08.11.21
Jonah’s Rebellion
Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it: for their wickedness is come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1, 2).
Last week we introduced the little OT book of Jonah. As we look at the first chapter, please be reminded that this is a true story, a part of history, not a parable or fairy tale.
We are given very little introduction about Jonah. It is simply stated that God had a job for him to do. When God says to go, go we must! Presumably when called, Jonah was in Israel, perhaps in the capital city of Samaria.
He is to preach to Nineveh, the capital of the empire of Assyria. It was, by God’s estimation, a very wicked city. Jonah’s task was quite simple, he didn’t even have to prepare a sermon.
However, he refused to go (3). Though he knew he could not escape the omnipresence of God, he intentionally fled from God’s call.
Had he obeyed God, he would have headed east about 500 miles to Nineveh. Instead, he headed west to the city of Joppa on the Mediterranean coast. From there his plan was to take a ship going further west to Tarshish, on the Atlantic coast of Spain… a 2000 mile journey!
Why did Jonah respond as he did? Surely he knew that God could and would spare Nineveh, just as He would have spared Sodom if ten righteous people could have been found.
God of course knew where Jonah was and where he was headed. And God acted, by sending a storm, because he loved Jonah. But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. (4)
The sailors responded out of fear and began to lighten the ship. (5-7). Jonah, on the other hand, seemed unconcerned and was fast asleep. He was awakened by the captain and urged to pray to his ‘god’ as the others were praying to their gods.
Since the gods were not answering any prayers, and the storm continued unabated, all on the ship decided to cast lots and find out who was the cause of this unusual storm.
God was even in control of this. When the lot fell on Jonah, of course everyone on board wanted to hear his story (8). Jonah’s account of himself caused even more fear. Even the heathen sailors could see the consequence of trifling with God and grieving His Holy Spirit (10, 11). All of this time the ship is reeling to and fro in the raging sea.
Jonah suggested that they cast him into the sea to solve the problem. Though very reluctant to do so, eventually they complied. Their words show that they have come to understand that their gods are powerless in the face of the true God who controls nature.
Into the sea went Jonah, and immediately the sea was still. And the sea ceased from her raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. (15b-16) What a change in their lives was wrought by the work of God! God cares about all people, even those who seem far from Him. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.
What happened to Jonah? God loved him despite of his rebellion and provided a special fish for him. Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of the fish (17). Next week we will discover what he did while there.