Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc30/v30500

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 13KB | 224 lines

30502
 #13-17 The mariners rowed against wind and tide, the wind of
 God's displeasure, the tide of his counsel; but it is in vain to
 think of saving ourselves any other way than by destroying our
 sins. Even natural conscience cannot but dread blood-guiltiness.
 And when we are led by Providence God does what he pleases, and
 we ought to be satisfied, though it may not please us. Throwing
 Jonah into the sea put an end to the storm. God will not afflict
 for ever, He will only contend till we submit and turn from our
 sins. Surely these heathen mariners will rise up in judgment
 against many called Christians, who neither offer prayers when
 in distress, nor thanksgiving for signal deliverances. The Lord
 commands all creatures, and can make any of them serve his
 designs of mercy to his people. Let us see this salvation of the
 Lord, and admire his power, that he could thus save a drowning
 man, and his pity, that he would thus save one who was running
 from him, and had offended him. It was of the Lord's mercies
 that Jonah was not consumed. Jonah was alive in the fish three
 days and nights: to nature this was impossible, but to the God
 of nature all things are possible. Jonah, by this miraculous
 preservation, was made a type of Christ; as our blessed Lord
 himself declared, #Mt 12:40|.
30507
 * The prayer of Jonah. (1-9) He is delivered from the fish. (10)

 #1-9 Observe when Jonah prayed. When he was in trouble, under
 the tokens of God's displeasure against him for sin: when we are
 in affliction we must pray. Being kept alive by miracle, he
 prayed. A sense of God's good-will to us, notwithstanding our
 offences, opens the lips in prayer, which were closed with the
 dread of wrath. Also, where he prayed; in the belly of the fish.
 No place is amiss for prayer. Men may shut us from communion
 with one another, but not from communion with God. To whom he
 prayed; to the Lord his God. This encourages even backsliders to
 return. What his prayer was. This seems to relate his experience
 and reflections, then and afterwards, rather than to be the form
 or substance of his prayer. Jonah reflects on the earnestness of
 his prayer, and God's readiness to hear and answer. If we would
 get good by our troubles, we must notice the hand of God in
 them. He had wickedly fled from the presence of the Lord, who
 might justly take his Holy Spirit from him, never to visit him
 more. Those only are miserable, whom God will no longer own and
 favour. But though he was perplexed, yet not in despair. Jonah
 reflects on the favour of God to him, when he sought to God, and
 trusted in him in his distress. He warns others, and tells them
 to keep close to God. Those who forsake their own duty, forsake
 their own mercy; those who run away from the work of their place
 and day, run away from the comfort of it. As far as a believer
 copies those who observe lying vanities, he forsakes his own
 mercy, and lives below his privileges. But Jonah's experience
 encourages others, in all ages, to trust in God, as the God of
 salvation.

30516
 #10 Jonah's deliverance may be considered as an instance of
 God's power over all the creatures. As an instance of God's
 mercy to a poor penitent, who in distress prays to him: and as a
 type and figure of Christ's resurrection. Amidst all our varying
 experiences, and the changing scenes of life, we should look by
 faith, fixedly, upon our once suffering and dying, but now risen
 and ascended Redeemer. Let us confess our sins, consider
 Christ's resurrection as an earnest of our own, and thankfully
 receive every temporal and spiritual deliverance, as the pledge
 of our eternal redemption.
30517
 * Jonah sent again to Nineveh, preaches there. (1-4) Nineveh is
 spared upon the repentance of the inhabitants. (5-10)

 #1-4 God employs Jonah again in his service. His making use of
 us is an evidence of his being at peace with us. Jonah was not
 disobedient, as he had been. He neither endeavoured to avoid
 hearing the command, nor declined to obey it. See here the
 nature of repentance; it is the change of our mind and way, and
 a return to our work and duty. Also, the benefit of affliction;
 it brings those back to their place who had deserted it. See the
 power of Divine grace, for affliction of itself would rather
 drive men from God, than draw them to him. God's servants must
 go where he sends them, come when he calls them, and do what he
 bids them; we must do whatever the word of the Lord commands.
 Jonah faithfully and boldly delivered his errand. Whether Jonah
 said more, to show the anger of God against them, or whether he
 only repeated these words again and again, is not certain, but
 this was the purport of his message. Forty days is a long time
 for a righteous God to delay judgments, yet it is but a little
 time for an unrighteous people to repent and reform in. And
 should it not awaken us to get ready for death, to consider that
 we cannot be so sure that we shall live forty days, as Nineveh
 then was that it should stand forty days? We should be alarmed
 if we were sure not to live a month, yet we are careless though
 we are not sure to live a day.

30521
 #5-10 There was a wonder of Divine grace in the repentance and
 reformation of Nineveh. It condemns the men of the gospel
 generation, #Mt 12:41|. A very small degree of light may
 convince men that humbling themselves before God, confessing
 their sins with prayer, and turning from sin, are means of
 escaping wrath and obtaining mercy. The people followed the
 example of the king. It became a national act, and it was
 necessary it should be so, when it was to prevent a national
 ruin. Let even the brute creatures' cries and moans for want of
 food remind their owners to cry to God. In prayer we must cry
 mightily, with fixedness of thought, firmness of faith, and
 devout affections. It concerns us in prayer to stir up all that
 is within us. It is not enough to fast for sin, but we must fast
 from sin; and, in order to the success of our prayers, we must
 no more regard iniquity in our hearts, #Ps 66:18|. The work of a
 fast-day is not done with the day. The Ninevites hoped that God
 would turn from his fierce anger; and that thus their ruin would
 be prevented. They could not be so confident of finding mercy
 upon their repentance, as we may be, who have the death and
 merits of Christ, to which we may trust for pardon upon
 repentance. They dared not presume, but they did not despair.
 Hope of mercy is the great encouragement to repentance and
 reformation. Let us boldly cast ourselves down at the footstool
 of free grace, and God will look upon us with compassion. God
 sees who turn from their evil ways, and who do not. Thus he
 spared Nineveh. We read of no sacrifices offered to God to make
 atonement for sin; but a broken and a contrite heart, such as
 the Ninevites then had, he will not despise.
30527
 * Jonah repines at God's mercy to Nineveh, and is reproved.
 (1-4) He is taught by the withering of a gourd, that he did
 wrong. (5-11)

 #1-4 What all the saints make matter of joy and praise, Jonah
 makes the subject of reflection upon God; as if showing mercy
 were an imperfection of the Divine nature, which is the greatest
 glory of it. It is to his sparing, pardoning mercy, we all owe
 it that we are out of hell. He wishes for death: this was the
 language of folly, passion, and strong corruption. There
 appeared in Jonah remains of a proud, uncharitable spirit; and
 that he neither expected nor desired the welfare of the
 Ninevites, but had only come to declare and witness their
 destruction. He was not duly humbled for his own sins, and was
 not willing to trust the Lord with his credit and safety. In
 this frame of mind, he overlooked the good of which he had been
 an instrument, and the glory of the Divine mercy. We should
 often ask ourselves, Is it well to say thus, to do thus? Can I
 justify it? Do I well to be so soon angry, so often angry, so
 long angry, and to give others ill language in my anger? Do I
 well to be angry at the mercy of God to repenting sinners? That
 was Jonah's crime. Do we do well to be angry at that which is
 for the glory of God, and the advancement of his kingdom? Let
 the conversion of sinners, which is the joy of heaven, be our
 joy, and never our grief.

30531
 #5-11 Jonah went out of the city, yet remained near at hand, as
 if he expected and desired its overthrow. Those who have
 fretful, uneasy spirits, often make troubles for themselves,
 that they may still have something to complain of. See how
 tender God is of his people in their afflictions, even though
 they are foolish and froward. A thing small in itself, yet
 coming seasonably, may be a valuable blessing. A gourd in the
 right place may do us more service than a cedar. The least
 creatures may be great plagues, or great comforts, as God is
 pleased to make them. Persons of strong passions are apt to be
 cast down with any trifle that crosses them, or to be lifted up
 with a trifle that pleases them. See what our creature-comforts
 are, and what we may expect them to be; they are withering
 things. A small worm at the root destroys a large gourd: our
 gourds wither, and we know not what is the cause. Perhaps
 creature-comforts are continued to us, but are made bitter; the
 creature is continued, but the comfort is gone. God prepared a
 wind to make Jonah feel the want of the gourd. It is just that
 those who love to complain, should never be left without
 something to complain of. When afflicting providences take away
 relations, possessions, and enjoyments, we must not be angry at
 God. What should especially silence discontent, is, that when
 our gourd is gone, our God is not gone. Sin and death are very
 dreadful, yet Jonah, in his heat, makes light of both. One soul
 is of more value than the whole world; surely then one soul is
 of more value than many gourds: we should have more concern for
 our own and others' precious souls, than for the riches and
 enjoyments of this world. It is a great encouragement to hope we
 shall find mercy with the Lord, that he is ready to show mercy.
 And murmurers shall be made to understand, that how willing
 soever they are to keep the Divine grace to themselves and those
 of their own way, there is one Lord over all, who is rich in
 mercy to all that call upon him. Do we wonder at the forbearance
 of God towards his perverse servant? Let us study our own hearts
 and ways; let us not forget our own ingratitude and obstinacy;
 and let us be astonished at God's patience towards us.
30538
 ** Micah was raised up to support Isaiah, and to confirm his
 predictions, while he invited to repentance, both by threatened
 judgments and promised mercies. A very remarkable passage, #Mic
 5| contains a summary of prophecies concerning the Messiah.

 * The wrath of God against Israel. (1-7) Also against Jerusalem
 and other cities, Their precautions vain. (8-16)

 #1-7 The earth is called upon, with all that are therein, to
 hear the prophet. God's holy temple will not protect false
 professors. Neither men of high degree, as the mountains, nor
 men of low degree, as the valleys, can secure themselves or the
 land from the judgments of God. If sin be found in God's people
 he will not spare them; and their sins are most provoking to
 him, for they are most reproaching. When we feel the smart of
 sin, it behooves us to seek what is the sin we smart for. Persons
 and places most exalted, are most exposed to spiritual diseases.
 The vices of leaders and rulers shall be surely and sorely
 punished. The punishment answers the sin. What they gave to
 idols, never shall prosper, nor do them any good. What is got by
 one lust, is wasted on another.

30545
 #8-16 The prophet laments that Israel's case is desperate; but
 declare it not in Gath. Gratify not those that make merry with
 the sins or with the sorrows of God's Israel. Roll thyself in
 the dust, as mourners used to do; let every house in Jerusalem
 become a house of Aphrah, "a house of dust." When God makes the
 house dust it becomes us to humble ourselves to the dust under
 his mighty hand. Many places should share this mourning. The
 names have meanings which pointed out the miseries coming upon
 them; thereby to awaken the people to a holy fear of Divine
 wrath. All refuges but Christ, must be refuges of lies to those
 who trust in them; other heirs will succeed to every inheritance
 but that of heaven; and all glory will be turned into shame,
 except that honour which cometh from God only. Sinners may now
 disregard their neighbours' sufferings, yet their turn to be
 punished will some come.