Jonah and repentance1

• During the month of Tishri (the seventh month) we celebrate many holy days.

• These days point to things God will do for us as well as help us to remember things he has done for us in the past.

• We assemble on four high days that may or may not occur on the 7th day Sabbath.

• These days include Trumpets, Atonement, and The feast of Tabernacles and Ingathering.

• Trumpets also known as Rosh Hashanah is celebrated on the 1st day of Tishri.

• It was a memorial day.

• Israel would often review the law and when they returned to rebuild the temple they renewed the covenant between themselves and God.

• The trumpet is a symbol of the voice of God. • When a trumpet is blown the sound is loud, clear and forces you to pay attention.

• During the time of Israel of old • a trumpet was blown to tell the people if they needed to move camp (when they were in the wilderness), • it was blown to alert the people to get ready and fight because an enemy was approaching.

The Atonement also known as Yom Kippur is celebrated on the 10th day of Tishri.

The Atonement is a day of sacrifice. We afflict our souls and confess our sins unto God. Why? So that God may be merciful unto us. We need mercy because we have all sinned. We cannot obtain mercy if we are not truly sorry for what we have done.

In the past they would place sackcloth, ashes and even have torn hair during their fast.

Today we do those things spiritually.

What does that mean?

We have to look at ourselves and the things we do, say, and think. We have to measure that by the laws of God and if it does not measure up; we have to correct it Greater instruction can be found in Joel 2: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he [is] gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil

• When you rend your heart; you must tear down those things that keep you from God. • This is a painful process (just like tearing your hair). Not being accepted by your peers because you are different; can hurt.

• Not being able to do activities you would enjoy or being able to make friends because of the Sabbath hurts. • But sacrifices would not be sacrifices if you enjoyed them or they were easy.

• It is also painful to look at yourself • Realize you have been doing things (things you may have liked) that God does not want you to do and you must stop.

• However Atonement is about afflicting so that you can gain eternal life.

Jonah was a prophet; which meant his job was to publish the messages of God to people.

Unfortunately a lot people did not like to hear what God has to say.

When God commands you to do something it must be done!

Anything else is disobedience…and when you disobey God there are consequences Those pictures were some of things God used to educate Jonah about obedience and mercy

The story of Jonah teaches us about the responsibility a prophet has What happens if it is not fulfilled How God punishes his children How he shows mercy to those who repent