The Revival Before That Great Revival
Intro:
The Great City Nineveh
A. Evil Thoughts against the Lord Nahum 1:9
B. Exploitation of the Helpless Nahum 2:12
C. Evidence against them - Nahum 3:4
What was said about this City, that would become the Capital of the most powerful nation on Earth, is frightening! They were far from God. As far as one could be!
Body:
1. The Running Saint Jonah 1:3
~ I’m glad God doesn’t run the other way when we call on Him!
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
~ We run because of our condition!
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
~ We should be running to Him because of who He is!
Jer 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
2. The Raging Sea Jonah 1:4
~ The Raging Sea brought fear and showed every man his condition
~ The Raging Sea revealed their heart – They began to throw away the “wares” which was the furniture of the ship
~ They were not afraid to throw the money-making stuff off the ship
~ Many Christians are like these men – they are willing to throw away a few comforts but they are not willing to throw away something of value or something that might cost them greatly
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
3. The Rest Sought Jonah 1:5
~ Christians are often comfortable enough in their storms to sleep through even though the storm is because of them
~ Jonah had been hearing Gods voice and was able to sleep through its storm but God sends a carnal cussing man to waken Jonah
~ Sometimes God has to speak through the wicked world just so His own children will listen to Him
4. The Religious Sort Jonah 1:9
~ He Knew what to do but he didn’t do it
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
~ What God says about knowing and not doing:
Jas 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
5. The Rowing Seaman Jonah 1:13
~ These are Men of:
Gain – v. 5 They through the furniture but not the cargo
Games – v. 7 They Cast Lots a form of superstition (God used the Worlds gods to show Jonah)
Grit - v.13 rowed hard, sea wrought, was tempestuous
~ These men knew what God told them to do (Jonah v.12) yet they still tried to do it there way
6. The Reluctant Sorrow Jonah 1:14
~ Though they had fought against it they finally said they couldn’t go against God
~ These disciples should have been fishing for men:
Joh 21:3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
Joh 21:4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Joh 21:5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
7. The Revival Seen Jonah 1:16
Pro 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Pro 9:11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
Pro 9:12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but ifthou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
Conclusion:
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomonis here.