Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. One of the most entertaining
and gripping stories in all of the Bible is found in the book
of Jonah. Very few people have never heard
of the account of Jonah and his encounter with this big fish.
Even most children are acquainted with it in one form or another.
It is a story which contains drama, suspense, horror, sorrow,
happiness, and a big dose of humor unless you happen to be
Jonah. Although perhaps in his later
years, as he recounted this harrowing experience, even he too could
laugh at himself. God's hand is not shortened,
that is, in any way hindered, to accomplish his purposes in
the earth. Men are often lifted up in pride,
either thinking that they can accomplish things without his
help or that they can somehow escape from the necessity of
doing his will. Jonah fell into the latter category
first, and the first category last. But when all was said and
done, Jonah learned the hard way, just as Nebuchadnezzar before
him, that all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing.
And he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and
among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his
hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Now, while Jonah learned
this lesson, he missed the blessing of realizing the privilege that
is given to the people of God to be chosen to accomplish His
purposes in the earth. He will not fail to accomplish
that purpose, whether we enjoy the journey or not. Wherefore,
we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have
grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and
godly fear. God intends to accomplish His
purpose in the earth of bringing the gospel to sinners, and He
will mold and shape those whom He has called and bring them
into conformity with Christ. We see a picture of this in His
dealings with Jonah. First of all, He prepared a fish.
Before Jonah was born, the Lord had already selected and equipped
a fish to swallow Jonah. The egg from which this fish
was hatched was laid in exactly the spot marked out for it by
God Almighty. This fish grew to the exact size
it needed to be to swallow him and to vomit him up. When Jonah
was cast overboard, this fish was in the exact spot it needed
to be to swallow Jonah. Now while it is easy to see that
this fish was prepared to swallow Jonah, we must also notice that
this fish was there to save Jonah's life. He was cast overboard in
the midst of a howling tempest and most surely would have drowned
were it not for the fact that the Lord prepared a fish. The
Lord will always deliver His people, but sometimes He will
place them in the midst of affliction and the belly of hell, so that
they may learn that salvation is of the Lord. I cried unto
the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill.
Secondly, he prepared a gourd. When Jonah was overtaken with
grief, the Lord moved quickly to comfort him by causing this
vine to grow over him and cover him with shade. The Lord will
always bring comfort to his people when comfort is what they need.
Sometimes we cry out for consolation when we really need correction.
The Lord chastens those he loves. The Lord will not allow us to
be tried above what we are able to endure, but will provide the
needed relief at the proper time. And in the third place, he prepared
a worm. Often in the midst of enjoying
the blessings which God brings our way, we begin to forget from
whom those blessings float. We sometimes begin to take them
for granted and become angry at the Lord because they have
begun to wither. We must be reminded that the same one who prepared
the worm also prepared the gourd. God intends to bless his people,
but he also intends that his people be thankful. He would
have us to trust him in the night as well as the day. Paul said,
I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. He prepared a wind. Sometimes
when it seems that things could not be worse, our troubles increased. These things are not brought
upon us to destroy us, but that we might look to Him who is able
to lift us up out of the miry clay and to set our feet upon
a solid rock. He cannot lift us up out of the
pit were He not in the pit with us. For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in time of need. He prepared a fish, a gourd,
a worm, and a wind for the benefit of Jonah. Do you rejoice in the
provision of the Lord, regardless of what he may send? For a free
CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email to
forthepoor at windstream.net.