TO OBEY OR NOT TO OBEY
Text: Jonah 1:1 - 17
Jonah’s instructions were crystal clear. There were no excuses that he didn’t get the message or that he didn’t understand what was meant by the instructions or that he was confused by what he was being told to do. God told Jonah to “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. Nineteen simple words, crystal clear.
While Jonah is one of the “minor prophets,” and while we tend to downplay his contributions, let me remind you that the revival that came to Nineveh as a result of the message God gave Jonah to preach is the greatest recorded in scripture. Jesus used the example of the prophet when He said in Luke 11:29 – 30, “This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. Two of the synoptic gospel writers mention occasions where Jesus used the example of Jonah. (Matt. 12:39 -41, 16:4 and Luke 11:20 -32)
Jonah prophesied during the reign of wicked King Jeroboam II (2Kings 14:25). Jeroboam was a wicked king. Scripture says “he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 14:24)
So that we might have an idea about the geography of our story, the ruins of Nineveh have been located directly across the Tigris River from the modern day city of Mosul in northern Iraq. Many a recent news story can help us locate that city in northern Iraq.
God said Jonah, go down to Nineveh and preach the Word to them because they are a wicked city, and we all know what Jonah did…he did exactly the opposite of what God had told him to do. Now we ought to consider all the facts before we get down too hard on Jonah. God was telling Jonah to go to a place where the people were hated enemies of the Israelites.
Now most of the folks I know, especially preachers would say “what a great assignment.” Whew LORD send me but, Jonah did not want to go. Assyria was the bitter enemy of Israel. They were a cruel people who had often abused Israel. Jonah knew that God’s sending him was an expression of God’s love and that God would save them if they repented, Jonah obviously did not want that. Jonah knows that if they repent, his gracious, merciful and slow to anger God will save them. (Jonah 4:2)
Instead of booking passage to Nineveh, Jonah flees in the opposite direction for a place called Tarshish. We do not know exactly where Tarshish is, but we do know that it is a port on the Mediterranean perhaps in southern Spain or Carthage in north Africa. Scripture says here in VS. 3 that Jonah sought to flee from the presence of the LORD.
Most of us are asking ourselves here does Jonah really think he can flee from the presence of the LORD? I mean this man is a prophet of God, doesn’t he know that God sees and knows all things? It might help us to understand the answer though if we would instead ask ourselves the question ‘what am I thinking when I am disobedient to God.” Do I somehow think that God doesn’t see when I pass on an opportunity to witness to my neighbor or when I fail to love my neighbor like I do myself? That really is what Jonah is doing here isn’t it? Jonah is acting in direct disobedience to what he knows God’s will is for his life. Do we always act like in the way that we know is God’s will for our lives? Are we actively seeking God’s will for our lives? If we are not, then we can say we are acting much like Jonah acted and we should not be surprised when we find ourselves in the belly of the whale.
Verse three makes it sound like Jonah had very little trouble finding a ship going to Tarshish. Remember that place that we didn’t know exactly where it was? Verse three also makes it sound like Jonah had very little trouble paying the fare to this far-away place. From the language used many have concluded that Jonah would have hired the whole ship for his use. The fare Jonah paid Whether or not this is the case, would have been substantial. (The IVP Bible Background Commentary – Old Testament.) This was obviously a great journey because in Solomon’s day round trip to Tarshish took 3 years. (2 Chron. 9:21)
Now when God reveals His will for your life, it is advisable to get in line as soon as possible, but Jonah, much like you and I, went down into the ship and went fast asleep. God though sent out a mighty tempest. How bad was the storm? The sailors on the ship had already resorted to throwing their cargo over the side. By doing that the ship would float higher up in the water, the waves were less likely to fill the boat with water…that didn’t satisfy them though. How bad was the storm? It says the sailors were crying out to their god. Which gods were they crying out to? The sailors were probably calling out to their gods in the hope that one of their patron deities might be able to exert some influence on whichever god has become disturbed enough to send the storm. They are calling out for assistance, not in repentance. (The IVP Bible Background Commentary – Old Testament.) The more the better and so the captain awakens Jonah so he too can cry out to his god. The captain had no idea that Jonah knew the real God, the one that had created the ocean and the tempest too for that matter.
Jonah, sound asleep and oblivious to the storm is shaken awake by a seemingly angry captain that demands Jonah get up and cry out to his God. “Who knows,” the captain says, your God might take notice of us so that we won’t be killed.
I see some things here worth exploring. First, Jonah doesn’t seem to be the least bit afraid. Good thing too, because they are about to throw sleeping beauty into the deep blue sea. No, I think that even in disobedience Jonah knows the security of his eternal salvation. In contrast notice the fear in the sailors. Too, the sailors are totally confused about what to do next but Jonah knows the answer.
When the sailors find out that they have a Hebrew on board the situation changes. Does the world recognize you by the name you wear? I mean are you showing the world that you belong to Christ? As soon as these sailors knew that Jonah was a Hebrew and that he fled from the presence of God, they really became afraid. What should we do to you they said, so that the sea will be calm for us?
If we have not seen Jonah’s colors before, here they are on full display. Throw me overboard says Jonah. Jonah tells them without reservation…this storm is upon you because I have been disobedient to the will of God for my life.
Note: Our disobedience will often affect negatively those around us and our families. (Ex. 20:5, 34:7, Nu. 14:18, Dt. 5:9)
Jonah might have jumped overboard nut notice he did not. The sailors rowed as hard as they could, not wanting to throw Jonah into the sea but there is no value in working against God---NONE. Note their cry to God in verse 14 “We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.” Notice too that the sailors get even more fearful. So fearful in fact that they offer up sacrifices to God and made vows. No repentance though, they just acknowledged God as deity and then set Him on their god shelf and went on about their life.
Perhaps these men were making an attempt to appease God. I don’t see repentance here. Notice what they did. They threw themselves upon God’s mercy and then they threw God’s man into the tempestuous deep blue sea. It is a good thing that Jonah was not dependent upon them. God had a plan, just like He has a plan for every life here. In Jonah’s case God had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah and Jonah was in the belly of the fish 3 days and 3 nights.
Conclusion: Perhaps you are here this morning and you are like the sailors in the scripture. Maybe you know all there is to know about God. Maybe you go to church every time the doors are open. Maybe you have walked an isle, prayed a prayer even been baptized but have never really believed in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ If that is true I encourage you to repent of your sins and know Jesus as your savior.
If you are a child of God and are living in a place of disobedience, I encourage you to repent and get in line with God’s plan for your life.
