Scripture Reading : Jonah 2
Theme : Jonah’s Repentance
- Jonah’s Repentance (1-9). After God disciplines Jonah, he repents. In humble faith, he desires to restore his relationship with God, that’s what looking toward to the temple means (v. 4). This is what OT Jews was taught to do (2 Chron. 6:36–39). In his repentance, he sings a song of thanksgiving to God.
- Jonah’s Deliverance (10). After Jonah repents, God graciously rescues Jonah. It may seem like Jonah’s repentance is not real, given his bitter response to Nineveh’s salvation in chapter 4. His repentance is real because he desires a renewed relationship with God and that desire manifested in obedience to preach to Nineveh. We are not saved by our works, but by God’s grace (Eph. 2:8-9). Our obedience will always be imperfect until we see Jesus. Sin will continue to taint us. The essence of repentance is a desire to renew our relationship with God (cf. Hosea 14:1). God is gracious to continue to refine Jonah, and all of us after the relationship is renewed.
Praying the Scripture
- God is gracious and patient to Jonah and to all of us. He knows we are but dust, weak and fallen (Ps. 103:14). His patience and grace is not an excuse for us to sin, but they are meant to draw us closer to a righteous yet gracious God. He is a God who has high standards, and yet is also gracious. A completely holy God who is not gracious is frightening. Graciousness without holiness is chaos and emptiness. But holiness, coupled with graciousness, is beautiful. This beauty is embodied in the person of Jesus, God’s ultimate revelation of His character. His grace is designed to help us to detest the ugliness of our unfaithfulness and to deny our sins (Titus 2:11-12). Grace is not designed to be taken advantage of.
- Lord, we acknowledge that we are like Jonah: fickle. He responded bitterly toward Nineveh’s salvation even after his repentance. We know that sin is bigger than us and we dare not fight it without your power. We humbly acknowledge our fickleness, yet we confidently acknowledge that you are bigger than sin. Through the resources that you have provided: the Spirit, Bible and church, we are confident in your promise to give us victory over the dominating power of sin (Eph. 5:18, Col. 3:16, Gal. 5:16, 1 Cor. 10:13). Give us a greater love for you as we gaze upon your majesty as revealed in the Bible.
经文：约拿书2
主题：约拿的悔改
- 约拿的悔改（1-9）。神管教约拿后，约拿悔改了。他带着谦卑的心渴望与神和好；这就是仰望圣殿之意（4节）。旧约的犹太人就是如此被教导的（代下6:36-39）。约拿在悔改中向神献上感恩之歌。
- 约拿的解救（10）。约拿悔改后，神施恩典，搭救约拿。约拿的悔改或许看似不真诚，因为尼尼微在第四章得拯救后，约拿是苦毒的。然而，他的悔改是真实的，因为他渴望与神恢复关系，所以最后听从神的话到尼尼微传道。 我们不是凭行为得救，乃全凭神的恩典（弗2:8-9）。直到我们见主面，我们是无法完美无缺地顺服神的。罪会继续玷污我们。悔改的本质就是渴望与神恢复关系（参何14:1）。神凭着恩典继续磨练约拿，而凡与神和好的人，神也如此恩待他。
用经文祷告
- 神以恩典和耐心待约拿，也如此对待我们。祂晓得我们只不过是尘土，是软弱、堕落的（诗103:14）。祂的耐心和恩典绝不能作我们犯罪的借口；它是给予人亲近公义但恩慈之神的途径。神虽然有很高的标准，但祂也满有恩典。一个完全公义但无恩典的神是很可怕的。反之，无公义的恩典是虚空的，只会造成混乱。然而，圣洁与恩典的联合是美妙的。这种美就在耶稣的身上体现；耶稣是神对祂属性的最大启示。神的恩典有助我们厌恶自己因不忠所犯的罪，也帮助我们不要犯罪（多2:11-12）。恩典绝不是人能滥用的工具。
- 主啊，我们承认自己像约拿一样心意善变；即便悔改后，他对尼尼微的拯救仍怀苦毒之心。我们晓得罪比我们大。若没有你的力量，我们不知如何抗拒罪。我们屈膝承认自己易变的心，但也以信心宣告你比罪大。藉着你所供应的资源：圣灵、圣经与教会，我们能对你的应许有信心，晓得自己必然胜过罪的权势（弗5:18，西3:16，加5:16，林前10:13）。当我们仰望你在圣经中所启示的荣美时，请你加深我们对你心里的爱慕。
