Jonah chapter 1 and its themes and Lessons for every Believer in Christ
Jonah chapter 1 -A SEA STORY
" A Garrison is not free from danger while it has an enemy lodged within" was part of Charles Spurgeon's devotion for Friday last. He went on to comment, " You may bolt all your doors, and fasten all your windows, but if the thieves have placed even a little child within doors, who can draw the bolts for them, the house is still unprotected." He comments further, " Hence, it is clear, our greatest danger is from within...Alas our heart is our greatest enemy; this is the little home-born thief."
1. Jonah's Running Away from God
Jonah's difficulty was that he heard a clear direction from the LORD, but he chose deliberate disobedient action. "But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa , and he found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare thereof ..." 1:3
This is our story of course as well. We know what the actions are that will bring glory to God, but we often run away from His biding. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 7, " For what I hate, that I do...it is sin in me." There is no help , and we feel quite helpless. God is our Deliverer and " there is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Ro.8
So Jonah goes into the hold of the ship and goes to sleep to forget all of it.
2. God's Reclamation of Jonah
" But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea....so that the ship was like to be broken." 1:4 God does not let His prophet alone. He is trying to save him. He sends a terrible storm so that the ship would break up.
Then he sends the ShipMaster to him to wake him up, " What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us , that we perish not."
God uses people and situations as well to get our attention. It seems hard to believe the CPT of the ship had to come down to him and ask him what he was doing. Yet this is what happened.
3. Jonah's Confession and Profession of God to the Mariners
Jonah is found out. They cast lots to make sure, an ancient practice, but they hear it from Jonah himself as to why this is happening to them. He had told them he had fled from the presence of the LORD, vs .10.
He tells them he is a Hebrew, and he fears the LORD , the God of heaven who made the earth and the sea.1:9
The Mariners tried to save Jonah, but he said, " Take me up , and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you." 1:12
But they could not save Jonah.
We read in 1:17 that the " LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah.." Whatever we are doing, God has a plan for us, and He will make that plan happen. He is calling us to love and serve Him , but, as His Child He will never abandon us. It may be hard. It may be difficult, but " all things work together for good to them who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
We do not want to disobey to find this out, but in the end, through it all, He will reclaim us, and bring His plan to fruition through His calling and love for us. He never leaves His Children.
Thanks be to God, even for the great fish , and the ones we have in our lives as well.
Amen.
" A Garrison is not free from danger while it has an enemy lodged within" was part of Charles Spurgeon's devotion for Friday last. He went on to comment, " You may bolt all your doors, and fasten all your windows, but if the thieves have placed even a little child within doors, who can draw the bolts for them, the house is still unprotected." He comments further, " Hence, it is clear, our greatest danger is from within...Alas our heart is our greatest enemy; this is the little home-born thief."
1. Jonah's Running Away from God
Jonah's difficulty was that he heard a clear direction from the LORD, but he chose deliberate disobedient action. "But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa , and he found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare thereof ..." 1:3
This is our story of course as well. We know what the actions are that will bring glory to God, but we often run away from His biding. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 7, " For what I hate, that I do...it is sin in me." There is no help , and we feel quite helpless. God is our Deliverer and " there is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Ro.8
So Jonah goes into the hold of the ship and goes to sleep to forget all of it.
2. God's Reclamation of Jonah
" But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea....so that the ship was like to be broken." 1:4 God does not let His prophet alone. He is trying to save him. He sends a terrible storm so that the ship would break up.
Then he sends the ShipMaster to him to wake him up, " What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us , that we perish not."
God uses people and situations as well to get our attention. It seems hard to believe the CPT of the ship had to come down to him and ask him what he was doing. Yet this is what happened.
3. Jonah's Confession and Profession of God to the Mariners
Jonah is found out. They cast lots to make sure, an ancient practice, but they hear it from Jonah himself as to why this is happening to them. He had told them he had fled from the presence of the LORD, vs .10.
He tells them he is a Hebrew, and he fears the LORD , the God of heaven who made the earth and the sea.1:9
The Mariners tried to save Jonah, but he said, " Take me up , and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you." 1:12
But they could not save Jonah.
We read in 1:17 that the " LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah.." Whatever we are doing, God has a plan for us, and He will make that plan happen. He is calling us to love and serve Him , but, as His Child He will never abandon us. It may be hard. It may be difficult, but " all things work together for good to them who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
We do not want to disobey to find this out, but in the end, through it all, He will reclaim us, and bring His plan to fruition through His calling and love for us. He never leaves His Children.
Thanks be to God, even for the great fish , and the ones we have in our lives as well.
Amen.
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