To Go Down - A Lesson from Jonah's Life
Introduction:
Have you ever tried to run away from God? Have you ever felt like He was asking you to do something too hard, too scary, or too unpleasant? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you just ignored His voice and went your own way?
If you have, then you are not alone. There is a man in the Bible who did exactly that. His name is Jonah, and his story is one of the most fascinating and instructive in the Scriptures.
Jonah, the only prophet known to attempt to run away from a divinely appointed mission, lived during the time when Jeroboam II ruled Israel (the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom). He was from the town of Gath-Hepher in Galilee.
The city of Nineveh was the magnificent capital of the Assyrian Empire. The great palace of Sennacherib was without rival and contained seventy or more rooms. The city was home to more than 120,000 residents (at least twice the size of Babylon) and had no less than fifteen gates in the wall surrounding the city. During this period of time, it was probably the largest city in the known world. Built near the juncture of the Tigris River and its tributary the Khoser, it was served by an elaborate water system of eighteen canals. Nineveh had many suburbs, three are mentioned along with Nineveh in Genesis 10:11, 12. Nineveh’s extensive ruins are located near the modern city of Mosul, Iraq.
God called Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against its wickedness. But Jonah did not want to go. He hated the Assyrians, who were cruel and ruthless enemies of Israel. He feared that God might spare them if they repented. He thought that God’s mercy was unfair and undeserved.
So Jonah decided to flee from God. He boarded a ship heading to Tarshish, which was in the opposite direction of Nineveh. He thought he could escape God’s presence and His will.
But he was wrong. God saw him and pursued him. God sent a great storm on the sea, which threatened to destroy the ship and everyone on board. God exposed Jonah’s disobedience and guilt to the sailors, who threw him overboard. God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, who spent three days and three nights in its belly. God heard Jonah’s prayer and commanded the fish to vomit him out on dry land. God gave Jonah a second chance to obey Him and go to Nineveh.
Jonah’s story is a story of God’s sovereignty, grace, and compassion. It is also a story of human rebellion, stubbornness, and prejudice. It is a story that teaches us about ourselves and about God.
But it is also a story that shows us a pattern of descent. Jonah is literally a downer. The Hebrew verb, yarad (“to go down”), is used repeatedly in the first half of his story. As we follow his journey, we see four stages of going down:
1. He goes down to Joppa. (Jonah 1:3)
The first step in Jonah’s downward spiral is his departure from God’s will. He goes down to Joppa, which was a port city on the Mediterranean coast. There he finds a ship going to Tarshish, which was probably a city in Spain. He pays the fare and goes on board.
Jonah thinks he can run away from God by changing his location. He thinks he can avoid God’s call by going to a place where God is not known or worshiped. He thinks he can find peace and happiness by following his own desires.
But he is mistaken. God is everywhere, and He sees everything (Psalm 139:7-12). God’s call is not based on our preferences or feelings, but on His purposes and plans (Isaiah 55:8-9). God’s peace and happiness are not found in our circumstances or choices, but in His presence and obedience (Psalm 16:11).
Jonah’s first step down leads him away from God’s blessing and into trouble.
Application:
How about you? Have you ever tried to run away from God? Have you ever felt like He was asking you to do something too hard, too scary, or too unpleasant? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you just ignored His voice and went your own way?
Maybe you have not literally boarded a ship to Tarshish, but maybe you have done something similar in your heart. Maybe you have avoided God’s Word or prayer because you did not want to hear what He had to say. Maybe you have neglected your church or fellowship because you did not want to be accountable or challenged. Maybe you have pursued your career or hobbies or relationships or pleasures more than God’s kingdom or glory or will.
If you have, then you are going down. You are going away from God’s blessing and into trouble. You are missing out on the best that God has for you.
But it is not too late. You can turn back to God. You can repent and obey. You can trust and follow. You can experience His grace and compassion.
Don’t go down to Joppa. Go up to God.
2. He goes down into the ship. (Jonah 1:3)
The second step in Jonah’s downward spiral is his detachment from God’s world. He goes down into the ship, which is a place of isolation and separation. He leaves behind his people, his land, his culture, and his heritage. He joins a group of strangers, who have different beliefs, values, customs, and languages. He enters a foreign environment, which is unfamiliar, unpredictable, and dangerous.
Jonah thinks he can run away from God by changing his association. He thinks he can avoid God’s call by going to a place where God is not relevant or respected. He thinks he can find security and comfort by following his own interests.
But he is mistaken. God is not limited by our associations, but He works through them (Acts 17:26-27). God’s call is not dependent on our background or identity, but on His grace and power (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). God’s security and comfort are not found in our isolation or separation, but in our connection and involvement (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
Jonah’s second step down leads him away from God’s world and into danger.
Application:
How about you? Have you ever tried to detach yourself from God’s world? Have you ever felt like He was asking you to do something that would require you to interact with people who are different from you? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you just stayed in your own bubble and ignored the needs and opportunities around you?
Maybe you have not literally gone down into a ship, but maybe you have done something similar in your attitude. Maybe you have avoided or rejected people who have different beliefs, values, customs, or languages from you. Maybe you have neglected or ignored the issues and problems that affect your community, your nation, or your world. Maybe you have pursued your own comfort or convenience more than God’s love or justice.
If you have, then you are going down. You are going away from God’s world and into danger. You are missing out on the opportunities that God has for you.
But it is not too late. You can turn back to God. You can repent and obey. You can love and serve. You can experience His sovereignty and compassion.
Don’t go down into the ship. Go out into the world.
3. He goes down to the inner part of the ship. (Jonah 1:5)
The third step in Jonah’s downward spiral is his denial of God’s reality. He goes down to the inner part of the ship, which is a place of darkness and sleep. He hides himself from the sight and sound of the storm that God has sent on the sea. He ignores the danger and distress that he has caused to the sailors and himself. He falls asleep in a false sense of security and peace.
Jonah thinks he can run away from God by changing his perception. He thinks he can avoid God’s call by going to a place where God is not seen or heard. He thinks he can find rest and relief by following his own dreams.
But he is mistaken. God is not affected by our perception, but He affects it (Romans 1:18-20). God’s call is not silenced by our ignorance or indifference, but it confronts them (Revelation 3:20). God’s rest and relief are not found in our sleep or dreams, but in His wakefulness and reality (Matthew 11:28-30).
Jonah’s third step down leads him away from God’s reality and into delusion.
Application:
How about you? Have you ever tried to deny God’s reality? Have you ever felt like He was asking you to do something that would require you to face the truth about yourself or your situation? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you just closed your eyes and ears and pretended that everything was fine?
Maybe you have not literally gone down to the inner part of the ship, but maybe you have done something similar in your behavior. Maybe you have hidden or escaped from the problems or challenges that you face in your life. Maybe you have ignored or rationalized the consequences or implications of your actions or decisions. Maybe you have pursued your own fantasies or illusions more than God’s truth or wisdom.
If you have, then you are going down. You are going away from God’s reality and into delusion. You are missing out on the solutions that God has for you.
But it is not too late. You can turn back to God. You can repent and obey. You can wake up and face the truth. You can experience His grace and compassion.
Don’t go down to the inner part of the ship. Go up to the light.
4. In the fish, he goes down to the depths of the sea. (Jonah 2:2-3)
The fourth and final step in Jonah’s downward spiral is his despair of God’s mercy. He goes down to the depths of the sea, which is a place of death and judgment. He is swallowed by a great fish that God has prepared for him. He is trapped in a dark, wet, and smelly prison. He is surrounded by water, weeds, and worms. He is at the end of his rope, with no hope of escape or rescue.
Jonah thinks he has run away from God by changing his condition. He thinks he has avoided God’s call by going to a place where God is not able to or willing to save him. He thinks he has found the end of his misery by following his own way.
But he is mistaken. Our condition does not restrict God, but He can change it (Jeremiah 32:27). our failure or sin does not cancel God’s call. Still, it can be restored (1 John 1:9). God’s mercy is not exhausted by our rebellion or stubbornness, but it can be renewed (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Jonah’s fourth step down leads him to the lowest point of his life, but also to the turning point of his story.
Application:
How about you? Have you ever despaired of God’s mercy? Have you ever felt like you had gone too far, done too much, or sinned too greatly for God to forgive you? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you just gave up on yourself and on God?
Maybe you have not literally gone down to the depths of the sea, but maybe you have done something similar in your spirit. Maybe you have felt overwhelmed or hopeless by the troubles or trials that you face in your life. Maybe you have felt guilty or ashamed by the mistakes or sins that you have committed in your past. Maybe you have felt angry or bitter by the hurts or injustices that you have suffered in your present.
If you have, then you are going down. You are going away from God’s mercy and into despair. You are missing out on the forgiveness that God has for you.
But it is not too late. You can turn back to God. You can repent and obey. You can cry out and pray. You can experience His grace and compassion.
Don’t go down to the depths of the sea. Go up to the throne of grace.
Conclusion:
Jonah’s story shows us that running away from God is a downward journey that leads us away from His blessing, His world, His reality, and His mercy. It also shows us that turning back to God is an upward journey that leads us to His grace, His compassion, His sovereignty, and His purpose.
Jonah finally turned back to God in the belly of the fish. There he prayed a prayer of confession, thanksgiving, and surrender (Jonah 2:1-9). He acknowledged his sin and folly. He praised God for His salvation and deliverance. He vowed to obey God and fulfill His vow.
God heard Jonah’s prayer and commanded the fish to vomit him out on dry land (Jonah 2:10). God gave Jonah a second chance to obey Him and go to Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-2). Jonah obeyed God and preached His message to Nineveh (Jonah 3:3-4). Nineveh repented and believed in God (Jonah 3:5-10). God spared Nineveh and showed His mercy and compassion (Jonah 4:11).
Jonah’s story is not only about him, but also about us. We are like Jonah in many ways. We have also tried to run away from God at some point in our lives. We have also gone down in our disobedience and rebellion. We have also needed God’s grace and compassion.
But Jonah’s story is also about Jesus, who is the better Jonah. Jesus said that Jonah was a sign of Him (Matthew 12:39-41). Jesus also came from a village near Nazareth–and may have been the reason for the question, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Jesus also went down in His obedience and love. He went down from heaven to earth (Philippians 2:5-8). He went down from glory to humility (John 17:5). He went down from life to death (Romans 5:8). He went down into the grave for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40).
But Jesus also went up in His power and victory. He went up from death to life (Romans 6:4). He went up from the grave to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). He went up from humility to glory (Philippians 2:9-11). He went up to save us and to call us (Ephesians 2:4-10).
Jesus is the better Jonah, who did not run away from God; but ran to us. He did not flee from His mission; but fulfilled it. He did not hate His enemies; but loved them. He did not resent God’s mercy; but rejoiced in it.
Jesus is the better Jonah, who invites us to follow Him and to share His message. He invites us to go up with Him and to go out for Him. He invites us to experience His grace and compassion. He invites us to join His purpose and plan.
Don’t be like Jonah, who went down in his disobedience and rebellion. Be like Jesus, who went down in His obedience and love. And then go up with Him and go out for Him.
Don’t go down. Go up. Go out. Go for God.
