The Word Came a Second Time (Jonah 1-3:3) Intro "Forgiveness invites us to return to God, obliges us to return to God... inclines us to return to God, & encourages us to live in a state of amity & holy friendship with God, pleasing him & serving him in righteousness all our days" (Thomas Manton). This is one way that Savior brings us new life. 2Co 5:17. Exposition 1. Disobedient prophet: turns from word of the Lord (1:1-3a) Remember history of Jonah, son of Amittai, from 2Ki 14. He's a man greatly blessed. But Jonah finds the point where he says to God, "Thus far, & no farther will I go in obedience to your word." 2. Declining prophet: flees from presence of the Lord (1:3b-5) Ferguson notes that this is a story geographically, as well as spiritually, of down, down, down (v.3,5,10). We're told three times that Jonah flees "from the presence of the LORD." 3. Demoralized prophet: turns from testimony of the Lord (1:6-9) "What do you do?" Jonah was in great spiritual paralysis. The thing he could not say to them was, "I'm a man who's given his life over to serving the Lord & ministering his word." 4. Despairing prophet: wishes his own death (1:12-17) He went so far down, eventually there was only one direction he could look. 5. Restored prophet: The word comes to him a second time (2:1-3:3a) "Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, & grace my fears relieved." All the difficulties that the Lord sends us are full of his instruction, as Jeremiah testifies, Lam 3:32-33. Conclusion Rev 3:19-22