JONAH AND SUICIDE

At our Thursday night midweek study our topic was "suicide." Here's my notes and maybe God will use you to bring hope to a desperate heart soon!

Jonah 1:12 And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.”

Actual Suicides in the U.S. (2005)
· 1.3% of all deaths are from suicide.
· On average, one suicide occurs every 16 minutes.
· Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death for all Americans.
· Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24 year olds.(1st = accidents, 2nd = homicide)
· Suicide is the second leading waus of death for 25-34 year olds.
· Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students.
· More males die from suicide than females.(4 male deaths by suicide for each female death by suicide.)
· More people die from suicide than from homicide.(Suicide ranks as the 11th leading cause of death; Homicide ranks 13th.)
· There were over 800,000 suicide attempts in 2005

REASONS FOR SUICIDE: Why do people take their lives? They lose all hope. Stuff happens and then it keeps happening and they get depressed and see no way out. They experience torture in their soul beyond consolation and they want freedom from their inner chamber of horrors. They think no one cares so they figure why not? But is there a better way? The Bible says yes! As long as there is a God there is always hope!!

SUICIDE IN THREE CATEGORIES:

1) "SUCCESSFUL" SUICIDE: Suicide is not a new idea. The Bible records seven suicides:

· Abimelech (Judges 9:54) - Dying of a skull fracture during a siege ordered his armour-bearer to slay him.

· Samson (Judges 16:26-31) - Killed himself to avoid being 'made sport of' by the Philistines.

· Saul (1Samuel 31:3-6) - Wounded and defeated in the battle with the Philistines, asked his armour-bear to kill him. When he refused, Saul fell on his own sword. The armour-bearer did likewise.

· Ahithophel (2Samuel 17:1,23) - Plotted to overthrow David. When his plan failed, he hanged himself.

· Zimri (1 Kings 16:18) - Usurped the throne of {Israel;} when he failed, he burned down the palace around himself.

· Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:4-5) - Hung himself after betraying Jesus.

2) THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE:

Jonah. Elijah also wanted to die: (1 Kings 19:1 - 4) And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

3) ATTEMPTED SUICIDE: Here’s a story of hope from Acts 16. There was a man in this story that almost took his life. He was the Philippian jailer and he had lost all hope. You see, Paul and Silas were thrown into jail for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. At midnight they were singing songs of praise to the Lord. All the prisoners were hearing them and we assume they couldn’t believe the hope these two had in the Lord in the darkest hour of their life. Suddenly a huge earthquake rattled the prison foundations and all the chains broke off the prisoners. The jailer knew this was the worst thing that could happen in his life so he drew his sword and was about to kill himself when he heard Paul cry out, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” The story continues:

“Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.” (Acts 16:29‑34)

That desperate man didn’t throw his life away, he gave his life away . . . to the God of hope. Look at the joy that filled his heart when Jesus came into his life.

CONCLUSION: Are you depressed? Have you thought of taking your life? Jesus is the One who died so why do you have to? Give your life to the Lord today and let Him carry the weight and restore hope and peace back to your heart. Jesus loves you and can help you . . . and He’s just a prayer away!

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

P.S. This last pic is to make you laugh after such a depressing (but necessary) topic!