The Disobedient Prophet Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: The Disobedient Prophet-------------------------- Date: 4/1/2001 Keyword: "Jonah" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. For the first several days of April 2001, the eXXit studies will zero in on the experiences of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah. Hope you enjoy and find these studies helpful as you seek to stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Jonah 1:1-16* 1. The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2. "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." 3. But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. 4. And the LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. 5. Then the sailors became afraid, and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down, and fallen sound asleep. 6. So the captain approached him and said, "How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish." 7. And each man said to his mate, "Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8. Then they said to him, "Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?" 9. And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land." 10. Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11. So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?"-- for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. 12. And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you." 13. However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them. 14. Then they called on the LORD and said, "We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man's life and do not put innocent blood on us; for Thou, O LORD, hast done as Thou hast pleased." 15. So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16. Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. Questions 1. God gave Jonah a specific task to accomplish. What was that task?   2. What did Jonah do in light of God’s command?   3. What did God do in light of Jonah’s actions?   Practical help The well known story of Jonah is helpful to men and women who struggle (and sometimes fail) to keep themselves away from Internet porn. God’s Word says to believers of all ages, "Flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace" (2 Timothy 2:22). Then, out of nowhere, there arises a temptation to flee right toward the Tarshish of youthful lusts. Does Jonah’s temptation sound familiar? Jonah’s struggle is the struggle of the people of God of all times and places: To go to the difficult, challenging place of God’s choosing (for Jonah — Nineveh; for us — purity) or to escape to the exotic place of pleasure (for Jonah — Tarshish; for us — Internet porn). Look at the entire first chapter of Jonah and note the difficulties Jonah caused himself and others by his decision to run away from the call of God. Now ask yourself what difficulties you have caused by your involvement with pornography. Conflicts with a spouse? Degrading your view of women or of men? Loss of a job? A self-accusing conscience? Loss of passion for God? Learn from Jonah. When God tells you to go somewhere, He says it for your own good. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2001 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."