DOWN, DOWN, DOWN

1. When we look at the first two chapters in Jonah we find an important word.

2. Jonah 1:3 says the prophet went “down” to Joppa.

3. This same verse says he went “down” into the ship.

4. Verse 5 repeats how Jonah went down” into the ship.

5. In the second chapter (2:6) this word is used again.

6. The prophet said he went “down to the bottoms of the mountains.”

7. Jonah said it was like the earth had bars and these had closed on him.

8. He went so far down it was like he been placed in a “pit.”

THIS MORNING WE WANT TO CONSIDER THE DOWNWARD DIRECTION OF JONAH. THEN WE WANT TO STUDY THE KINDS OF SOLUTIONS THAT WERE SOUGHT TO CORREC THINGS AND APPLY WHAT IS LEARNED TO OUR DAY AND TIME.

1. The first point is the direction taken by the prophet

2. Again and again we read about Jonah going “down” (literally and figuratively he went downward).

3. Life without God or apart from God is a downhill trip.

4. Sometimes people think that life without God or away from God is good.

A. This kind of thinking has existed for a long time.

B. Jesus offered an example of this in Lk. 15.

C. A young man (probably in excellent health) decided to go far from home.

D. He went away from God because they text says he sinned against heaven (verse 21).

E. This young man took his inheritance and spent it all on “riotous living” (verse 13).

F. What must have appeared to be a life of fun and pleasure to the young man didn’t last.

5. The young man in Lk. 15 learned the point stated in Heb. 11:25.

6. Sin is pleasurable for a “season.”

7. Jonah also got to enjoy a short season of sin. He managed to get on board a ship and fall fast asleep.

8. For a while it may seem the ways of the world are fun and without consequence.

9. Eventually a time comes when an observation by Solomon is understood and believed.

10. A long time ago the wise man said, “Fear God and keep His commandments” (Eccl. 12:13).

11. This is the core meaning of man’s existence.

12. Serving God takes people up; rejecting Him brings people down.
The Bible is filled with people who learned this lesson.

A. Cain learned how sin drags people down .

B. The people of Noah’s day learned this point the hard way.

C. Those involved with the tower of Babble thought their project would go up.

D. The Bible says it came down.

E. The people were scattered and the building project came to a halt.

13. Later in Bible history we read about Samson. He too went down.

14. He lost his sight, was made a slave, and ground grain like an animal.

15. The nation of Israel by in large did not accept the Lord.

16. Jesus said He would have gathered the people as a hen gathers its chicks, Mt. 23:37.

17. The consequence for Israel’s rejection was absolute destruction by the Romans about 40 years later.

18. The great capital for the Hebrew people was brought down.

19. Judas decided to betray the Son of God.

20. We know how far he fell.

21. Peter denied the Lord.

22. He went down and it caused him to weep very bitterly.

WHEN PEOPLE TO REFUSE THE WILL OF GOD THEY ARE HEADED DOWNHILL.

A. This is true for Christians and non-Christians.

B. Jonah was a prophet, but this did not authorize him to be disobedient to God.

C. When he went against God’s will he slid downhill further and faster than he probably imagined.

2. Most who are going downhill eventually see the consequences of their choice.

3. Once people see where they are headed they often pursue a solution.

A. When we look at Jonah 1, we find that those headed downhill tried to make things better.

4. Let’s look at Jonah 1:4-5 – READ.

A. Most ships have some type of cargo and furnishings.

B. Such was the case with this vessel.

C. The people on board were so concerned about the sea they began to throw things overboard.

D. These men recognized that property can be replaced by lives cannot.

5. These men came up with a solution but lightening the ship’s load didn’t work.

6. Notice verse 11 – READ.

7. The problems only grew worse.

8. The downhill direction was worsening.

9. When we look at this story we find a marvelous truth for us as individuals and our nation.

A. In our country we have some problems. In many ways our society is going downhill.

B. Unwanted pregnancies are a problem, and they are not a good problem.

C. Our nation has sunk to probably historic lows in regard to sexual sin.

10. God’s laws regarding sexuality are so disrespected fornication hardly raises an eyebrow.

11. We have polygamy but having more than one wife (at least in Utah) is overlooked.

12. Adultery is so widespread many treat it as no big deal.

13. Now the move is on for two men or two women to get married in Canada.

14. After a Canadian marriage, the hope is to return to the US and have the same sex union recognized.

15. The United States honors Canadian marriages so gays see this is a way to get their way.

16. If fornication, adultery, and homosexuality are not enough, our nation abounds with sexual diseases.

A. Our country is going down, down, and down, and guess what is being done?

B. We have a bunch of people who are just like the sailors in Jonah. 1.

C. The sailors tried to solve the problem by changing the weight of the ship.

17. They didn’t address the real problem (a fleeing prophet).

18. Today we have people using these same kinds of unsuccessful techniques.

A. Fornication is a problem. What is the solution for it?

B. We are told that kids need better information and training.

C. They need repeated warnings to “be safe.”

D. Another common solution is to distribute birth control in all the schools.

E. We are told that adultery is common so who really cares about it.

F. Since we are so open and free, same sex unions need to be recognized.

G. States need to give same sex partners the same benefits possessed by husbands and wives.

H. Our nation is sinking and people continue to offer solution after solution.

I. When we look at the solutions being offered they are not working.

J. The suggestions are not working because people do not understand the real problem.

K. A fundamental problem in our country is a lack of obedience to God and His laws.

19. When a nation refuses to follow God, it will have problems.

20. Do we remember the scripture reading—Jer. 46:11?

21. What did the prophet say?

22. “You have many medicines but no healings.”

23. This was in the context of a judgment, but the idea applies well to the book of Jonah.

A. The people had many medicines (ideas to deal with the storm).

B. Different ideas were tried, but there was no “healing” (the storm could not be overcome).

C. When people fail to use the right approach, some things cannot be solved.

D. Such is certainly the case with America.

24. I mentioned one area of problems; let’s consider another.

25. We have problems with safety.

26. This past week there was another work place shooting.

27. There were also teenagers who were apparently interested in shooting some people they knew.

28. The solutions being proposed to stop the violence are just like the ones given by the sailors in Jon. 1.

A. Officials tell us that we need to bring in metal detectors for the schools.

B. Let’s make more restrictive gun control laws.

C. If we see someone who looks troubled, angry, or hurt, report them.

29. The government has tried lots of different ideas.

30. Think back to the previous Presidential administration.

31. We are told that 100,000 new police officers would be hired.

32. The funding was made available but are things really any better?

33. Crime bills have been passed; is there really any less crime?

34. Things only get worse and the reason for this is also in the news.

35. Consider all the talk about the “separation of church and state.”

A. Christians have never wanted a state run religion.

B. I do not believe anyone here wants a government run faith (church).

C. There is a difference in “freedom of religion” (this is good and right)

D. And “freedom from religion.”

E. Many want to completely dump everything related to God.

F. This approach leads to the kinds of problems we now face.

G. Our nation is making repeated attempts to ditch anything related to God and His word.

H. Just a few days ago there was an announcement about a new and fancy hotel.

I. This place of lodging will not have any Gideon Bibles in the rooms.

J. People are suing to have Ten Commandment monuments removed from public property.

36. When our nation encounters problems, the modern solution seems to be more laws and more rules.

37. The Lord once said the Pharisees had “killed the prophets.”

38. People didn’t want to hear about God. They didn’t want to listen to His messengers.

39. A similar thing is being done today, and this should not surprise us.

40. I want to take another look at the second scripture reading – Jeremiah. 2:13.

A. Starting with verse 5 God asked a question:

B. “What unrighteousness have you found in me?”

C. This question is appropriate for our day and time. What fault has America found with God?

D. God reminded the Hebrews who He had blessed them (verse 7).

E. Such a statement may also be made by those living in this country.

F. The most frightening words are in verse 13 – READ.

41. The people of Israel “forsook God.”

42. Many in this country have also forsaken God.

43. When God is rejected (individually or nationally), people are on a downhill course.

44. Israel forsook God and Jeremiah stated what they nation had turned to.

45. The end of the verse says “broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

A. The nation of Israel tried to come up with various solutions for her problems.

B. The solutions didn’t work.

C. The sailors in Jn. 1 also tried to solve their problems with their own ideas but they too failed.

46. Now our nation is trying to do the same thing. We are repeating the mistakes made by others.

47. As each day passes, things are getting more and more out of control.

A. In the state of California textbooks used to mention certain food items.

B. I recently read that hot dogs, pop, cake, and butter are no longer in these books.

C. The thinking is that mentioning these foods would promote adolescent obesity.

D. The Bible has a solution to this kind of thing: self control.

E. Society says, “Just don’t tell them about it.

F. Print a new batch of books to keep students in the dark.”

48. The more our nation rejects God the crazier it is going to get.

49. Trying to solve problems without Bible based solutions will cause us to continue falling.

50. The Bible teaches us to pray for our nation and its leaders. This is something we need to do.

51. Our country is need of a lot of help because we are falling.

52. America is becoming a very degenerate society.

53. One of the other ways we can help is to be the kind of person Jesus wants us to be.

54. If we do not make this choice, we will be like the disobedient prophet.

55. Our nation will continue to decline and we will follow it on the downward path.

56. This prophet said he fell so far he entered into the pit.

57. God does not want this for us, but the choice is up to us.

58. Do we want to go up (with God), or go down with the world?