The Dismissed Prophet
When I was trying to figure out what was happening with RZIM, a very annoying person kept emailing me. He called himself the "Banjo Atheist," and his YouTube channel was not much to look at. His nickname kept me from listening to what he had to say, even though he was telling the truth the whole time.
Read Jonah 1:1 and 2 Kings 14:23-29
Jonah, son of Amittai, heard the word of the Lord three times. In 2 Kings 14, Jonah spoke what God told him to say: Israel's borders will be restored. The narrator tells us he delivered this encouraging message during the reign of Jeroboam II, who never repented during forty-one years on the throne. Even though Jeroboam was wicked, the Lord saw that his people endured bitter suffering, with no one to help. But because the God of Israel had not said he was done with them, he delivered them by the hand of Jeroboam. The prophets Amos and Hosea challenged Israel for being materially rich but spiritually broke. Jeroboam expanded his territory, just as Jonah prophesied. But when Amos came, the priest at the king's sanctuary in Bethel ordered Amos out of Israel (Amos 7:10-13). Jeroboam took advantage of God's compassion for the poor and misinterpreted God's patience as his approval. Within decades of his death, Israel collapsed and was sent into exile. But whether their political fortunes rose or fell, God still cared for his people. "The word of the Lord came" is the standard opening for a prophecy. But usually, we know when, where, and why. The book immediately starts with God speaking. This forces us to pay attention, expecting to see God at work. The opening leads us to think well of Jonah. He's God's authorized messenger, commissioned for God's purposes. However, the first audience for this book probably flinched at the name. His father was Amittai, and they were from Gath-hepher, a northern city in Israel. This book was likely written after Israel was taken into exile for its idolatry. The ambiguity is unsettling: God spoke through Jonah, but he was from the wrong part of the country. Those people had been exiled, and his other prophecy had favored one of Israel's evil kings. When Jesus arrived in Nazareth, he was about three miles southwest of Gath-hepher. The religious leaders assumed he wasn't from God because "no prophet arises from Galilee" (John 7:52). Even though they should have known that Jonah was from there, it didn't make a difference. God keeps sending his word to unlikely prophets in unexpected places because he cares for us.
What does it tell us about God that he rescued his people through an unrepentant king?
How do you tell the difference between God's approval and good circumstances?
When have you ignored a message from God because of the person who delivered it?
Ask the Lord, "How well am I listening to what you have to say to me?" Then, ask someone who knows you well, "Is there anywhere in my life where you think I'm not listening to God?"