RE: As to Jonah, I think God included that historical account mainly to show us what kind of foul ball, or incomplete pass, a prophet can become when his heart is not in the right place, or who has ulterior motives and is not fully yielded. The same can be said of Samson or King Saul. They are examples of how NOT to use the gifts and callings of the Lord. Lastly, Jonah is a lot like the elder son in the illustrative account Jesus told on the Prodigal Son. There is yet another example of missing God’s best by missing the point.
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NOTE TO SELF: This is a good thing to include for the kids in my next Sunday School class...
In my class on spiritual gifts I have a bullet item to make the point: “Do not confuse the conferring of spiritual gifts with maturity”.
This applies to ourselves as well as gifts seen in others. My example? Sampson
I am touched by that. Keep up the good fight.