Jonah tried to run away from the Lord. The Lord protected Jonah (Jonah
1:17). The Lord hadn’t given up on Jonah. God had a purpose for Jonah.
What a great purpose it was! The call of God (Jonah 1:1-2) wasn’t obeyed
by Jonah – but the call of God remained. God was still planning to use
Jonah to bring great blessing to the people of Nineveh. Jonah’s attempt
to go to Tarshish (Jonah 1:3) was a detour – but God had not forgotten
His plan for Jonah. The “big fish” was the beginning of God’s way of
getting Jonah to the place where He wanted him to be. The “three days
and three nights” were God’s way of getting Jonah ready for being His
faithful and fruitful servant. In this time of preparation for service,
there is prayer (Jonah 2:1-10). Jonah’s prayer was preparing the way for
revival in Nineveh.
“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem”, the keynote of the service was joyful thanksgiving. They gathered together “to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving” (Nehemiah 12:27). “On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). They sang “songs of praise and thanksgiving to God” (Nehemiah 12:46). This joyful thanksgiving is only a foretaste of the greater joy and thanksgiving of heaven: “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In the city of God, “the glory of God” will be shining with everlasting brightness (Revelation 21:23). The Church of God will be “prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The beautiful picture of the godly wife in Proverbs 31 gives us an outline of what God is seeking to do in His people. It is summarized in Proverbs 31:30: “A woman who fears the Lord is to be
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