February 09, 2012
Jonah and the whale—a story we've all heard since childhood. But there is so much more to the story than just a man being swallowed by a whale. There are lessons for all of us to learn.
God said to Jonah, "Get up... Go." God was telling Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them of the punishment they would receive if they didn't repent. Jonah didn't want to go. He didn't like the people of Ninevah. Why should they be given a chance for repentance after all they had done to his people? Jonah decided he wasn't going to do it. He would run and hide from God so he wouldn't have to do it. (As if any of us could ever successfully hide from God!) Nothing was going to stop Jonah from being in charge of his own life. So off he ran. Jonah found a ship going to Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went aboard. His plan was working (or so he thought). He was getting away from what God wanted him to do.
Jonah only thought his plans were working. ("Our" plans never work.) God sent a storm. A storm so severe that the ship was in danger of breaking apart. Everyone was afraid. The sailors were praying to their gods and they were throwing cargo overboard. And where was Jonah? Fast asleep in the bottom of the boat. I read that and I think—really? Fast asleep? How could he be fast asleep? He was running from God. How could he not be scared? How could he be sleeping in the bottom of the boat?
The captain of the ship woke Jonah up and said, "Get up"! (The same thing God had told him.) "Get up... pray." Maybe your God will save us. The men instinctively knew there was a reason why the storm was raging around them. Jonah admitted he was the problem. (He was running away from the LORD.) He said, "I am a Hebrew. I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."
How does that make sense? If he truly "feared" the LORD, how could he decide to run and away and then fall asleep in the bottom of the boat? I believe he had some understanding of the LORD, and some fear of the LORD, but he trusted in himself more than he "feared" the LORD.
The winds grew even stronger. The men asked what they should do and Jonah said to throw him overboard and the winds would stop. Nowhere does it say Jonah was sorry for his actions, that he sought forgiveness from the LORD and that he was ready to accept the punishment for his actions. No, he was ready to jump ship as a means to still run away from God. But he wasn't going to jump himself, he was going to have the sailors throw him overboard. I think in his mind he would have then been a victim of his circumstances and not the one accountable for his actions.
The men tried to avoid throwing him overboard. They tried to row back to shore. They couldn't do it. So they cried out to the LORD, "Please don't think we are guilty of killing an innocent person. LORD, you have caused all this to happen; you wanted it this way." So they picked Jonah up, threw him in the sea, and the sea became calm. They understood that the LORD was THE God and they offered sacrifices and made promises to Him.
I love the next statement: "The LORD caused..." Jonah was running, but the LORD caused a whale to swallow him. We cannot run. We cannot hide. We can make all sorts of plans. We can spend a lifetime scheming, but nothing can circumvent God's power in our lives. Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. God had him exactly where He wanted him. He couldn't run and he couldn't hide. Now Jonah was ready to listen.
*The NIV says it this way, "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Worthless idols verses an All-Knowing, All-Powerful, limitless God who loves us and pursues us for His own. Running away from God cannot be done. Why cling to something that is worthless? Why forfeit the grace that could be yours? Stop running. Stop clinging. Start listening. Start surrendering. Start praising. Start receiving the grace God has for you. Start living, truly living in the only way worth living—in total submission to God's will.
Jane (Her Name Was Jane) makes the point in her Bible that God called Jonah to "arise" (get up). Instead he went "down." Down to Tarshish; down in the boat; down in the water. "Down," the direction we always go when we refuse to obey God. From Jane's KJV: Jonah clung to self deception; self will; and disobedience.
Next Entry: Jonah 3:1 – 4:11
Jonah and the whale—a story we've all heard since childhood. But there is so much more to the story than just a man being swallowed by a whale. There are lessons for all of us to learn.
God said to Jonah, "Get up... Go." God was telling Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them of the punishment they would receive if they didn't repent. Jonah didn't want to go. He didn't like the people of Ninevah. Why should they be given a chance for repentance after all they had done to his people? Jonah decided he wasn't going to do it. He would run and hide from God so he wouldn't have to do it. (As if any of us could ever successfully hide from God!) Nothing was going to stop Jonah from being in charge of his own life. So off he ran. Jonah found a ship going to Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went aboard. His plan was working (or so he thought). He was getting away from what God wanted him to do.
Jonah only thought his plans were working. ("Our" plans never work.) God sent a storm. A storm so severe that the ship was in danger of breaking apart. Everyone was afraid. The sailors were praying to their gods and they were throwing cargo overboard. And where was Jonah? Fast asleep in the bottom of the boat. I read that and I think—really? Fast asleep? How could he be fast asleep? He was running from God. How could he not be scared? How could he be sleeping in the bottom of the boat?
The captain of the ship woke Jonah up and said, "Get up"! (The same thing God had told him.) "Get up... pray." Maybe your God will save us. The men instinctively knew there was a reason why the storm was raging around them. Jonah admitted he was the problem. (He was running away from the LORD.) He said, "I am a Hebrew. I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."
How does that make sense? If he truly "feared" the LORD, how could he decide to run and away and then fall asleep in the bottom of the boat? I believe he had some understanding of the LORD, and some fear of the LORD, but he trusted in himself more than he "feared" the LORD.
The winds grew even stronger. The men asked what they should do and Jonah said to throw him overboard and the winds would stop. Nowhere does it say Jonah was sorry for his actions, that he sought forgiveness from the LORD and that he was ready to accept the punishment for his actions. No, he was ready to jump ship as a means to still run away from God. But he wasn't going to jump himself, he was going to have the sailors throw him overboard. I think in his mind he would have then been a victim of his circumstances and not the one accountable for his actions.
The men tried to avoid throwing him overboard. They tried to row back to shore. They couldn't do it. So they cried out to the LORD, "Please don't think we are guilty of killing an innocent person. LORD, you have caused all this to happen; you wanted it this way." So they picked Jonah up, threw him in the sea, and the sea became calm. They understood that the LORD was THE God and they offered sacrifices and made promises to Him.
I love the next statement: "The LORD caused..." Jonah was running, but the LORD caused a whale to swallow him. We cannot run. We cannot hide. We can make all sorts of plans. We can spend a lifetime scheming, but nothing can circumvent God's power in our lives. Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. God had him exactly where He wanted him. He couldn't run and he couldn't hide. Now Jonah was ready to listen.
"When I was in danger, I called to the LORD, and he answered me. I was about to die, so I cried to you, and you heard my voice. You threw me into the sea, down, down into the deep sea. The water was all around me, and your powerful waves flowed over me... I prayed to you, and you heard my prayer... people who worship useless idols* give up their loyalty to you. But I will praise and thank you while I give sacrifices to you, and I will keep my promises to you. Salvation comes from the LORD."God heard what he was waiting to hear. "Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and the fish threw up Jonah onto the dry land." Finally! The LORD has his attention and Jonah was ready to stop running and start listening and surrendering.
*The NIV says it this way, "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Worthless idols verses an All-Knowing, All-Powerful, limitless God who loves us and pursues us for His own. Running away from God cannot be done. Why cling to something that is worthless? Why forfeit the grace that could be yours? Stop running. Stop clinging. Start listening. Start surrendering. Start praising. Start receiving the grace God has for you. Start living, truly living in the only way worth living—in total submission to God's will.
Jane (Her Name Was Jane) makes the point in her Bible that God called Jonah to "arise" (get up). Instead he went "down." Down to Tarshish; down in the boat; down in the water. "Down," the direction we always go when we refuse to obey God. From Jane's KJV: Jonah clung to self deception; self will; and disobedience.
Next Entry: Jonah 3:1 – 4:11
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