[Marlon’s Musings #23] Jonah, Passion Play, and Jesus’ Prophecies

Marlon’s Musings #22

Last week, I began a new sermon series on the book of Jonah.

Most people know Jonah as the prophet swallowed by a great fish. But the book of Jonah is about far more than a miracle at sea.

In this deep-dive study of the first chapter of the book of Jonah, I explore the historical background of Nineveh, Jonah’s shocking rebellion against God, the terrifying storm that followed, and the surprising faith of the pagan sailors. Along the way, we wrestle with difficult but deeply personal questions: Why do we run from God? What happens when fear shapes our decisions? And how does our disobedience affect the people around us?

This post combines biblical theology, historical context, practical reflection, and verse-by-verse analysis to uncover the deeper themes of fear, mercy, judgment, and grace in Jonah 1.

If you’ve ever struggled with God’s calling, avoided difficult obedience, or wondered whether you’re more like Jonah than you’d like to admit, this study is for you.

Read my full blog post here. (audio and video are also available)

Video

During Easter, our church had a Passion Play. Our amazing A/V team worked hard to deliver a higher-quality video, and it is finished! You can watch the easter play in its entirety here. A huge thank you to Phil Balisciano for the countless hours put into this project.

On a related note, one of our church members, Ryan Bell, wrote, composed, and recorded an original song for our Easter Play. The song is entitled There Was Love, and it is both beautiful and powerful and definitely worth a listen.

Quote

The Book of Jonah is not a prophecy, but an account of the prophet’s mission to Nineveh to announce its speedy destruction. It is concerned chiefly with Jonah’s own personal feelings and history in relation to this mission. Possessed with the national hatred of idolatrous Gentiles, and fearing that God, in his great long-suffering, might, after all, spare these Assyrians to whom he was sent, and that thus his prediction would be discredited and a heathen nation saved, he attempted to escape the unwelcome errand.

—H. D. M. Spence-Jones, ed., Jonah, The Pulpit Commentary (London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909), i.

Blog

There’s a series I wrote as an introduction to biblical prophecies entitled Prophecies of Hope. In this 9-part series, I provide a framework for studying and understanding bible prophecies in light of the gospel and the heart of God. My most popular post in that series is Exploring Jesus’ Prophecies. In this post, I explore Jesus’ powerful teachings in Matthew 24 and highlight how Bible prophecy is meant to strengthen faith—not create fear. In this encouraging study, I walk verse by verse through Christ’s warnings about deception, signs of the times, and the hope of His return, showing how believers can live with confidence, purpose, and readiness today.

(Here is the video that accompanies this study)

That’s it for issue #22

For the previous newsletters you may have missed, you can click here (and scroll to the bottom of the page).

Until next time, may God bless you!

Marlon