KNOWING THE WORD

1. In today’s bulletin there is a chart at the bottom of the first page (see end of this sermon).

2. The left side of this chart has several references from the second chapter of Jonah.

3. The other side has a column marked, “Old Testament references.”

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT JONAH A LOT OF THINGS COME TO MIND.

a) He was a prophet of Jehovah.

b) He had some problems with obedience and attitude.

c) He was from the nation of Israel but did some preaching on foreign soil.

d) Jonah helped save some of Israel’s worst enemies.

2) This prophet was swallowed by a big fish.

3) This morning we want to observe that Jonah should be remembered for something else.

4) The person we know as Jonah knew the Old Testament scriptures.

5) He may not have always acted in accordance with God’s word, but he knew the truth.

6) We can say this with confidence because of his prayer.

7) All but two verses in Jonah 2 are a prayer from God’s prophet.

a) As we look at this prayer we find that it is almost identical to other verses in the Bible.

b) This prayer begins with a reference to being in “Sheol.”

c) Sheol would be equivalent to what the New Testament calls “Hades.”

d) Hades/Sheol is the place for the dead.

e) Jonah thought he was going to die.

8) Before we see this same wording elsewhere let’s look at Jonah 2:2 READ

9) The prophet said he was in a state of “affliction.”

10) His comments are much like Ps. 18:4-6.

11) In this text the writer spoke of his “distress” and “calling upon Jehovah.”

12) He also said I “cried unto my God” (verse 6).

13) His distress is described as “cords of death that compassed” him (verse 5).

14) He was “afraid” (verse 4).

15) Here is how the entire passage reads – READ Ps. 18:4-6.

16) The circumstances for Jonah and the psalmist were certainly different.

17) Yet, the words of the Psalmist were well suited for Jonah’s time in the belly of the great fish.

18) As we look at the second chapter of Jonah we find his experience described in verse 3 – READ.

19) In Ps. 42:7 the writer said, all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

20) Ps. 42:7 does not refer to literal water but the thought was well suited for Jonah’s experience.

21) Both men knew what it was like to be in “deep water” and both used this imagery.

22) If you are looking at the chart you will notice that Ps. 31:22 is the next passage.

23) Before this is considered let’s take a look at Jonah 2:4 — READ.

a) Jonah was not the first person to feel this way.

b) About 150 years before he was born someone wrote the words of Ps. 31:22.

c) This individual said, “I am cut off from before thine eyes” (an almost identical statement).

d) There was desperation in the lives of both men.

e) There was also hope.

f) This may sound like a funny mixture but both were present.

g) Jonah said he would “look again” towards the temple of God.

h) The psalmist said, “thou heardest my voice” when he prayed to God.

24) Jonah found comfort in the psalms and expressed Bible thoughts while in the belly of the fish.

25) He needed comfort because of what is said in Jonah 2:5 – READ.

a) Jonah was surrounded by water and there were “weeds wrapped around his head.”

b) I used to do a lot of fishing.

c) There were times when someone snagged a hook and had to do some tugging.

d) More than once algae came flying from the water and smacked a fisherman’s head or body.

e) I have watched people scrape that green junk off in haste and disgust.

f) Yuck and muck from the lake or river is not pleasant.

26) According to this story, Jonah got his fill of seaweed.

27) His words point back to what is said in the psalms.

28) Ps. 69:2 says “I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing.”

29) Again and again the prophet’s prayer ties in with other parts of the Old Testament.

30) He just like the writer of Ps. 69 described; he was encircled by water and surrounded by muck.

31) In Jonah 2:6 the thought turns to something else: Jonah went down the bottoms of the mountains.

32) He spoke of the earth having bars that had closed upon him forever.

33) This was a time when he entered into the “pit.”

a) This imagery also corresponds to other parts of the scriptures.

b) Ps. 16:10 speaks of someone not “having their soul left in Sheol.”

c) Peter also quoted this on the Day of Pentecost.

d) Jesus had to go to Hades.

e) Going to the realm of the dead was compared to “going down.”

34) Jonah may not have known exactly what these words meant but it sure seems they were on his mind.

35) When we come to Jonah 2:7 we find him saying his soul fainted.

36) While in the belly of the fish he was despondent.

37) Ps. 119:81 says the same thing but adds, “I hope in thy word.”

38) Jonah knew others had suffered great affliction and come out okay.

39) He could so so the end of Jonah 2:7 also expresses hope.

40) Verse 8 is a more general reference and there are some cross references in the bulletin.

41) The prayer ends with verse 9.

a) Jonah knew that he had some responsibilities.

b) Like others—Ps. 50:14—he would do what needed to be done.

FOR A PERSON TO PRAY AS JONAH PRAYED HE OR SHE MUST KNOW THE WORD OF GOD.

a) If we are a Christian this should be our goal.

b) Each day it should our desire to know more and more about the scriptures.

2) 50 years ago members of the church were known as people who knew the book.

3) If someone wanted a Bible question answered, they called a member of the New Testament church.

4) Now it’s sad to say that such is no longer the case.

5) Bible knowledge has been reduced to the point where many know very little.

6) Folks know some stories and perhaps some key New Testament teachings.

7) Bible knowledge is a lot less than it used to be.

a) This fact is even sadder when we consider the tools that are available.

b) There are more than 200 translations of the Bible in the English language.

c) We have tracts, books, and a ton of Bible courses.

d) There is reliable information on CD, DVD, VHS and cassette tapes.

e) We have t.v. programs, radio programs, and information in the newspaper.

f) There are courses by mail, on the internet, and study books of all kinds.

8) We are surrounded with all the right stuff but Bible knowledge is not on a rapid rise.

9) Even the most fundamental points are being lost on Christians and non-Christians.

10) Somehow Jonah had the Word of God in his heart.

11) His prayer shows that he was very familiar with the scriptures.

12) If we are a Christian, this must be one of our key goals.

a) We must want to know the Bible.

b) Growing up I wanted to become proficient at certain things.

c) To get good I did what everyone else did: I practiced.

d) When we work at something we develop skills.

13) We can do this with God’s word.

14) To help us become better acquainted with the Bible I want to suggest four steps.

a) The first is read it. Read it often and read it at length.

b) Read it until we say to ourselves, “I have seen that passage many times before.”

c) Read it to the point where we can just about quote it.

d) A long time ago I used to engage in a little exercise with Teresa.

15) I would ask her to read a single verse from the New Testament.

16) It was then my job to figure out where it was.

17) The goal was to pinpoint the exact verse.

18) If that couldn’t be done, I would try to pinpoint the book and chapter or at least the book.

19) If one verse was not enough I asked her to read a little more.

20) There are some creative ways to read the scriptures.

a) Reading is good but there are other important steps.

b) We can engage in memorization.

c) We have a lot of things to remember in this day and time.

d) There are codes, passwords, lock combinations, phone numbers, bank accounts, etc.

e) Memorization may not be easy, but we can remember some scriptures.

f) We can know the basic verses relating to salvation, the church, and New Testament Christianity.

g) We can commit to memory the basics of the faith.

21) As we read and try to put God’s word into our minds we will be able to meditate upon God’s word.

22) This what Jonah was able to do.

23) God’s word was in his heart.

24) When this man was in trying circumstances, he was able to recall what he had learned.

25) Knowing the Bible has never hurt anyone and it has almost always helped those who knew it.

26) The fourth element is obedience.

27) A knowledge of God’s word was useful in bringing Jonah back to the right path.

28) Those who read, memorize, and meditate are in the best position to be obedient.

29) Read, memorize, meditate, and obey.

30) These are four keys to successful Christian living.

31) Perhaps we have done 3 of these four.

32) We have read the Bible, know a lot about it, and have thought long and hard about God’s word.

33) The fourth item is not one we have yet acted upon; we need to be obedient.

34) Knowledge is not enough.

35) Jesus said, “not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

36) He said entrance is reserved for those who “do the Father’s will.”

Jonah (Chapter 2)	Old Testament reference
Verse 2 — Sheol, cried,	Ps. 18:4-6 — Cords of death, afraid, distress
Verse 3 — The depth, seas, billows	Ps. 42:7 — the deep, waves, billows, waves
Verse 4 — Cast out from before God	Ps. 31:22 — Cut off from God’s eyes
Verse 5 — Encircled by water/seaweed	Ps. 69:2 — Deep in water and mire
Verse 6 — He returned from the “pit”	Ps. 16:10 — Soul not left in “Sheol”
Verse 7 — Soul temporarily fainted	Ps. 119:81 — Desperation mixed with hope
Verse 8 — A more general thought	Compare Ps. 4:2; 16:4; 31:6; 40:4
Verse 9 — Sacrifice and be faithful	Ps. 50:14 — Offer thanksgiving and obey