I was sitting in Sunday School the other day as we studied Jonah and learned some cool stuff. (Thanks Kurt) Check out the similarities between the story of Jonah and Acts 10 with Peter:
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I’m always fascinated by the way God uses certain places to speak particular things. There are certain places I can go that remind me of particular things God has done in my life. For example: If I go to Meridian State Park, I’m reminded of my conversion experience and the body of believers that God used to reveal Himself to me. When I go there, I remember my foundation. I remember where I came from and I can more clearly see who I’ve become.
It seems obvious that Peter would have known the story of Jonah. He had probably studied it as a child and quite possibly even memorized it (For more info, check this post). I wonder if he recognized the similarities of his situation with Jonah’s call? When he realized that God wanted him to share the Gospel with these Gentiles, did he realize that he was in the very same Joppa where Jonah had tried to run from God for a similar call? I wonder if he remembered that Jonah had to learn the hard way, and therefore made his choice to share the Gospel more readily because of it? These are the kinds of conversations that might be fun to have with Peter and Jonah someday in heaven.
PS – here’s another post I wrote about Jonah: Whoa Jonah!
Hey, thanks for your comments. Don’t know how many times I have read Jonah and Acts and this is the first time Joppa jumped out at me. Was thinking about the similarities and googled Jonah, Peter, Joppa and up popped your blog. Thanks for laying out additional parallels that I hadn’t noticed. Blessings.
Thank you my Brother.
I was given a prophetic word in 2009, about Joppa (beautiful) and the connection made with Peter and Jonah’s experiences of instruction and their subsequent behaviours in obedience. I did not understand this word at the time and not once did I question it either.
Reading the word that was spoken over my life again today, I am now (after googling) realising that there is more to this prophetic word that I initially thought. I have much to learn and I pray that once done, I will arise as one learned. Abundant blessings to you and yours x