“But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.”
Jonah 1:4
We are all familiar with the story of Jonah and the big fish, but there are many lessons we can learn from his story. There are three main themes in the book of Jonah:
Jonah running away from his calling to preach repentance,
the fish story as a type of the death and resurrection of Christ, and
Jonah’s peculiar response to the Ninevites’ repentance.
The book opens with the word of the LORD coming to Jonah, instructing him: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” In contrast to the grace in the heart of a God who is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9), Jonah disobeyed. Instead of obeying, “Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so, he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.”
There is always a price to be paid for disobedience, and disobedience is always a downward step away from God’s will. Twice in verse 3 we read that Jonah “went down.” We see this downward pattern again in verse 5: “But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.”
In spite of Jonah’s rebellious heart, we read in today’s verse: “But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.” The experienced mariners became afraid, so much so that every man began to cry out to his god. When they saw Jonah sleeping during the storm, they were astonished and said, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”
When they discovered that the storm was the result of Jonah’s disobedience, they were exceedingly afraid and said, “Why have you done this?” For Jonah had told them that he fled from the presence of the LORD. The storm grew even more tempestuous (vv. 11, 13), and instead of repenting, Jonah was willing to be thrown overboard to his death.
But the LORD had a purpose and was at work in His servant’s life. He has a purpose and plan for your life as well. Do not run from your God—turn to Him, and allow Him to work in you and through you.
Anchor For Today
The Lord knows those who are His. When they foolishly run from Him, He faithfully pursues them to bring them back to Himself.