.85
As a matter of fact, there's a
joke and you can take it too far
00:30:37.25\00:30:40.74
both ways. And...
But let's face it,
00:30:40.84\00:30:46.34
we have so much junk.
00:30:47.73\00:30:50.01
I know 'cause I do too.
00:30:50.41\00:30:53.29
But I know when I
travel from country to country
00:30:53.59\00:30:56.65
I have to fit the basics
I'm going to need to survive
00:30:56.85\00:30:59.54
in one or two suitcases depend-
ing on if it's a very long trip.
00:30:59.74\00:31:02.83
Just one coming
here. And I'm very happy.
00:31:03.03\00:31:06.29
I remember when
I lived in a cave.
00:31:06.69\00:31:08.78
About everything I
had I fit in my backpack,
00:31:08.98\00:31:10.83
and I hitchhiked around the
country and I was very happy
00:31:10.93\00:31:13.17
with everything you
could put in a backpack.
00:31:13.37\00:31:15.00
A man's life does not
consist in the abundance
00:31:15.31\00:31:17.88
of things he possesses.
You can become a slave
00:31:17.98\00:31:19.74
to your possessions. Amen!
00:31:19.77\00:31:22.09
Some of you say: "I can't
go to church because I'm afraid
00:31:22.39\00:31:23.80
burglars will come
by... rob my junk. "
00:31:23.90\00:31:26.53
So you're at home guarding your
stuff and you can't worship God.
00:31:28.08\00:31:31.34
And our weekends we
should spend with our families
00:31:34.59\00:31:36.82
we have to spend repairing
and watering and oiling
00:31:37.02\00:31:39.86
and changing and
modifying and buying more stuff!
00:31:39.96\00:31:44.10
The sailors realized
when they got near the end
00:31:46.29\00:31:48.50
"Boat's going to go
down if we don't unload. "
00:31:48.91\00:31:51.39
So they began to
throw everything overboard.
00:31:52.34\00:31:54.39
And they're praying.
They're doing what they can and
00:31:54.69\00:31:57.28
they're praying.
"But Jonah had gone down
00:31:57.38\00:32:01.06
into the lowest
parts of the ship. "
00:32:01.26\00:32:03.95
Running from God will
land you in the lowest parts.
00:32:04.25\00:32:07.95
He's down there with the bilge,
00:32:08.26\00:32:10.06
and he's laying
down and was fast asleep.
00:32:12.08\00:32:14.34
There he is snoring with all
the foul bilge sloshing around
00:32:14.94\00:32:19.20
in that storm. "And the
captain came to him... "
00:32:19.40\00:32:23.56
No doubt the captain's
got his lamp. He's down there
00:32:23.66\00:32:25.47
in the lowest parts of the ship
and he's looking for other junk
00:32:25.57\00:32:28.38
he can throw overboard and what
does he find? A wayward prophet.
00:32:28.48\00:32:31.22
Indignant and amazed
the captain says to him:
00:32:31.62\00:32:35.91
"What meanest thou? "
What do you mean? "O sleeper? "
00:32:36.21\00:32:39.58
"Arise. " He
didn't even know his name.
00:32:40.28\00:32:42.49
"Who are you? There's a
person sleeping in this storm?
00:32:42.69\00:32:44.88
We're about to go down! "
00:32:45.08\00:32:46.32
"Arise! Call on your God
00:32:46.62\00:32:50.94
that He might consider
us that we may not perish. "
00:32:51.53\00:32:54.88
Now before I go any farther
00:32:55.28\00:32:57.69
Jesus said: "No sign will be
given but the sign of Jonah. "
00:32:57.99\00:33:00.58
Right away you
ought to notice something.
00:33:00.88\00:33:02.67
Tonight in our storm
presentation we'll talk about
00:33:02.87\00:33:05.21
two experiences of Jesus on
the Sea of Galilee in a boat.
00:33:05.41\00:33:07.86
In one of those experiences
it says Jesus was in the lowest
00:33:08.29\00:33:11.12
part of the boat - the stern,
which is the lowest part if you
00:33:11.32\00:33:14.10
know anything about
boats - asleep during a storm.
00:33:14.20\00:33:18.25
And the disciples woke
up Jesus and they said:
00:33:18.48\00:33:22.04
"Master, carest Thou
not that we are perishing? "
00:33:22.14\00:33:24.98
What did the captain
do? He comes to Jonah
00:33:25.28\00:33:27.26
who is asleep in
a storm and he says:
00:33:27.46\00:33:30.14
"Wake up. Do you not
care that we are perishing? "
00:33:30.54\00:33:33.29
Same words. The
only person on that boat
00:33:33.49\00:33:37.07
in the days of
Jonah that had the answer
00:33:37.28\00:33:38.93
that could save
those sailors was Jonah.
00:33:39.13\00:33:41.34
And the only person
that could help the apostles
00:33:41.65\00:33:44.22
in that storm was Jesus.
00:33:44.42\00:33:46.50
And the only person that
can help you in your storms
00:33:47.03\00:33:50.02
is Christ. Amen.
But sometimes He must be
00:33:50.22\00:33:55.42
aroused by prayer so to speak.
00:33:55.65\00:33:58.12
Need to wake Him up.
Not that Jesus is sleeping.
00:33:58.32\00:34:01.48
But we need to pray. Isn't
it something that you would ask
00:34:01.98\00:34:05.62
a question like
that of the Lord?
00:34:05.72\00:34:07.38
"Carest Thou not
that we are perishing? "
00:34:07.68\00:34:11.40
Does Jesus care? Amen.
00:34:12.56\00:34:14.95
That beautiful
song... Does Jesus Care?
00:34:15.25\00:34:17.35
"And they said to one another:
'Come, let us cast lots that we
00:34:19.46\00:34:22.47
might know for whose cause
this trouble is come upon us. '
00:34:22.57\00:34:25.67
So they cast lots and
the lot fell on Jonah. "
00:34:25.87\00:34:30.21
Were lots being cast
at the foot of the cross
00:34:31.19\00:34:33.37
in the story of Jesus?
00:34:33.57\00:34:35.99
Now do you know
what casting lots is?
00:34:37.36\00:34:39.33
It took me a little study
to find this out years ago.
00:34:39.43\00:34:41.88
We talk about casting
lots, well what does that mean?
00:34:42.08\00:34:43.79
As near as they can
tell, in Bible times
00:34:44.19\00:34:46.35
it was you know we call it
drawing straws or something.
00:34:46.56\00:34:48.90
It was just a method to
try and single someone out
00:34:49.11\00:34:50.90
that was fair and unbiased.
00:34:51.10\00:34:54.14
And they had a clay
jar with a narrow mouth.
00:34:54.34\00:34:56.96
They've recovered some of these
that still had stones in them.
00:34:57.26\00:35:00.44
And they would get however many
people you were casting lots
00:35:00.64\00:35:04.01
among. Suppose you had 20 people
and you wanted to pick one
00:35:04.11\00:35:06.28
for something. They
would get 19 white stones
00:35:06.48\00:35:11.49
and they would get one black
stone. All about the same size.
00:35:11.69\00:35:14.12
Just big enough to go
into the mouth of the jar.
00:35:14.32\00:35:16.76
They close the lid of the jar.
It's kind of like they have a
00:35:16.96\00:35:19.22
lottery, you know? That's
where the word comes from.
00:35:19.42\00:35:21.75
And they shake it up and
then they would tumble out
00:35:22.05\00:35:25.91
one stone at the feet
of each of the individuals
00:35:26.11\00:35:29.09
from which they were choosing.
Whether they were choosing
00:35:29.29\00:35:31.04
apostles in Acts chapter 1
00:35:31.14\00:35:33.40
or whatever they were doing.
00:35:33.61\00:35:34.88
And so when they got up there
on the rolling deck of the ship
00:35:35.28\00:35:37.84
they shook the bottle.
All the sailors gathered.
00:35:38.04\00:35:39.99
They realized this is a
supernatural storm. The gods,
00:35:40.19\00:35:43.10
they thought, are angry
at somebody on this boat.
00:35:43.30\00:35:45.39
We've never seen a
storm like this before.
00:35:45.69\00:35:47.44
Came out of nowhere...
the wind is shrieking!
00:35:47.65\00:35:50.23
They just sensed that
this was a spiritual storm.
00:35:50.43\00:35:53.06
So they had the perception
right. They cast lots and
00:35:53.36\00:35:56.46
as they drop out all
the white stones fall
00:35:56.56\00:35:58.95
at the feet of the different
mariners. And wouldn't you know,
00:35:59.05\00:36:01.00
Jonah comes last and plop...
out comes that black stone.
00:36:01.20\00:36:04.68
And he didn't look at
all surprised, did he?
00:36:05.78\00:36:07.84
And they looked at him.
They said: "Tell us, what's up?
00:36:08.89\00:36:11.79
What can you tell
us that might help us
00:36:11.99\00:36:14.58
know how to
recover from this storm? "
00:36:14.88\00:36:16.98
Verse 8: "They said:
'please tell us: for whose cause
00:36:17.28\00:36:22.26
is this trouble upon us?
00:36:22.46\00:36:24.04
What is your occupation?
Where do you come from?
00:36:24.24\00:36:26.85
What is your country?
What people are you of? ' "
00:36:27.15\00:36:29.72
Now... don't miss this:
00:36:30.42\00:36:33.20
The only person on that
boat that understands the storm
00:36:33.50\00:36:36.61
is Jonah. They're
all about to perish.
00:36:36.71\00:36:40.53
They didn't pay much attention
to Jonah until the storm.
00:36:42.75\00:36:45.09
Now Jonah has 100%
of their attention.
00:36:45.19\00:36:47.49
These are pagan sailors
that do not know Jehovah.
00:36:47.99\00:36:50.74
But through the storm
God is going to use Jonah
00:36:51.67\00:36:54.53
in spite of his disobedience
to answer the big questions
00:36:54.63\00:36:58.29
for them. Do you have neigh-
bors that think you're a kook?
00:36:58.49\00:37:02.58
How many of you?
00:37:05.56\00:37:07.42
We've got some neighbors
that think that way, too...
00:37:09.33\00:37:12.05
and I've got
more reason than you.
00:37:13.16\00:37:15.56
Or sometimes they think
your religion is strange.
00:37:16.84\00:37:20.84
Or they think even
being a Christian is strange
00:37:21.34\00:37:23.67
in our culture. But you
know what happens in a storm?
00:37:23.87\00:37:26.70
They're going to want to know
"Who can I go to that might have
00:37:28.18\00:37:30.79
answers? " I've got a neighbor,
I've got an ant on my Bible!
00:37:30.89\00:37:35.23
He's back! Maybe it's termites!
00:37:40.33\00:37:42.72
Really! Anyway,
I've got a neighbor
00:37:44.97\00:37:49.75
who is an atheist. And
we've knocked on the door before
00:37:49.95\00:37:54.01
and invited them to meetings,
and they've actually said:
00:37:54.11\00:37:56.25
"Well you know, Bro. Doug,
we appreciate that you don't
00:37:56.35\00:37:58.11
preach to us... " And they're
saying that while I'm trying to
00:37:58.21\00:38:00.02
preach to them... Here we've
been knowing them for years
00:38:00.12\00:38:03.15
you know. And one
day... Good neighbors.
00:38:03.36\00:38:05.94
I mean, things like they locked
themselves out of the house
00:38:06.14\00:38:08.52
one time and I broke in for them
because I know how to do that.
00:38:08.62\00:38:11.44
And so we've done nice
neighborly things for people,
00:38:11.74\00:38:16.02
each other before
and so they like us.
00:38:16.22\00:38:19.05
You know, I need a ride...
Sometimes we'll give each other
00:38:19.25\00:38:21.18
a ride to the airport or
to pick up their repaired car.
00:38:21.21\00:38:23.11
So we're good friends, good
neighbors. Kid's played together
00:38:23.31\00:38:25.39
but don't preach to us
'cause they're atheists.
00:38:25.49\00:38:27.63
And she was over one day for
just some... picking up the mail
00:38:28.14\00:38:32.12
or something for us or whatever.
00:38:32.22\00:38:33.89
And she said: "You know,
our son is just really having
00:38:34.98\00:38:37.67
a struggle and he's actually
been thinking of suicide.
00:38:37.77\00:38:41.12
We don't know what to do. "
And I said: "Well one thing is
00:38:41.32\00:38:44.16
prayer. " And she kind
of was being dismissive
00:38:44.26\00:38:47.43
and I said: "Well you
realize I used to be an atheist
00:38:47.53\00:38:49.60
and I used to
think about suicide. "
00:38:49.90\00:38:52.34
"You were an
atheist? I didn't know that. "
00:38:52.54\00:38:55.69
I said: "You never give
me a chance to talk to you. "
00:38:55.99\00:38:57.65
I said: "When I was a
teenager I was an atheist. "
00:38:58.15\00:39:01.13
And she said: "So
what made the difference? "
00:39:01.53\00:39:03.15
I said: "God... the Bible. "
00:39:03.25\00:39:05.12
I said: "I've got a book that
will tell you the whole story. "
00:39:05.22\00:39:07.97
"You have a book? "
00:39:08.27\00:39:10.29
I said: "Let me give
you one of these books. "
00:39:10.49\00:39:12.49
Got another neighbor.
They don't want to hear about
00:39:14.05\00:39:17.66
your religion but then someone
in the family gets a terminal
00:39:17.76\00:39:19.96
disease and then you say:
"Do you mind if I pray with
00:39:20.06\00:39:25.03
you? " "Would you please? "
00:39:25.13\00:39:27.81
Or yet another neighbor...
00:39:29.22\00:39:31.21
Someone dies and
they're going through a storm.
00:39:31.41\00:39:34.52
And you say: "You know,
the Bible tells what happens
00:39:36.23\00:39:39.44
when a person dies. "
00:39:39.64\00:39:41.79
All of a sudden
they've got questions.
00:39:42.09\00:39:44.08
And while you were
totally ignored, off sleeping by
00:39:45.23\00:39:48.17
yourself as far as they're
concerned, when the storm comes
00:39:48.27\00:39:51.20
they've got 100
questions for you.
00:39:51.41\00:39:53.01
They're asking
Jonah... You notice that?
00:39:53.31\00:39:55.48
"Whose cause? What
is your occupation?
00:39:55.78\00:39:57.70
Where do you come
from? What is your country?
00:39:57.90\00:39:59.35
What are your
people? " And then they say:
00:39:59.55\00:40:01.53
"Why have you done this? "
00:40:01.63\00:40:03.16
For they heard that Jonah
ran from God. He had to blush!
00:40:03.56\00:40:07.12
"And then they said:
'What shall we do to you
00:40:07.72\00:40:09.95
that the sea may be calm
for us' for the sea continued to
00:40:10.05\00:40:13.41
grow more tempestuous.
00:40:13.51\00:40:16.23
And he said to them: 'Pick
me up and throw me into the sea
00:40:16.53\00:40:22.05
and the sea will
become calm for you
00:40:22.25\00:40:24.79
for I know that this great
tempest is because of me. '
00:40:24.99\00:40:28.55
Nevertheless the men rowed hard
to bring the ship to land. "
00:40:28.85\00:40:32.51
They didn't want to do that.
00:40:32.61\00:40:33.74
They tried to save
themselves by rowing.
00:40:34.14\00:40:36.98
In one of the stories we'll
study tonight of Jesus on the
00:40:37.48\00:40:40.25
Sea of Galilee when Christ
came to the disciples they tried
00:40:40.35\00:40:43.17
to save themselves by rowing.
00:40:43.37\00:40:44.98
They didn't want to do it.
These sailors... you know, you
00:40:46.42\00:40:49.14
have to give them credit. They
seemed... I mean you'd think
00:40:49.24\00:40:52.80
that these pagans they would
care less; throw him overboard.
00:40:52.90\00:40:55.24
They had some
spiritual discernment.
00:40:55.65\00:40:59.09
Jesus said: "Many sheep I
have that are not of this fold
00:40:59.59\00:41:03.17
and they're
going to hear My voice.
00:41:04.06\00:41:06.19
And there'll be one
fold and one Shepherd. "
00:41:06.39\00:41:07.81
And God is going to
help them hear His voice
00:41:08.01\00:41:10.78
through you and me.
And it's during the storm
00:41:10.88\00:41:14.40
that they listen!
00:41:14.61\00:41:16.47
You know, God's people
through history have always been
00:41:17.18\00:41:19.25
the best witnesses not
when He saves us from trial
00:41:19.35\00:41:22.05
but through trial. Amen!
00:41:22.25\00:41:24.45
How many of you would like
to see revival in the church?
00:41:24.75\00:41:27.35
Revival is going to come in
response to prayer, but I...
00:41:27.85\00:41:31.02
I have a theory: we're
not going to see revival
00:41:31.12\00:41:34.02
until we see persecution.
00:41:34.22\00:41:35.77
I don't' think we're going
to see a revival until we see
00:41:36.27\00:41:38.33
some storms because
it's when the storm happens
00:41:38.43\00:41:42.40
and God's people get shaken
00:41:42.60\00:41:43.67
first of all some
people will be shaken out.
00:41:43.77\00:41:45.93
A lot will be shaken out.
00:41:46.33\00:41:48.32
Some people will be shaken in,
00:41:48.62\00:41:50.67
and it's during that time
your faith is really tested
00:41:50.97\00:41:54.21
in the fire. And God is
going to use us to be witnesses.
00:41:54.31\00:41:58.24
When did God get the best
publicity from His people?
00:41:58.74\00:42:03.45
It's when three Hebrews
were thrown in a fire in Babylon
00:42:04.66\00:42:08.77
and Jesus went with
them through the trial.
00:42:08.91\00:42:12.65
And then when they came
out of the fire unharmed
00:42:13.15\00:42:15.94
the king of Babylon made
a declaration that went to
00:42:16.14\00:42:18.87
the world about the
God of the Israelites.
00:42:18.97\00:42:22.33
Not when they were
in the Promised Land
00:42:22.63\00:42:25.18
drinking the milk and honey
00:42:25.29\00:42:27.21
but when they were
in Babylon in captivity
00:42:27.42\00:42:29.81
is when He made the
most widely-spread statement
00:42:30.01\00:42:33.42
of who He was
because three men stood up
00:42:33.82\00:42:37.35
during the time of their
captivity and their trial
00:42:37.45\00:42:39.53
for God when
everyone else bowed down.
00:42:39.63\00:42:41.52
Isn't that right? It
was through the trial.
00:42:41.82\00:42:44.64
It was through the trial
when Daniel said: "I will not
00:42:45.14\00:42:48.55
hide my prayers. " Then
he goes to the lion den...
00:42:48.75\00:42:52.12
the lion's den. And king Darius
when he sees the God of Israel
00:42:52.32\00:42:56.63
through the trial that
God's people went through
00:42:56.73\00:42:58.85
makes a declaration
for the whole world.
00:42:59.05\00:43:01.22
It may not be... A lot of people
say: Seventh-day Adventists?
00:43:02.56\00:43:04.91
Who are they? "
There'll be a trial
00:43:05.01\00:43:08.82
and that's when we're
going to be brought before kings
00:43:09.12\00:43:10.93
and rulers and that's
when we're going to witness.
00:43:11.03\00:43:12.42
And a lot of people, as I
said, are going to be shaken
00:43:12.62\00:43:14.55
during that storm. I
hope that you cling to God
00:43:14.65\00:43:18.04
at that time.
"What shall we do? "
00:43:18.14\00:43:21.36
"Throw me
overboard. " I used to think:
00:43:21.56\00:43:23.35
"Oh, Jonah, if you think that's
the answer why don't you just
00:43:23.55\00:43:25.63
help them out? Why do they
have to throw you overboard?
00:43:25.74\00:43:29.39
Why don't you just
take a running leap? "
00:43:29.69\00:43:32.14
Why did Jonah say:
"You must be culpable.
00:43:33.56\00:43:37.15
You must take me and offer me. "
00:43:37.35\00:43:40.42
Just like we must take responsi-
bility for the cross of Christ.
00:43:40.92\00:43:44.26
They didn't want to do it.
00:43:45.50\00:43:47.62
"There must be another way. "
"There is no other way. " Amen!
00:43:47.82\00:43:52.60
So finally they rowed and rowed
00:43:53.00\00:43:55.62
but they weren't getting
anywhere. "The sea, " verse 11:
00:43:55.82\00:43:57.88
"got more tempestuous.
00:43:58.08\00:44:00.34
The men rowed hard to
bring the ship to land
00:44:01.80\00:44:04.50
but they could not for
the sea continued to get more
00:44:04.70\00:44:07.12
tempestuous. " Doesn't Jesus
say there is a storm coming?
00:44:07.22\00:44:11.06
Daniel chapter 12:
"There'll be a time of trouble
00:44:11.46\00:44:14.77
such as there never has
been since there was a nation
00:44:14.97\00:44:17.10
even unto that same time. "
That should make you shudder
00:44:17.30\00:44:19.24
because you just think about
some of the times of trouble
00:44:19.34\00:44:21.42
that our world has seen.
There's been some bad times.
00:44:21.62\00:44:24.30
When you think
about... I reference the tsunami
00:44:24.51\00:44:27.01
that happened in Indonesia and
the one that happened in Japan.
00:44:27.21\00:44:30.46
And then you think
about World War I and II
00:44:30.66\00:44:32.40
and the genocide
in different countries
00:44:32.60\00:44:34.60
and the plagues
that have happened.
00:44:34.80\00:44:37.22
In 1918 there was a flu that
killed more than World War II.
00:44:37.42\00:44:41.18
Did you know that?
00:44:41.38\00:44:43.02
I mean... And you coalesce
all these times of trouble
00:44:43.22\00:44:46.41
that have come to the world
and Jesus says in Matthew 24
00:44:46.51\00:44:49.62
"For then shall be great
tribulation such as was not
00:44:49.82\00:44:52.32
since men were upon the earth
00:44:52.52\00:44:54.19
so terrible and so great. "
Christ tells us: "Read the book
00:44:54.39\00:44:57.68
of Daniel. Him that would
read let him understand. "
00:44:57.78\00:44:59.92
Yeah, there's going to be a
storm and it's coming, friends.
00:45:00.22\00:45:03.07
And I don't worry
about... I don't worry about,
00:45:03.57\00:45:06.74
you know, what will I do then.
I worry about what I'm doing now
00:45:06.94\00:45:09.45
to prepare for then.
Amen! If I'm grounding myself
00:45:09.56\00:45:13.23
or I have a living
daily connection with Jesus,
00:45:13.43\00:45:16.37
I won't have to worry
about what happens then.
00:45:16.67\00:45:18.89
Some people are going to
wait until then to get ready.
00:45:19.19\00:45:21.60
It's too late then.
00:45:21.80\00:45:23.02
"What shall we do to you? "
00:45:23.69\00:45:24.89
"Pick me up and
throw me into the sea. "
00:45:25.09\00:45:26.83
They rowed and they couldn't
so they prayed a prayer.
00:45:27.23\00:45:29.63
And it's interesting. They
start out praying to their god,
00:45:29.93\00:45:32.90
small g. You notice in
verse 14, I'm in Jonah chapter 1
00:45:33.00\00:45:36.20
"We pray O Lord... " They're
now talking to Jonah's God.
00:45:37.66\00:45:41.40
You know why? Because
Jonah had just told them:
00:45:41.70\00:45:43.84
"I worship the God that
made the heaven and the sea. "
00:45:44.04\00:45:46.39
You know by the way, that comes
out of the Sabbath command.
00:45:46.59\00:45:50.06
"For in six days the Lord
made the heaven and the earth
00:45:50.26\00:45:52.68
and the sea and the
fountains of waters. "
00:45:52.88\00:45:54.25
Jonah is now referencing
"I worship the God that made
00:45:54.75\00:45:57.46
all those things.
I worship the Creator
00:45:57.49\00:45:59.47
who made the world in 6 days
and rested on the seventh. "
00:45:59.78\00:46:02.77
They realized there
was no other opportunity.
00:46:04.08\00:46:06.35
This storm is getting worse
and worse, and if you had been
00:46:06.45\00:46:08.38
out there on that
dark sea that night
00:46:08.48\00:46:10.29
you could hear the shrieking
of the wind and the sails ripped
00:46:10.49\00:46:12.91
to shreds and the boat
is pitching and reeling.
00:46:13.02\00:46:15.85
And every time the boat
comes up on the top of a wave
00:46:15.95\00:46:18.23
and that wave passes it
feels like the ground went out
00:46:18.43\00:46:21.22
from under and it just
plunges down into the trough
00:46:21.32\00:46:23.34
of the next wave. And
then they feel the "G forces"
00:46:23.54\00:46:26.35
and the whole boat begins to
groan and creek and splinter.
00:46:26.45\00:46:28.99
And the water is
coming in through the cracks
00:46:29.09\00:46:30.50
and it pushes
them back up again.
00:46:30.70\00:46:32.14
And the wind is stinging
their faces with the water
00:46:32.34\00:46:35.76
and all this is going on.
It's getting worse and worse
00:46:35.96\00:46:38.18
and they think that every time
they start diving off the crest
00:46:38.28\00:46:40.73
of another wave they're going
to just keep going down like a
00:46:40.83\00:46:42.90
submarine. This is it!
00:46:43.00\00:46:44.53
And they realize: "Look...
next wave's going to kill us.
00:46:46.08\00:46:47.98
What have we got to
lose? We hate to offer
00:46:48.18\00:46:50.32
an innocent man, but he's tell-
ing us this is the only way. "
00:46:50.52\00:46:54.59
So reluctantly the
said: "Do not let us perish
00:46:54.99\00:46:59.66
for this man's life. Do not
charge us with innocent blood. "
00:46:59.86\00:47:03.59
What did Pontius
Pilate say at the cross
00:47:03.79\00:47:05.95
at the trial of Christ?
00:47:06.15\00:47:08.16
"I will not be responsible
for this Man's innocent blood. "
00:47:08.36\00:47:11.34
"Let us not perish
for this man's life. "
00:47:12.60\00:47:16.08
And they go on and the
say: "You, O Lord, have done
00:47:16.48\00:47:20.07
as it pleased You. " You know
what it says in Isaiah 53 about
00:47:20.17\00:47:23.51
the Messiah? "It has pleased You
00:47:23.71\00:47:26.26
to bruise Him for our sakes. "
00:47:26.56\00:47:28.33
These are all
references to Christ.
00:47:29.67\00:47:31.69
"No sign will be given but
the sign of the prophet Jonah. "
00:47:31.99\00:47:34.39
So they picked up Jonah.
00:47:34.89\00:47:36.67
Counted to three.
00:47:37.17\00:47:38.98
They hurled... It doesn't say
that. I just figured they'd go
00:47:39.28\00:47:41.77
"one, two, three... "
00:47:41.87\00:47:43.18
They wanted to make sure
and get him all the way over.
00:47:43.58\00:47:45.48
"And they hurled him into
the sea, and the sea ceased
00:47:46.76\00:47:51.20
from its raging. "
Jonah calmed the stormy sea.
00:47:51.30\00:47:55.91
Does Jesus calm
a stormy sea? Amen!
00:47:56.01\00:47:58.42
When they offered
Jonah they had peace.
00:47:58.45\00:48:00.93
How will you have
peace in your storm?
00:48:01.23\00:48:03.20
Through Christ.
00:48:03.40\00:48:04.99
Now it doesn't matter what kind
of storm you're going through.
00:48:05.20\00:48:07.35
But these men came to the
point of complete surrender.
00:48:07.95\00:48:10.96
You notice that? They had
come to the point of an absolute
00:48:11.16\00:48:14.02
surrender. They had thrown
everything overboard they could
00:48:14.12\00:48:17.25
throw overboard.
They're praying to God.
00:48:17.35\00:48:21.83
They finally get to the
point where they are making
00:48:22.13\00:48:25.69
the offering of a life
00:48:25.79\00:48:28.70
realizing they're about to die.
00:48:30.15\00:48:31.88
They didn't want to do that.
00:48:32.08\00:48:33.51
And then they find
peace when they offer Jonah,
00:48:33.81\00:48:36.74
and we find peace
when we offer Jesus.
00:48:36.94\00:48:39.29
What does the name
Jonah mean? Dove... peace.
00:48:39.70\00:48:44.85
All of a sudden it says
"there's a great calm. "
00:48:45.09\00:48:46.86
And these men realize
that was a supernatural storm.
00:48:47.16\00:48:49.32
They knew they
did the right thing.
00:48:49.52\00:48:50.70
The Bible says: "The men
feared the Lord exceedingly. "
00:48:51.10\00:48:54.24
You know what happened
after Jesus calmed the storm?
00:48:54.54\00:48:56.77
They feared -
the disciples feared
00:48:57.78\00:48:59.64
exceedingly.
Uses the same words.
00:48:59.84\00:49:01.24
They were more afraid
when Jesus calmed the storm
00:49:02.12\00:49:04.10
than they were during the storm.
00:49:04.30\00:49:05.51
"Then they feared exceedingly
and they offered a sacrifice
00:49:06.73\00:49:11.05
to the Lord. " Now
who are they worshiping?
00:49:11.25\00:49:12.73
Because of Jonah, these Gentiles
have now turned to Jehovah.
00:49:12.93\00:49:16.18
God said... Now, was it
God's plan for him to run
00:49:17.76\00:49:21.46
from Nineveh? Can God work
together all things for good?
00:49:21.56\00:49:25.74
And even though he took a
detour that was not His plan
00:49:26.04\00:49:28.64
he went through a
terrible trial he did not
00:49:28.74\00:49:30.49
need to experience... I
mean, you and I have no idea
00:49:30.59\00:49:34.66
what Jonah went through, and
it's only starting right here.
00:49:34.76\00:49:37.01
He's now got to
go through the fish.
00:49:37.32\00:49:38.99
He went through great trials.
Can God work things together?
00:49:40.19\00:49:43.12
Even some people who
are running from God...
00:49:43.22\00:49:45.11
Could God witness
through Israel in Babylon
00:49:45.31\00:49:48.32
even though He never wanted
them to be carried off captive?
00:49:48.52\00:49:51.62
And sometimes you've been
running from God, and God might
00:49:53.05\00:49:55.43
use you to reach someone else.
It doesn't mean you're in the
00:49:55.53\00:49:57.38
middle of God's will. It just
means God wants to save people
00:49:57.48\00:50:01.18
and He's going to use you
because there's hardly anything
00:50:01.28\00:50:03.24
left to use. God
is using you and me
00:50:03.34\00:50:06.82
because He's reached
the bottom of the barrel
00:50:06.93\00:50:08.29
and there's all these
reluctant believers out there
00:50:08.49\00:50:10.91
and that's all He's got.
00:50:11.11\00:50:12.44
Jonah's a type of
the Jewish nation.
00:50:12.84\00:50:15.34
He gave them a
message to reach the Gentiles
00:50:15.74\00:50:19.81
and they kept it to themselves.
00:50:19.91\00:50:21.28
And it was only through their
trials they were finally able
00:50:21.31\00:50:24.11
to witness. It was in captivity
00:50:24.21\00:50:26.98
to the Egyptians and the
Babylonians and the Assyrians
00:50:27.18\00:50:29.81
and the Romans they
ended up being witnesses.
00:50:29.91\00:50:32.12
That was never God's plan.
00:50:33.10\00:50:34.55
He wanted them to be a free
nation of kings and priests.
00:50:34.85\00:50:37.48
And you and I run from God.
00:50:37.88\00:50:39.37
"Now the Lord... " verse
17... "had prepared a great fish
00:50:39.67\00:50:42.82
to swallow Jonah. And Jonah
was in the belly of the fish
00:50:43.02\00:50:46.95
three days and three nights. "
00:50:47.15\00:50:49.24
And he prays from
the belly of the fish
00:50:49.64\00:50:52.26
and God hears his prayer.
00:50:52.46\00:50:54.93
That tells me it doesn't
matter how far you are from God
00:50:55.33\00:50:57.87
God can hear your prayer. Amen?
00:50:58.07\00:50:59.84
Now I want to rush
ahead. I'm going to get back to
00:51:00.96\00:51:02.99
the fish in just a minute.
After three days the fish
00:51:03.09\00:51:05.61
is inspired to burp
Jonah out on dry land.
00:51:05.81\00:51:08.42
And the Word of the
Lord comes to Jonah.
00:51:08.82\00:51:12.10
Is it different
now or is it identical?
00:51:12.40\00:51:15.54
God's Word doesn't
change... same message: "Arise
00:51:15.94\00:51:18.13
and go to Nineveh and preach. "
00:51:18.23\00:51:19.73
Does he go? Yes. Says
Nineveh was an exceeding
00:51:19.94\00:51:23.59
great city of
three-days' journey.
00:51:23.69\00:51:26.69
Jonah enters the
city a day's journey.
00:51:26.89\00:51:28.75
That means 12 hours
'cause there were 24 hours
00:51:28.96\00:51:31.39
in the day. Jesus said: "Are
there not 12 hours in the day? "
00:51:31.49\00:51:35.08
So you've got 3 days
and then you've got 12 hours
00:51:35.91\00:51:37.90
which is half a day. And
then he preaches in 40 days
00:51:38.10\00:51:40.85
they would be destroyed.
00:51:40.95\00:51:42.07
Jesus said no sign would
be given to His generation but
00:51:42.37\00:51:45.53
the sign of
Jonah. Think about this.
00:51:45.63\00:51:47.44
Jesus - who is a type of
Jonah - preaches for 3-1/2 years
00:51:47.74\00:51:53.21
to His people from His
baptism to His crucifixion.
00:51:53.31\00:51:56.00
And He says: "This generation.
" A generation is how long?
00:51:56.30\00:51:58.77
Forty years. "This generation
will not pass away till all
00:51:59.17\00:52:03.26
these things be fulfilled. "
He said: "There will not be left
00:52:03.36\00:52:05.00
one stone upon another" that
would be standing in the temple.
00:52:05.10\00:52:08.42
Jesus was a sign to the Jews
00:52:09.02\00:52:11.08
just as Jonah
was to the Ninevites.
00:52:11.48\00:52:14.11
Except the Ninevites repented
at the preaching of Jonah
00:52:14.31\00:52:16.70
but the Jews did not repent
at the preaching of Jesus.
00:52:17.20\00:52:20.52
Three and a half
years Jesus preached
00:52:21.48\00:52:24.58
and in 40 years Jerusalem
was destroyed in 70 AD.
00:52:24.78\00:52:28.79
That's the big message
there that Christ is giving us
00:52:29.86\00:52:33.51
about how Jonah was a
sign to that generation.
00:52:33.71\00:52:35.99
Now, back to the fish...
00:52:37.10\00:52:38.90
How can a man survive in a fish
three days and three nights?
00:52:40.78\00:52:43.95
And can God hear a person's
prayer when they're down there
00:52:45.18\00:52:48.14
in that kind of darkness?
00:52:48.24\00:52:49.52
There was actually a
man named James Bartley
00:52:50.83\00:52:53.56
who in 1881 was on a whaling
vessel off the Falkland Islands
00:52:53.87\00:52:57.68
that was
swallowed by a sperm whale
00:52:57.79\00:52:59.53
and 24 hours later he was
extracted when they carved up
00:52:59.73\00:53:02.50
the whale and he was still
alive. Unconscious but alive.
00:53:02.60\00:53:04.81
The whale had swallowed him.
00:53:05.87\00:53:08.74
Something interesting happened
this year back in March.
00:53:09.05\00:53:12.21
There was a Nigerian tugboat
twenty miles off the coast
00:53:12.44\00:53:16.51
of Nigeria. Big
seas... pulling a tanker.
00:53:16.61\00:53:21.49
Got hit by a freak wave.
00:53:21.79\00:53:24.49
Capsized the
boat... crew of twelve.
00:53:24.69\00:53:27.61
It went down in
100 feet of water.
00:53:27.91\00:53:30.42
Eleven out of 12 of the
sailors died almost instantly.
00:53:31.87\00:53:35.51
They were drowned.
00:53:35.71\00:53:36.74
But one of them - his
name was Harrison Okene -
00:53:37.01\00:53:39.90
he was there in
the bottom of the boat
00:53:40.20\00:53:43.59
sleeping. Two in the
morning when all this happened.
00:53:43.79\00:53:46.13
Was wearing his boxer
shorts 'cause it's hot
00:53:46.43\00:53:48.88
there on the coast of Nigeria.
00:53:49.08\00:53:51.27
He wakes up and
everything is tumbling around
00:53:51.67\00:53:53.97
and water is coming
in and he's in his bunk
00:53:54.07\00:53:55.96
and he had to retreat
to the bottom of the boat
00:53:56.16\00:53:58.40
'cause that was where
the pocket of air was.
00:53:58.60\00:54:00.40
And as the boat
settled on the bottom
00:54:00.70\00:54:02.32
he had managed...
Before all the lights went out
00:54:02.42\00:54:05.43
he grabbed a flashlight.
00:54:05.53\00:54:07.45
He went up and he was
stuck in this little pocket
00:54:07.76\00:54:11.18
surrounded by
water in the darkness
00:54:11.38\00:54:13.16
and was hoping
someone would come to rescue.
00:54:14.55\00:54:18.21
Water - warm on the surface
- when you go down 100 feet
00:54:18.32\00:54:21.74
even in Nigeria
water is about 50 degrees.
00:54:21.94\00:54:24.41
It was cold. And he sat there.
00:54:24.61\00:54:28.18
Flashlight went out pretty soon.
00:54:28.38\00:54:30.13
He didn't know what
was going to happen.
00:54:30.43\00:54:32.17
Scared... cold... darkness.
00:54:32.47\00:54:35.13
And he was down
there for three days.
00:54:35.43\00:54:37.83
At that point a
Nigerian recovery company
00:54:38.23\00:54:42.09
had made arrangements
to send this special ship
00:54:42.39\00:54:46.53
with deep diving
equipment and video cameras
00:54:46.73\00:54:49.18
to recover the bodies.
00:54:49.39\00:54:51.32
It was a Norwegian
company that was hired.
00:54:51.62\00:54:54.70
And during this time -
this three days - you know what
00:54:55.23\00:54:59.85
Harrison was doing?
00:55:00.35\00:55:02.43
While he was a sailor, his
wife on the coast would text him
00:55:02.73\00:55:05.65
Psalms. Text him messages...
things for him to pray about.
00:55:05.85\00:55:10.55
And she had texted him
something from Psalm 54.
00:55:10.95\00:55:14.19
This is what it said:
00:55:14.59\00:55:16.31
"Save me, O God, by Your name.
00:55:16.61\00:55:19.29
Behold, God is my
helper. The Lord is with those
00:55:19.59\00:55:21.53
who uphold my life. " For
72 hours that was his prayer
00:55:21.73\00:55:25.68
in the darkness. Only thing
he found as he fumbled around
00:55:25.89\00:55:28.71
was a can of Coke. He
had nothing else to drink
00:55:28.91\00:55:30.61
for three days. All of a
sudden at the end of three days
00:55:32.03\00:55:35.05
when he realized the air
in his chamber was running out
00:55:35.25\00:55:37.91
he saw the light
beginning to turn green.
00:55:39.87\00:55:41.81
His head was getting
light from the low oxygen
00:55:42.01\00:55:44.87
in this pocket of air
that he'd been breathing.
00:55:45.07\00:55:47.17
And he thought: "I'm
just hallucinating. "
00:55:47.37\00:55:48.82
Then he saw bubbles and
the air was turning green
00:55:49.12\00:55:51.06
and he was scared 'cause he
had heard the banging around of
00:55:51.26\00:55:54.06
sea creatures that actually had
been feeding on his shipmates.
00:55:54.16\00:55:59.00
And he didn't know what
was going on, so he's scared.
00:55:59.20\00:56:02.08
Then he sees this
helmet coming up and bubbles.
00:56:02.18\00:56:05.11
The Norwegian diver
had a video camera going
00:56:05.31\00:56:08.68
with a line and air
connected to the surface.
00:56:08.78\00:56:11.28
So they were directing him
through the ship. There were
00:56:11.48\00:56:13.11
two of them down there.
Had this thing going through
00:56:13.21\00:56:15.66
this room. "Turn
left. " "All roger. "
00:56:15.76\00:56:17.92
And he's talking
back and forth to them.
00:56:18.12\00:56:19.64
Harrison sees the
light and he sees this guy.
00:56:19.94\00:56:22.39
It's pretty creepy. I'm
a diver, and I've done some
00:56:22.49\00:56:24.84
wreck diving, and it's already
creepy. And if you're down there
00:56:25.04\00:56:27.84
wreck diving and you
know you're looking for bodies
00:56:28.04\00:56:29.74
it's really creepy.
00:56:29.94\00:56:31.43
And all of a
sudden a hand reaches out
00:56:32.31\00:56:34.58
and grabs the diver.
00:56:34.79\00:56:36.89
And you can hear -
they've got it recorded -
00:56:38.74\00:56:40.54
you can watch this
whole thing on YouTube,
00:56:40.74\00:56:41.78
you hear the diver
go "ah, buh, buh... "
00:56:41.88\00:56:44.42
And they were able to... He
said: "We've got a survivor. "
00:56:46.23\00:56:49.34
And they were able to pump
air into Harrison's chamber
00:56:49.64\00:56:52.96
and it took a couple days
to extract him and help him
00:56:53.16\00:56:56.77
decompress... but
God heard his prayer.
00:56:56.80\00:56:59.00
Amen! Does God know how
to save us from our darkness?
00:56:59.30\00:57:02.04
Sometimes it takes a
storm to get our attention.
00:57:02.34\00:57:04.72
But no one could be further
away from God than Jonah.
00:57:05.02\00:57:07.88
But God heard his prayer and
God changed his circumstances.
00:57:08.18\00:57:11.72
God can save you
from your circumstances.
00:57:11.92\00:57:14.02
But it begins by
making a complete surrender
00:57:14.32\00:57:16.50
which is what Jonah had to do
00:57:16.71\00:57:18.14
and being willing to
go wherever God sends you.
00:57:18.44\00:57:20.87
Because Jonah went the
whole nation of Nineveh
00:57:21.17\00:57:24.27
was saved. Greatest
revival in the Bible!
00:57:24.47\00:57:26.48
And God wants to use you
to revive others, friends.
00:57:26.68\00:57:29.28
Amen.
00:57:29.48\00:57:30.77