A Peaceful Demonstration
The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying Jonah 1:1 NASB
Jonah – This is an easy one. The Hebrew word is yonah, which of course, is our English word “Jonah.” But this Hebrew word also means “dove.” It is the same word used of the bird that Noah released from the ark in order to find dry land. It is the bird of peace. We have the same symbol today – the dove and the olive branch – a sign of peace in the world.
Everyone knows the story of Jonah. But what you might not know is that God chose a man whose name meant “peace” to proclaim destruction for Nineveh. And Jonah, the man whose name means “peace,” knew that if he went to Nineveh and proclaimed God’s judgment, the people might repent and God would forgive them. Jonah did not want those people to be forgiven, so he did everything he could to avoid going to Nineveh. The man whose name is “peace” wanted to see God destroy the sinners of Nineveh. After all, sinners deserve punishment.
All followers of Yeshua HaMashiach have a secret middle name. It is yonah. Yeshua tells us that He leaves us with His peace. He says that the peacemakers are called the sons of God. We are to proclaim peace to a world at war with God. If we don’t proclaim this message, God’s wrath will come upon the world. Unfortunately, many modern yonahs really would rather see wrath. So, we keep quiet. We think, “Those people have treated me badly. Those people are corrupt. They are evil. They deserve judgment. I’m not going to tell them that God will forgive them and heal their warring hearts. Let someone else be the messenger of redemption. I would rather be the judge.”
A few years ago I attended a Sunday School class at a church I was visiting. The topic was the awful disgrace of the strip club that operated a few blocks away. The leader said, “Those girls are not like us. They are in sin. God will punish them. Aren’t you glad that God has forgiven you?” I thought, “We are no different from them at all. We are sinners too. They take their clothes off. We keep them on to hide our shame. Who will lead them back to the Garden if we don’t?”
It’s easy to play yonah in life. But the Prince of Peace has commissioned us to tell the world that there is peace with God for everyone because everyone is just like us. We all lived in Nineveh before Jonah arrived. Perhaps our lives would shine all the more brightly if we remembered where we came from.
Topical Index: Jonah, yonah, peace, dove, Jonah 1:1
Good word!!
How do you reconcile this with Luke 12:51-53?
It is my sin that is corrupting the whole world! When I look at a “sinner” by christian definition and standard… in comparison I look pretty good. But in reality I am no better than any other as my sin is just as much of a stench going up to His throne as the prostitute or anyone else. I am fully responsible for the corruption in the world as long as even a jot of sin resides in me! And I am fully responsible to deal with my sin (the plank) in my own life, so that I will then be able to help others with their “splinter”…. and help them find the peace that passes all understanding in the true Shalom of Yah! No matter who it is, “Jew or Gentile”, no matter how they treat me it is what I was called to do… “Be YE transformed by the renewing of YOUR mind that YOU may prove what is that good acceptable and perfect will of Yah” the YOU and YE… is ME!
Shabat shalom Bruno. Matt 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Yeshua isnt contradicting himself in Luke 12:51-53 – he’s being straight with us here telling us to count the cost. He’s warning us that if we submit to Him, which means submitting to His Father’s Torah, that we separate from the nations (goyim/ gentiles). We become children of the light, Sons of the living God. The children of darkness reject our Father and His sons. Our brother Yeshua was murdered for teaching our Father’s Torah.
Our job is to live by and teach Torah to the nations (goyim/ gentiles) in a spirit of peace. Our notives for embracing Torah/ Messiah should be to bring peace and healing – even to family members who may hate our Father’s Torah and Messiah. Reject Torah = Reject Messiah.
Let me clarify my statement regarding rejection of Torah. Many people, dear family members, do love God. They may not understand the Torah but they have a different relationship with God. They may have no idea who the Jewish Messiah truly is and completely misunderstand how essential the Torah is for furthering their relationship with Messiah. They will when Messiah comes and reveals it – maybe sooner than that. No one understands Messiah until our Father decides to reveal it. We can’t fault anyone for lack of revelation. Our Father’s Spirit leads us to treat others just as He treats us: with kindness, patience, mercy, generousity, etc… His Spirit also leads us to not hide the awful truth that rejecting His Torah is the same as rejecting Him/ Messiah. That is the message Messiah spoke of and it usually does not produce peace.
Yes…in Luke 51-53 the verses illustrate one of G-os’s harsher truths…not everyone will respond to the gospel. Because many will resist, the message will divide people, families and nations.
9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
14“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Does “all” mean “all” (y’all?)
For all have sinned.. (Romans 2.23)
When our Bible, the word of God, declares “all” have sinned,- who is included? Is it the Jew? Is it the Gentile? Or, for that matter what about males, females, Democrats, Republicans, Vegans, Southerners or Plumbers, or southern plumbers? Does “all” really mean “all?” Hello.
I love it that Jonah’s name is “dove.” Yes, the covenant dove of peace. Sweet shalom. Peace with God and peace with man- all gifts we (now) enjoy because of the Prince of peace, our LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach- King of the Jews AND the (now) risen, reigning Sovereign LORD of all.
Our Bible, the word of God instructs us to “covet!” (Strange, isn’t it?) – ~ But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet I show unto you a more excellent way…~ (1 Corinthians 12.31) Prefacing, of course, the “Love” chapter, 1 Corinthians 13.
But of all the gifts our Giver/Lover has given unto us, (and there are- not a few) I would “earnestly covet” (above all) the gift of repentance. For repentance and the ability to repent are glorious gifts from God.
Solomon asked for wisdom, God gave it. Moses asked for mercy, God gave it. David asked, “renew a right spirit within me”- God did it. So why would I/should I ask for the gift of repentance?
Because of the parable of the prodigal Father. “After” the son repented, the Father, (as I recall) ran to meet him. This is the only time in all of scripture, God was shown to be “in a hurry!” (Luke 15.20)
And friends, what happens in Heaven when “one sinner” (me) repents? (Luke 15.7) Maybe we should title this- “How to Make Heaven Happy!” Do you (you) wish to please God? Then repent.
Is “repentance” a harsh word? Has this word been given a bad rap and do visions of a long, bony fingered (I do have long bony fingers!) grim-faced, shabbily dressed individual ? (if you’re happy, tell your face about it).
But when we are confronted with the option ( and we do have say in the matter!) of “repent or die!”- then repentance becomes both life-threatening and life-giving at the same time.
I had a dear friend.. ( he is no longer with us) who I knew had this very option- “repent or die.” He is dead, but not forgotten. His-story remains with me always. This did not “end well” for him. Neither did it “end well” for Pharaoh, “back in the day.” Though he was presented with multiple opportunities to “repent”- he, of his own free will and volition, opted not to, and made the decision to “harden his heart.” So what did God do? Did He smite him on the spot? No.. for the LORD is not willing that “any” should perish, but that “all” should come to repentance! Oh, how wonderful repentance is! Amazing grace, how sweet the sound- that saved a wretch like me!
What? You too? You also are a sinner? There is (Hallelujah!- room at the cross for you! Put it on my tombstone.. here lies “a sinner saved by grace!”
Is this all? lol! not a chance.. Have you forgotten ( I haven’t) – the rest of the story? What did the prodigal Father do- what gifts did the prodigal Father give when He came to the son? (Sovereign grace and seeking grace- God is the Hunter-Lover!). What gifts did the Father give? What follows- what are the consequences of repentance? Joy unspeakable and full of glory! Was this a happy moment for the Father and the son? This Relationship was restored,renewed, revived- and rewarded, prodigally! Lavish Grace!
How to make our ABBA-Father happy- repent! Was it God’s will, God’s plan, God’s intention, or God’s desire to destroy America, er.. Ninevah?
Word. Repent. “metanoia”- change your mind. Difficult? Easier, (maybe “too” easy) than changing your socks. Put off/ put on.. – a long list, but all these are all- so “worth it!”
Jonah, (Yonah if you’re Jewish) whose name means dove, “sinned”- and more than once. What were the sins of Jonah? They are written, (*it is written*) for our instruction in the Book of Jonah, located in God’s Book,- our Bible.
What did God instruct Jonah to do? And how did Jonah respond? Why did Jonah (Yonah if you’re Jewish) run away? – and where did he “think” he was going to get away from God? (lol!) And then, being “captured” (nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide) by a great fish, and then having nowhere to look but “up”, he, (just as the wandering son in the parable of the Prodigal Father) “came to himself” and repented also. What? Repentance and faith are found in the O.T. also? – It is the same Book- isn’t it? And isn’t it ironic? Jonah, whose very Jewish name “Yonah”- before “preaching” or declaring “repent” to the the city of Ninevah, (those wicked sinners)-first had to come to the place of repentance himself! ~ Humble yourselves in the sight of the LORD, -or be humbled!!- And I can’t think of a more “humbling” experience than to be “thrown up” by a great fish. Jonah, whose very Jewish name is Yonah-must have looked and smelled, well.. let’s just hope he was able to shower first, as ~man looks on the outward appearance!”~ Or was he in such a hurry to do the will of God, he himself also ran to do God’s will (what God wanted) and “showed up” (he must have been a sight!) to the citizens of the city covered in the contents of the great fish’s smelly belly!!
Come to think of it, John the Baptizer wasn’t exactly “dressed for success” either!- but his message was same as Yonah’s- “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand..”
Friends, as we have received the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ, we are also to walk in Him – through and by (daily) repentance and faith.
The just shall (still) live by faith- and faith (still) comes by (is a consequence of) hearing (shema), the word(s) of God; yes, by hearing and by doing.
~ Whatever He says unto you..- do it ~ Faith is our right-response to what God says. Ask Jonah whose very Jewish name means “shalom.” When shall we have “peace with God and peace with man?”- When we do the will of God; when we listen and when we obey. “Shema, O Israel,” ~ whatever He says unto you, do it ~ (John 2.5)