Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: AFP
Program Code: AFP000168A
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01:01 >>THIS PRESENTATION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FRIENDS OF THE
01:03 AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. 01:11 >>JONAH REALIZED HE NEARLY KILLED EVERYONE ON THAT SHIP 01:14 BECAUSE HE WAS RUNNING FROM GOD. HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED YOUR 01:18 DECISION TO SERVE GOD OR RUN FROM GOD NOT ONLY AFFECTS YOU, 01:21 BUT IT WILL AFFECT PEOPLE AROUND YOU? 01:26 >>FOR OVER 40 YEARS AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO 01:29 SHARING GOD'S WORD THROUGH MEDIA. 01:32 THIS PROGRAM FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOME OF OUR BEST TELEVISION 01:36 BROADCASTS. WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND 01:38 ENJOY THIS EDITION OF AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS . 01:47 >>IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE TENTH AND FINAL 01:50 PRESENTATION IN THIS SERIES, AND WE HOPE THAT THE WORD OF GOD HAS 01:54 TOUCHED YOUR LIVES AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO STUDY BECAUSE THAT'S 01:58 WHERE THE POWER IS. AND SO WE, IN OUR HEROES OF 02:02 FAITH PRESENTATION, TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING 02:05 ABOUT THE SIGN OF JONAH. THE SIGN OF JONAH - WHAT IS THAT? 02:11 NOW, I KNOW, THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME SKEPTICS OUT THERE THAT ARE 02:14 SAYING, 'PASTOR DOUG, YOU CAN'T REALLY TAKE THE BOOK OF JONAH 02:17 SERIOUSLY.' WELL, I DO BECAUSE JESUS DID. JESUS STATED IT VERY 02:23 EMPHATICALLY, THAT HE BELIEVED THE BOOK OF 02:25 JONAH WAS REAL AND HE SAID, 'THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN 02:27 LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE AND THE STORY OF JONAH, THAT CAN 02:31 HELP US IN OUR LIVES TODAY. YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, 'HOW 02:34 IS HE A HERO OF FAITH?' STAY WITH ME. 02:37 GO TO THE BOOK OF JONAH, CHAPTER 1, "NOW THE WORD OF THE LORD 02:42 CAME TO JONAH" - THE WORD 'JONAH', BY THE WAY, MEANS 02:45 'DOVE' - "THE SON OF AMITTAI, SAYING, 'ARISE, GO TO NINEVEH, 02:52 THAT GREAT CITY, AND CRY OUT AGAINST IT; FOR THEIR WICKEDNESS 02:55 HAS COME UP BEFORE ME.' BUT JONAH AROSE TO FLEE TO 02:59 TARSHISH FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD." 03:02 AND GOD SAID, 'JONAH, YOU'RE A PROPHET. 03:04 I'VE GOT A WORK FOR YOU TO DO. I WANT YOU TO GO PROPHESY. 03:08 I WANT YOU TO GO EAST TO NINEVEH AND TALK TO THE WICKED PEOPLE IN 03:13 THAT GREAT CITY. TELL THEM THAT THEY ARE GOING TO 03:16 BE JUDGED FOR THEIR SINS.' BUT YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE 03:20 OF NINEVEH DIDN'T GET ALONG VERY WELL WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL 03:25 ANY MORE THAN THEY DO TODAY. AND CAN YOU IMAGINE AN ORTHODOX 03:31 JEW - DRESSED AS AN ORTHODOX JEW - WALKING THROUGH DOWNTOWN SAUDI 03:36 ARABIA TELLING THEM THEY'RE ALL WICKED AND GOD IS 03:39 GOING TO DESTROY THEM. THAT MIGHT NOT LAST VERY LONG. 03:43 SO, JONAH, YOU COULD UNDERSTAND HIS RELUCTANCE. 03:46 NOT ONLY THAT, THEY HAD BEEN PERSECUTED. 03:48 IT WAS ASSYRIA THAT HAD CARRIED AWAY TEN OF THE TRIBES. 03:51 THEY HAD BEEN PERSECUTED BY THE ASSYRIANS AND THE LAST THING 03:54 JONAH WANTED TO DO WAS GO WARN THEM SO THEY REPENT. 03:57 HE KIND OF FELT, 'WELL, IF GOD'S GOING TO JUDGE THEM I'M NOT 03:59 GOING ANYWHERE. LET HIM JUDGE THEM. 04:01 THEY WERE THE AVOWED ENEMIES OF ISRAEL. 04:04 AND SO GOD TOLD HIM TO GO EAST - INSTEAD, HE WENT WEST. 04:08 MAYBE JONAH WAS THINKING, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, THE LORD - IT WAS A 04:12 SUGGESTION.' NO, IT WASN'T A SUGGESTION. 04:15 GOD'S WILL TOLD HIM WHAT TO DO BUT HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO WHAT 04:17 THE WORD OF THE LORD TOLD HIM TO DO. 04:19 THE WORD OF THE LORD, FURTHERMORE, SAID, 'ARISE' - 04:21 GOD'S WORD: ELEVATES - BUT JONAH DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT AND IT SAYS 04:26 HE WENT DOWN. "HE AROSE TO FLEE TO TARSHISH 04:29 FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD." CAN YOU FLEE FROM 04:31 GOD'S PRESENCE? ISN'T THAT SILLY? 04:34 YOU WOULD THINK THAT AT LEAST A THEOLOGIAN, LIKE A PROPHET, 04:37 WOULD KNOW THAT. BUT WHO KNOWS? 04:40 MAYBE JONAH WAS THINKING TO HIMSELF, 'WELL, I'LL TELL YOU 04:41 WHAT, I'M GOING TO GO DOWN TO JOPPA' - THAT'S WHERE THE 04:47 SEAPORT WAS - 'AND IF IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE ARE ANY SHIPS 04:51 GOING TO TARSHISH, I'LL TAKE THAT AS A SIGN FROM THE LORD 04:55 THAT IT'S OKAY THAT I GO.' SO HE GETS TO JOPPA AND, SURE ENOUGH, 05:01 THERE ARE SHIPS IN THE HARBOR GETTING READY TO DEPART THE NEXT 05:04 DAY. HE SAYS, 'LORD, I'M GOING TO THROW OUT ANOTHER FLEECE. 05:08 IF IT TURNS OUT THEY'VE GOT ROOM FOR ONE MORE PASSENGER, THEN 05:11 I'LL TAKE IT AS A SIGN THAT IT'S OKAY FOR ME NOT TO DO WHAT 05:13 YOU'RE SAYING.' SURE ENOUGH, HE ASKED - THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD 05:17 ROOM. HIS CONSCIENCE IS STILL BOTHERING HIM SO JONAH SAID, 05:20 'LORD, ONE MORE THING: IF IT TURNS OUT I'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY 05:23 FOR THE FARE, THEN THAT'LL BE A SIGN YOU'RE GOING TO LET ME OFF 05:26 THE HOOK AND I DON'T HAVE TO TALK TO THE ASSYRIANS. 05:29 SURE ENOUGH, THEY TOLD HIM HOW MUCH IT WAS - IT WAS JUST 05:32 ENOUGH. BY THE WAY, IT COSTS YOU TO RUN FROM GOD. 05:36 SO HE PAID THE FARE AND IT WAS EVEN NICE SAILING WEATHER. 05:44 SO HE FIGURED, 'YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THE WORD OF THE LORD TOLD 05:46 ME, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO IT AND GOD'S JUST GOING TO - WE'RE 05:49 GOING TO IGNORE IT AND IT'LL GO AWAY. 05:52 HAS GOD EVER TOLD YOU SOMETHING HE WANTED YOU TO DO OR DIDN'T 05:54 WANT YOU TO DO AND YOU THINK, BECAUSE THE SUN KEEPS SHINING 05:57 AND THE BIRDS KEEP SINGING, IT MUST BE OKAY THAT YOU CONTINUE 06:00 TO LIVE IN DISOBEDIENCE? I HAVE MET PEOPLE BEFORE - I 06:04 REMEMBER COUNSELING WITH A MAN AND A WOMAN. 06:07 THEY'D JUST LEFT THEIR SPOUSES AND GOT TOGETHER. 06:13 THEY WERE LIVING IN AN ADULTEROUS RELATIONSHIP AND THEY 06:15 SAID, 'BUT YOU KNOW, PASTOR DOUG, WE JUST - THOSE OTHER 06:18 MARRIAGES WERE MISTAKES' - THEY WERE STILL MARRIED TO THESE 06:21 OTHER PEOPLE - 'AND WE JUST SEE HOW GOD IS BLESSING AND IT SEEMS 06:24 LIKE EVERYTHING IS GOING BETTER NOW. 06:26 WE HAVE PEACE AND IT MUST BE GOD'S WILL.' I SAID, 'WHAT ABOUT 06:29 THE WORD OF THE LORD THAT SAYS, 'THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT 06:32 ADULTERY?' AND THEY WANTED TO SKIP OVER 06:35 THAT PART BECAUSE THEY HAD ALL THIS CIRCUMSTANTIAL 06:38 EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS OKAY. WELL, JONAH THOUGHT - BY THE 06:43 WAY, FRIENDS, IF YOU DIDN'T CATCH IT, WE CAN CONVINCE 06:45 OURSELVES TO BELIEVE WHATEVER WE WANT TO BELIEVE AND THE DEVIL 06:49 WILL GIVE YOU A THOUSAND RATIONALIZATIONS TO DO WHAT YOU 06:52 WANT TO DO THAT MAY NOT BE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 06:56 THE WORD OF THE LORD SAID, 'JONAH, GO EAST. 06:59 PREACH. YOU'RE A PREACHER. 07:01 THAT'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO.' HE DIDN'T WANT TO. 07:03 WHATEVER HIS REASONS WERE, HE DIDN'T WANT TO. 07:05 SO HE'S GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION. 07:07 HE'S FLEEING FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, "BUT THE LORD SENT 07:14 OUT A GREAT WIND," - NOW THIS WAS THE SAILING SEASON. 07:17 IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD. 07:18 EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE - "AND THERE WAS A MIGHTY TEMPEST ON 07:21 THE SEA, SO THAT THE SHIP WAS ABOUT TO BE BROKEN UP. 07:25 THEN THE MARINERS WERE AFRAID; AND EVERY MAN CRIED OUT TO HIS 07:30 GOD, AND THREW THE CARGO THAT WAS IN THE SHIP INTO THE SEA," - 07:33 EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A GREAT LOSS. BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT, 07:35 'WHAT'S MORE THAN LIFE? WHAT IS WORTH MORE THAN LIFE?' 07:40 AND THEY'RE PRAYING - AND THEN IT SAYS 'BUT' AGAIN. 07:44 THE SAILORS ARE PRAYING. THE SAILORS ARE SACRIFICING. 07:47 THESE ARE THE PAGANS - BUT THE JEW, WHO'S SUPPOSED TO KNOW GOD 07:50 AND KNOW THE TRUTH, HE'S DOWN IN THE LOWEST PART OF THE SHIP AND 07:54 HE'S FAST ASLEEP. SO THE CAPTAIN COMES BELOW DECK. 07:57 HE'S LOOKING AROUND FOR ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEY CAN THROW 07:59 OVERBOARD AND HE FINDS A SNORING HYPOCRITE. 08:03 HE COMES TO HIM AND HE SAYS - VERSE 6 - "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 08:07 SLEEPER? ARISE, CALL ON YOUR GOD; 08:12 PERHAPS YOUR GOD WILL CONSIDER US, SO THAT WE MAY NOT PERISH." 08:16 - THE VERY SAME WORDS THAT WERE SPOKEN TO JESUS - 'MASTER, 08:20 CAREST THOU NOT THAT WE ARE PERISHING?' 08:23 - SO THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER - HE COMES UP DECK AND HE'S 08:26 RUBBING HIS EYES AND GOING, 'OH NO, I WAS AFRAID OF THIS.' HE 08:30 KNOWS RIGHT AWAY, WHEN HE SEES THIS HOWLING STORM, IT'S A 08:33 SUPERNATURAL STORM THAT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE. 08:36 JONAH KNOWS IN HIS HEART THAT SMOOTH SAILING WAS JUST - GOD 08:40 WAS GIVING HIM TIME TO REPENT AND HE WAITED - "AND THEY SAID 08:43 TO ONE ANOTHER, 'COME, LET US CAST LOTS, THAT WE MIGHT KNOW 08:46 FOR WHOSE CAUSE THIS TROUBLE HAS COME UPON US.' 08:49 SO THEY CAST LOTS, AND THE LOT FELL ON JONAH." 08:52 NOW VERY QUICKLY, WHAT THAT WAS IN BIBLE TIMES - 08:54 THEY HAD A WAY OF, LIKE, DRAWING STRAWS. THEY WOULD HAVE, LIKE, A 08:58 JAR THAT HAD A NARROW OPENING AND THEY WOULD PUT ALL OF THESE 09:01 BLACK STONES IN THERE AND ONE WHITE STONE, DEPENDING ON HOW 09:04 MANY PEOPLE THEY WERE CASTING LOTS WITH. 09:06 THEY'D SHAKE IT - KIND OF LIKE A LOTTERY - THEY'D PUT THE THUMB 09:08 OVER IT AND THEY'D DROP OUT ONE STONE AND WHOEVER GOT THE WHITE 09:12 STONE, YOU WERE THE ONE THAT WAS BUSTED. 09:16 YOU WERE THE ONE THAT PICKED - AND ONE BY ONE THEY'RE GOING 09:19 AROUND AND, PROBABLY, JONAH WAS THE LAST ONE AND OUT COMES THE 09:22 WHITE STONE AND THEY ALL LOOK AT HIM AND HE LOOKS UP. 09:27 AND HE KNOWS HE'S BEEN RUNNING FROM THE WORD OF GOD. 09:31 MATTER OF FACT, HE 'FESSES UP. THEY SAID TO HIM, "PLEASE, TELL 09:36 US!' - THEY'RE ALL FIRING QUESTIONS AT HIM - "FOR WHOSE 09:40 CAUSE IS THIS TROUBLE UPON US? WHAT IS YOUR OCCU..." 09:43 - USUALLY WHEN THE WEATHER'S NOT - WHEN THE WEATHER'S BAD, YOU 09:45 DON'T TURN TO THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU AND SAY, 'WHAT DID YOU DO?' 09:47 (LAUGHTER) RIGHT? BUT THIS IS NO SMALL STORM. 09:52 THIS IS LIKE A SUPERNATURAL STORM AND THE BOAT IS CREAKING 09:55 AND GROANING WITH EVERY NEW WAVE AND THEY FIGURE AT ANY MOMENT 09:57 IT'S GOING TO BUST TO SMITHEREENS. 10:00 "WHAT IS YOUR OCCUPATION? AND WHERE DO YOU COME FROM? 10:05 WHAT IS YOUR COUNTRY? AND OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE YOU?" 10:08 - THEY'RE JUST FIRING QUESTIONS OUT AND FINALLY HE SAYS, 10:11 "I AM A HEBREW; AND I FEAR THE LORD, THE GOD OF HEAVEN, WHO 10:16 MADE THE SEA AND THE DRY LAND." - RIGHT WHEN HE SAYS, 'AND HE'S 10:19 THE GOD THAT MADE THE SEA - YOU SEE, THEY HAD ALL THESE 10:21 DIFFERENT GODS AND HE WANTED TO BE CLEAR, 'I WORSHIP THE GOD 10:24 THAT MADE EVERYTHING ALL YOUR GODS ARE MADE OUT OF. 10:27 I WORSHIP THE GOD OF GODS.' "THEN THE MEN WERE EXCEEDINGLY 10:30 AFRAID," - YOU KNOW, AFTER THEY WOKE UP JESUS AND HE CALMED THE 10:34 SEA, IT SAYS THEY WERE EXCEEDINGLY AFRAID - "THEN THE 10:38 MEN WERE EXCEEDINGLY AFRAID AND SAID, 'WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS?'" 10:41 - GOOD QUESTION. WHY WOULD YOU RUN FROM GOD? 10:43 THE BIBLE SAYS EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT IS FROM GOD. 10:46 WOULD GOD EVER ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS ULTIMATELY 10:49 BAD? THINK ABOUT THAT. WHY WOULD YOU NOT DO HIS WILL 10:53 THEN, IF GOD'LL NEVER ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING BAD? 10:56 BECAUSE WE DON'T TRUST HIM - OR WE WORSHIP OUR IDEAS MORE THAN 11:00 GOD? WHY DID HE DO THIS? HE NEVER GIVES AN ANSWER. 11:06 "FOR THE MEN KNEW THAT HE FLED FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, 11:09 BECAUSE HE HAD TOLD THEM. THEN THEY SAID TO HIM, 'WHAT 11:13 SHALL WE DO TO YOU THAT THE SEA MAY BE CALM FOR US? - FOR THE 11:17 SEA WAS GROWING MORE TEMPESTUOUS." - THE LONGER THEY 11:20 WAITED IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. 11:23 EVERY TIME THE BOAT WENT DOWN IN THE TROUGH OF A WAVE, MORE WATER 11:26 CAME IN AND THEY WERE PROBABLY BAILING WITH ALL OF THEIR MIGHT 11:29 AND STILL THE BOAT WAS GETTING LOWER AND LOWER IN THE WATER AND 11:32 IT LOOKED LIKE THE NEXT WAVE WAS GOING TO BE THE LAST ONE. 11:34 AND JONAH SAID SOMETHING PECULIAR, "PICK ME UP" - 11:38 VERSE 12 - "AND THROW ME INTO THE SEA; THEN 11:42 THE SEA WILL BECOME CALM FOR YOU. 11:44 FOR I KNOW THAT THIS GREAT TEMPEST IS BECAUSE OF ME." 11:48 - THROW ME - "NEVERTHELESS THE MEN ROWED HARD TO RETURN TO 11:51 LAND, BUT THEY COULD NOT," - THEY'RE BEING WASHED FURTHER AND 11:54 FURTHER OUT TO SEA - "THEREFORE THEY CRIED OUT TO THE LORD" - 11:57 THEY KNEW THE NEXT WAVE WAS GOING TO BE THEIR LAST AND THEY 12:00 THOUGHT, 'WHAT HAVE WE GOT TO LOSE?' 12:02 - "THEREFORE THEY CRIED OUT TO THE LORD AND SAID, 'WE PRAY, O 12:04 LORD, PLEASE DO NOT LET US PERISH FOR THIS MAN'S LIFE," - 12:11 GOD SO LOVED US THAT HE GAVE HIS SON THAT WE MIGHT NOT PERISH, 12:15 BECAUSE JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE - "...DO NOT CHARGE US WITH 12:19 INNOCENT BLOOD;" - YOU KNOW WHAT PILATE SAID AT THE TRIAL OF 12:23 CHRIST? 'I DON'T WANT TO BE GUILTY OF THIS MAN'S INNOCENT 12:26 BLOOD.' WERE THEY CASTING LOTS AT THE CROSS? 12:31 WERE THEY CASTING LOTS FOR JONAH? 12:35 JESUS SAID, 'NO SIGN WILL BE GIVEN BUT THE SIGN OF JONAH.' - 12:39 "FOR YOU, O LORD, HAVE DONE AS IT PLEASED YOU." 12:42 YOU READ THE PROPHECY ABOUT JESUS IN ISAIAH 53 AND IT SAYS 12:45 IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM FOR OUR SAKE. 12:50 "...LORD, HAVE DONE AS IT PLEASED YOU." 12:52 SO, WAS JONAH A WILLING SACRIFICE? 12:56 HE SAID, 'YOU MUST THROW ME OVERBOARD.' NOW YOU'VE GOT SIX 13:00 MEN OR SO AND THEY EACH GRABBED THE HANDS AND THE FEET OF JONAH 13:05 AND THEY SAID, 'ONE' - AND THEY SWUNG HIM OUT AND BACK - 'TWO' - 13:08 THEY SWUNG HIM A LITTLE FURTHER - 'THREE' - HURLED HIM OVER THE 13:12 SIDE AND WHEN HE HIT THE WATER, INSTANTLY THE WAVES BEGAN TO 13:17 FLATTEN OUT AND THE WIND STOPPED LIKE IT HAD PUT ON BRAKES AND 13:22 THERE WAS A GREAT CALM. THE SEA CEASEd FROM ITS RAGING? 13:27 DID JESUS CALM THE SEA? DOES JONAH CALM THE SEA? 13:32 'NO SIGN'LL BE GIVEN BUT THE SIGN OF JONAH.' - 13:35 THEN THE MEN FEARED THE LORD EXCEEDINGLY - 13:38 DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN JESUS CALMED THE SEA? 13:40 I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS BUT HERE IT SAYS IT AGAIN: 'THE MEN 13:42 FEARED THE LORD EXCEEDINGLY AND SACRIFICED TO THE LORD AND TOOK 13:46 VOWS.' WHEN JESUS CALMED THE SEA THEY SAID, 'WHAT MANNER OF MAN 13:50 IS THIS THAT EVEN THE WIND AND THE WAVES OBEY HIM? 13:53 THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY, "NOW THE LORD HAD PREPARED A GREAT FISH 14:02 AND IT SWALLOWED JONAH." THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT 14:05 JONAH IS SOMETHING OF A HERO FOR ME. 14:07 AT WHAT POINT DO YOU GIVE UP AND THINK THERE'S NO MORE HOPE? 14:13 I MEAN, IF I WAS IN THE STORM, AND I KNOW THIS STORM HAPPENED 14:17 AND THESE GUYS THROW ME OVERBOARD, I WOULD THINK, 'OH 14:19 WELL, I'M GETTING WHAT I DESERVE. 14:21 IF SOMEONE'S GOT TO GO, IT'S GOT TO BE ME. 14:22 ALL OF THIS TROUBLE HAPPENED TO THEM BECAUSE I'M RUNNING FROM 14:24 GOD.' JONAH REALIZED HE NEARLY 14:26 KILLED EVERYONE ON THAT SHIP BECAUSE HE WAS RUNNING FROM GOD. 14:30 HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED YOUR DECISION TO SERVE GOD OR RUN 14:33 FROM GOD NOT ONLY AFFECTS YOU, BUT IT WILL AFFECT PEOPLE AROUND 14:37 YOU. >>AMEN. 14:38 >>CHRIST HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT YOUR DECISION TO RUN FROM 14:42 HIM OR TO FOLLOW HIM WILL REACT AND REACT AGAIN IN SAVING OR 14:49 DESTROYING LIVES AROUND YOU. NO MAN IS AN ISLAND AND IF YOU 14:54 MAKE IT TO THE KINGDOM, YOU WILL SEE, ON THE STREETS OF GOLD, 14:57 PEOPLE THAT WERE, NO DOUBT, INFLUENCED BY YOUR 14:59 POSITIVE DECISION. AND IF YOU'RE IN THE LAKE OF 15:02 FIRE AND IT CREEPS UP AROUND YOUR ANKLES, YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE 15:05 THAT WERE INFLUENCED BY YOUR DECISION. 15:07 WHAT KIND OF DECISION - WHAT KIND OF INFLUENCE ARE YOU 15:09 HAVING? JONAH REALIZED 'THEY'RE BEING LOST. 15:12 THEY'RE PERISHING BECAUSE I'M RUNNING FROM GOD.' 15:15 I WOULD HAVE GIVEN UP AT THAT POINT. 15:17 BUT JONAH, NOW, HE'S GOING ON THIS UNSCHEDULED TOUR INSIDE 15:23 THIS SEA MONSTER - YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO THE FIRST SUBMARINER 15:27 WAS IN THE WORLD? THAT WOULD BE JONAH - BUT THEY 15:31 DIDN'T GIVE HIM A PORTHOLE. AND SO - AND YOU KNOW, I'VE 15:35 OFTEN THOUGHT, IF JONAH WAS ALIVE INSIDE THE FISH, WHAT IF 15:40 THE FISH HAD SOME HORS D'OEUVRES BEFORE JONAH? 15:43 (LAUGHTER) YOU KNOW, HAVE A FEW JELLYFISH - YOU EVER BEEN STUNG 15:47 BY A JELLYFISH? I HAVE - IT HURTS! 15:51 HAVE A FEW SEA URCHINS AND SOME OCTOPUS - THERE'S, YOU KNOW, GET 15:54 THE LITTLE STICKERS ON YOU IN THE DARK THERE INSIDE THE FISH'S 15:56 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM SURROUNDED BY ALL THAT SUSHI - IN THE DARK - 16:02 LITTLE BIOLUMINESCENT THINGS FLASHING - 'WHAT'S THAT?' 16:05 - YOU KNOW? SEA URCHINS JABBING YOU AND - 16:08 IT MUST HAVE BEEN MISERABLE. I KNOW, WE'RE JOKING ABOUT 16:11 IT BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MISERABLE THAT WAS? 16:14 IT'S DESCRIBING THE SUFFERINGS OF JESUS. 16:17 THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS, BUT JONAH, EVEN IN THAT, HE PRAYED 16:22 FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAINS. 16:23 NOW IF THERE'S A PLACE YOU CAN RUN WHERE GOD CAN'T HEAR 16:25 YOUR PRAYERS, IT WOULD NOT BE JOPPA OR TARSHISH OR TIMBUKTU. 16:30 BUT I THINK, IF YOU'RE INSIDE A WHALE IN THE DARK, AT THE BOTTOM 16:32 OF THE MOUNTAINS, THAT WOULD BE ABOUT AS FAR AWAY FROM GOD AS 16:35 YOU COULD GET. CAN YOU PICTURE, GEOGRAPHICALLY, 16:38 ANY WAY TO HIDE BETTER FROM GOD THAN TO TRY TO SNEAK OFF INTO 16:43 THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM OF A FISH AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAINS 16:46 AND SEE 'MAYBE HE'LL FORGET ABOUT ME'? IF - YOU KNOW, THIS 16:49 IS WONDERFUL, BECAUSE IF GOD COULD HEAR JONAH'S PRAYER FROM 16:53 THERE, IS THERE HOPE FOR YOU? AND YET, FROM THAT PREDICAMENT, 16:59 JOHN - JONAH PRAYED AND HE HAD TO PRAY PATIENTLY. 17:03 SOMETIMES YOUR PRAYERS AREN'T ANSWERED RIGHT AWAY. 17:05 IF I WAS IN THAT, I'D SAY, 'LORD, HELP ME NOW.' (LAUGHTER) 17:08 AN HOUR LATER I'D SAY, 'HOW LONG, O LORD?' 17:11 AND A DAY LATER I'D SAY, 'I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN LAST MUCH 17:13 LONGER.' HE PROBABLY DIDN'T SLEEP VERY WELL. 17:18 WAS JONAH IN TROUBLE BECAUSE OF WHAT SOMEONE ELSE DID OR WHAT HE 17:21 DID TO HIMSELF? DON'T WE OFTEN GET INTO TROUBLE 17:25 BY MAKING BAD DECISIONS? AND YET, IN SPITE OF THE FACT 17:29 HE CAUSED HIS OWN MISERY - GOD COULD HAVE SAID, 'LOOK, YOU MADE 17:32 YOUR BED, SLEEP IN IT.' BUT HE PRAYED AND GOD FORGAVE HIM. 17:39 AND THE BIBLE SAYS, "SO THE LORD SPOKE TO THE FISH, AND IT 17:45 VOMITED JONAH ONTO DRY LAND." GOD IS SO GOOD! 17:48 HE COULD HAVE BURPED HIM OUT AND MADE HIM SWIM TO SHORE, BUT ONCE 17:53 HE FORGAVE HIM, HE BROUGHT HIM UP SPECIAL DELIVERY. 17:57 HE GAVE A GOD-INSPIRED HEAVE AND OUT CAME JONAH. 18:00 AND I HEARD ONE PASTOR SAY, 'THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU A 18:03 HYPOCRITE WILL EVEN MAKE A SEA MONSTER SICK. 18:05 (LAUGHTER) NOW JONAH'S THINKING, 'WOW, THAT WAS SOMETHING I WILL 18:13 NEVER FORGET. THAT MADE A MEMORY. 18:16 NOW I'M GOING TO GO BACK HOME. I NEED A LITTLE R&R AFTER THIS 18:19 EXPERIENCE.' BUT BEFORE JONAH EVEN DRIED OFF, THE WORD OF THE 18:24 LORD CAME TO JONAH A SECOND TIME. 18:27 NOW, DOES GOD MODIFY HIS MESSAGE? 18:29 OR IS IT IDENTICAL TO THE WORD THE FIRST TIME? 18:32 AND HE SAID, "ARISE," - YOU KNOW, WHEN JONAH RUNS, HE GOES 18:36 DOWN. WHEN GOD'S WORD COMES IT SAYS, 18:38 'ARISE' - "GO TO NINEVEH, THAT GREAT CITY, AND PREACH TO IT 18:42 THE MESSAGE THAT I TELL YOU." SO DOES JONAH ARGUE NOW? 18:47 HE FIGURES, 'LOOK, I'D RATHER DIE IN NINEVEH THAN GO BACK TO 18:49 SEA.' "SO JONAH AROSE AND WENT TO NINEVEH, ACCORDING TO THE 18:54 WORD OF THE LORD. NOW NINEVEH WAS AN EXCEEDING 18:56 GREAT CITY, A THREE-DAY JOURNEY...AND JONAH BEGAN TO 19:01 ENTER THE CITY ON THE FIRST DAY'S WALK." 19:03 NOW JONAH, I GUESS HE MUST HAVE BEEN PRETTY SCARY, BECAUSE HE 19:08 WENT TO NINEVEH AND STARTED PREACHING. 19:10 HE WALKED UP AND DOWN THE STREETS, "YET FORTY DAYS, AND 19:13 NINEVEH SHALL BE OVERTHROWN!" AND, INSTEAD OF THEM KILLING 19:17 HIM, HE PROBABLY HAD THAT WILD LOOK IN HIS EYES AS A GUY THAT 19:21 HAS JUST BEEN THROUGH A FISH. (LAUGHTER) PROBABLY HAD A LITTLE 19:26 OCTOPUS TENTACLE STICKING OUT OF HIS COAT AND, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS 19:30 LIKE HE'D BEEN BLEACHED AND - YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH AN 19:34 EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT AND YOU LOOK DIFFERENT. 19:36 (LAUGHTER) AND, YOU KNOW, GOD'S PROPHETS ALREADY - YOU KNOW, 19:41 THEY WORE CAMEL SKIN AND LEATHER BELTS AND WERE A LITTLE WILD. 19:42 AND HERE JONAH, NOW, HAS GONE THROUGH THAT. 19:45 HE SAYS, 'FORTY DAYS' AND HE GOES UP AND HE CAMPS ON A HILL. 19:48 NEXT DAY, 'THIRTY-NINE DAYS' - 'THIRTY-EIGHT DAYS' - PEOPLE IN 19:54 NINEVEH ARE BEGINNING TO GET CONVICTED. 19:56 'YOU KNOW, WE ARE PRETTY WICKED. IF I WAS GOD I'D DESTROY ME 19:59 TOO.' AND PRETTY SOON IT REACHES THE KING THAT THERE'S THIS 20:02 JEWISH PROPHET PRONOUNCING JUDGEMENT. 20:06 'TWENTY-FIVE DAYS' - 'TWENTY-FOUR' - AND, YOU KNOW, 20:08 THAT WOULD BE UNNERVING AS HE DID HIS COUNTDOWN EVERY DAY 20:10 GOING UP AND DOWN THE STREETS SAYING, 'JUDGMENT IS COMING 20:13 BECAUSE OF YOUR SINS. THE KING PRONOUNCES A 20:16 PROCLAMATION AND MAN AND BEAST REPENT. 20:22 THEY PUT SACKCLOTH ON MAN AND BEAST. 20:23 THEY DON'T EAT, THEY DON'T DRINK, AND THERE IS THE GREATEST 20:27 REVIVAL AND TURNING TO GOD THAT IS SEEN ANYWHERE IN THE BIBLE 20:31 FROM THE MOST RELUCTANT EVANGELIST IN THE BIBLE. 20:35 AND YOU WONDER IF GOD CAN USE YOU. 20:38 JONAH DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO PREACH. 20:40 IT'S THE SHORTEST SERMON - 'FORTY DAYS AND NINEVEH WILL BE 20:44 DESTROYED.' PRETTY SHORT SERMON. 20:47 BUT WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND IF THE LORD TELLS YOU 20:50 TO GO, HE WILL PREPARE THE HEARTS AHEAD OF TIME. 20:53 THE WHOLE CITY TURNS FROM THEIR SIN. THE WHOLE CITY REPENTS - 20:57 AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY! 21:01 AND THEN JONAH GOES UP ON THE HILL - I'M SUMMARIZING THE STORY 21:04 FOR YOU - HE GOES UP ON THE HILL AND WHEN HE GETS TO COUNTING 21:09 DOWN AFTER HIS LAST MESSAGE - HE'S MADE A LITTLE BOOTH UP ON 21:13 THE HILL AND HE'S WATCHING. HE WANTS TO SEE FIRE COME DOWN 21:15 ON NINEVEH LIKE IT DID ON SODOM AND GOMORRAH. 21:18 HE SAID, 'ALRIGHT, LORD, I WARNED THEM. 21:21 I WENT THROUGH A LOT. NOW HERE COMES JUDGMENT. 21:26 AND AFTER THE FORTIETH DAY NOTHING HAPPENS. 21:30 HE WAITS ANOTHER DAY - NOTHING HAPPENS. 21:32 NOW JONAH IS FEELING LIKE, 'NOW I REALLY LOOK LIKE A HYPOCRITE.' 21:37 INSTEAD OF REJOICING THAT GOD HAS SHOWN THEM MERCY BECAUSE 21:40 THEY REPENTED - DOESN'T THAT TELL US THAT GOD IS MORE WILLING 21:42 TO SAVE? GOD'S NOT JUST WANTING TO JUDGE 21:45 PEOPLE, HE'S WANTING TO SAVE PEOPLE. 21:48 AN AMAZING THING ABOUT THE STORY OF JONAH - EVERYBODY IN THE 21:51 STORY OF JONAH IS LISTENING TO GOD EXCEPT JONAH. 21:55 THE STORM LISTENS TO GOD. THE FISH LISTENS TO GOD. 22:00 THE SAILORS LISTEN TO GOD. THE CAPTAIN LISTENS TO GOD. 22:04 IT SAYS EVEN THE PEOPLE OF NINEVEH - THEY LISTEN TO GOD - 22:08 AND THERE'S THIS GREAT REVIVAL - THERE'S THIS GREAT REPENTANCE 22:11 AND THE ONE WHO'S THE MOST DIFFICULT IN THE WHOLE STORY IS 22:13 JONAH. GOD CALLED JONAH WITH A 22:18 WORK TO DO TO SAVE OTHERS. AND SOMETIMES, HUMAN NATURE - 22:22 WE'RE RELUCTANT TO DO WHAT GOD IS CALLING US TO DO. 22:26 AND WHEN JONAH RAN FROM THE WILL OF GOD, IT WENT VERY BADLY. 22:32 AND IT NOT ONLY WENT BADLY FOR HIM, IT WENT BADLY FOR THOSE 22:34 AROUND HIM. AND WHEN JONAH SURRENDERED TO 22:38 THE WORD OF GOD AND WENT TO DO WHAT GOD TOLD HIM TO DO, PEOPLE 22:41 THAT WERE DOOMED WERE SAVED. ONCE JONAH SURRENDERED TO THE 22:46 LORD IN THE BOAT AND HE SAID, 'I'M THE CAUSE. 22:49 THROW ME OVERBOARD.' THE SAILORS FOUND PEACE. 22:52 WHEN JONAH SURRENDERED AND HE WENT TO NINEVEH, A WHOLE CITY 22:56 FOUND PEACE. AND GOD HAD TO REASON WITH JONAH. 22:59 IN THE END OF THE BOOK HE SAID, "AND SHOULD I NOT PITY NINEVEH, 23:03 THAT GREAT CITY, IN WHICH ARE MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY 23:07 THOUSAND PERSONS WHO CANNOT DISCERN BETWEEN THEIR RIGHT HAND 23:10 AND THEIR LEFT?" JONAH'S WORRIED BECAUSE HIS 23:13 GOURD PLANT DIED THAT WAS GIVING HIM SHADE. HE DIDN'T CARE. 23:17 SOMETIMES WE'RE MORE CONCERNED WITH OUR DAILY INCONVENIENCES 23:21 WITH THE - THAN WITH THE MILLIONS AROUND US THAT ARE 23:23 LOST. NOW, YOU KNOW WHY I SAVED 23:26 THIS MESSAGE FOR LAST? WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE 23:29 STORIES - HEROES OF FAITH - THAT DEAL WITH SALVATION. 23:32 WE MADE SEVERAL APPEALS FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO JESUS THAT YOU 23:36 MIGHT BE SAVED. BUT WHY DOES THE 23:38 LORD WANT TO SAVE US? WHY DID HE SAVE JONAH? 23:43 HE SAVED HIM AND THEN SAID, 'I'VE GOT A MISSION FOR YOU. 23:46 GO AND TELL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PERISHING THAT THEY MIGHT BE 23:50 SAVED. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE 23:53 IS THAT YOU COME TO GOD - JESUS CALLS IT THE GREAT INVITATION - 23:58 'COME UNTO ME, ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND HEAVY LADEN. 24:01 HE INVITES US TO COME TO HIM. BUT HE DOESN'T STOP THERE. 24:04 THE LAST THING THE LORD SAYS IN MATTHEW 28 IS 'GO YE, THEREFORE, 24:08 AND TEACH ALL NATIONS.' ALL OF LIFE IS INVOLVED IN THOSE 24:12 TWO GREAT ENDEAVORS. IT'S LIKE YOUR HEART IS CONSTANTLY 24:16 TAKING IN AND IT'S GIVING OUT AND THAT'S HOW LIFE IS. 24:21 WE RECEIVE FROM GOD AND THEN WE GIVE FOR GOD. 24:23 THE GREAT COMMISSION IS SUMMED UP IN OUR COMING TO JESUS - THIS 24:27 IS THE VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP - AND THEN WE GO FOR JESUS. 24:31 I ALWAYS FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE POPE WHEN I DO THAT - WE 24:33 COME TO JESUS AND WE GO FOR JESUS - BUT IT IS - IT'S THE 24:35 VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP AND THEN IT'S THE HORIZONTAL RELATIONSHIP 24:39 WHICH DOES FORM A CROSS. THE CROSS IS TALKING ABOUT LOVE 24:43 FOR GOD - WHAT'S THE GREAT COMMANDMENT? 24:45 LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART. 24:47 AND WHAT'S THE SECOND ONE? LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. 24:50 AND SO, AS WE TALK NIGHT AFTER NIGHT ABOUT OUR COMING TO GOD, 24:53 DON'T STOP THERE, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T USE YOUR CHRISTIANITY, YOU 24:57 LOSE YOUR CHRISTIANITY. WHEN GOD GIVES YOU SOMETHING 25:00 TO DO TO TELL OTHERS, DON'T BE AFRAID. 25:03 JONAH WAS AFRAID. LAST THING IN THE WORLD HE 25:05 EXPECTED WAS THE BIGGEST REVIVAL IN THE BIBLE. 25:08 I MEAN, NOAH SAVED EIGHT PEOPLE. JONAH SAVED A WHOLE CITY. 25:15 AND IF GOD COULD USE JONAH, AS RELUCTANT - AND, YOU KNOW, HE 25:18 PROBABLY WROTE THE BOOK, SO HE ADMITTED THAT 'I WAS A RELUCTANT 25:23 PROPHET'. HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS WRONG. 25:27 IF HE COULD USE JONAH, CAN HE USE US? 25:30 >>AMEN. >>IF HE COULD ANSWER JONAH'S 25:32 PRAYER, COULD HE ANSWER OUR PRAYERS? 25:35 SOME OF US, LIKE JONAH, HAVE RUN FROM GOD AND WE'RE - WE MIGHT BE 25:38 INSIDE THE WHALE RIGHT NOW, GOING THROUGH SOME HARD TIMES OR 25:42 GOING THROUGH SOME STRUGGLES AND MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE ONE OF 25:45 THOSE EXPERIENCES, LIKE JONAH, WHERE WE REACH THE BOTTOM. 25:49 TALK ABOUT REACHING THE BOTTOM. AND WE SAY, 'LORD' AND 25:53 WE SURRENDER TO HIM. JONAH MADE A COMPLETE SURRENDER. 25:57 HE WAS WILLING TO DO WHATEVER GOD WANTED HIM TO DO AND WHEN HE 26:01 DID THAT, GOD WAS THEN ABLE TO TURN EVERYTHING AROUND AND GOD 26:04 WAS ABLE TO USE HIM. 26:10 >>ONE OF THE ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS WE GET HERE AT 26:12 AMAZING FACTS IS REGARDING THE MYSTERIOUS IDENTITY OF THIS 26:15 ENIGMATIC CHARACTER CALLED 'THE ANTICHRIST'. 26:19 PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD ARE WONDERING, 'WHO IS THE 26:22 ANTICHRIST?' IS IT A POLITICAL PARTY? 26:24 OR IS THIS SOME EVIL FIEND THAT IS THE DEVIL INCARNATE? 26:28 WELL, WE HAVE A STUDY GUIDE THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP YOU 26:31 UNDERSTAND THIS - YOU MIGHT EVEN FIND IT A LITTLE SHOCKING. 26:34 IT'S CALLED WHO IS THE ANTICHRIST? 26:37 AND YOU'LL BE AMAZED TO LEARN THE ANTICHRIST IS ALIVE AND IN 26:40 THE WORLD TODAY. TO GET YOUR FREE COPY GO TO 26:43 AMAZINGFACTS.ORG OR CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN 26:47 AND ASK FOR OFFER #125. AND FRIENDS, WHEN YOU RECEIVE 26:52 THIS FREE RESOURCE, PLEASE READ IT AND THEN SHARE 26:54 IT WITH A FRIEND. WE WANT TO GET THE WORD OUT, 26:56 BECAUSE GOD'S MESSAGE IS OUR MISSION. 27:01 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? 27:04 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE 27:06 TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING, VISIT THE AMAZING FACTS MEDIA LIBRARY 27:11 AT 'AFTV.ORG'. AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN ENJOY 27:16 VIDEO AND AUDIO PRESENTATIONS AS WELL AS PRINTED MATERIAL ALL 27:20 FREE OF CHARGE, 24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR 27:25 COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE. VISIT 'AFTV.ORG'. 27:31 >>AND I JUST PRAISE GOD FOR AMAZING FACTS. 27:32 >>AMAZING FACTS ACTUALLY DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE. 27:35 >>THIS WHOLE PROCESS - GETTING WHERE I AM TODAY - 27:38 I FELT GOOD ABOUT THAT. I DIDN'T FEEL CONDEMNED. 27:40 >>I BEGAN READING THE BIBLE AND - 27:42 >>I GOT BAPTIZED INTO A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST - 27:44 >>I REALIZED THAT THERE HAD TO BE MORE TO LIFE. 27:47 >>GOD IS REALLY DOING THIS. >>THE LIFE THAT HE'S GIVEN ME. 27:49 >>THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL. >>I'LL FOLLOW CHRIST 27:51 WHEREVER HE GOES. >>AMAZING FACTS. MORE THAN 45 27:56 YEARS OF PROCLAIMING GOD'S MESSAGE AROUND THE WORLD. 28:00 >>AND THEN THE LOGO POPS ACROSS AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 28:04 I'VE LISTENED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MINISTERS, BUT THIS 28:06 WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE'S ACTUALLY SAYING SOMETHING WHERE 28:09 I HAD TO GRAB MY BIBLE AND ACTUALLY PICK IT UP AND I'VE 28:13 NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE. LET ME - LET ME LOOK 28:15 THROUGH AND FIND THIS. THEN I JUST COULDN'T GET ENOUGH. 28:17 >>AND SO I STARTED DOING BIBLE STUDIES. 28:19 EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE GUYS STARTED BEING CHANGED, INCLUDING 28:23 MYSELF. >>MY QUESTION WAS, 'WHY DID 28:26 THAT HAPPEN TO ME, GOD?' THE LORD WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT 28:29 AND - AND I ACTUALLY SAW HIM AS A FATHER. 28:32 >>I LOST EVERYTHING AND THAT WAS WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS GOD 28:36 MISSING IN MY LIFE. >>I WENT TO A PROPHECY 28:39 SEMINAR, WHICH KNOCKED ME OUT. THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL AND 28:44 SO IRREFUTABLE, I JUST WENT, 'THIS IS REAL. 28:47 THIS IS - THIS IS AMAZING.' 28:51 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES, VISIT 28:54 AFBOOKSTORE.COM. (MUSIC) 29:25 >>THIS PRESENTATION WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FRIENDS OF THE 29:28 AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. |
Revised 2017-09-12