Reading: Jonah
Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 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, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord (Jon. 1:1-3).
The Lord directed Jonah to go to Nineveh to cry (prophesy) against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me . However, Jonah believed that Nineveh threatened Israel and deserved destruction. He knew God had called him to warn them to repent, but Jonah did not want them to repent. He believed that it would be in the best interest of his people if Nineveh ceased to exist. So, like many today, he made the mistake of attempting to avoid the command of God.
Jonah was unwilling to be a foreign missionary to Nineveh, the capital city of the powerful, fierce Assyrian Empire, so when the Lord spoke, he sprang into action. He found a ship going to Tarshish (the most remote of the Phoenician trading places), paid the fare , and left town in the opposite direction of Nineveh. Apparently, this man of God had misinterpreted the strength of the Lord's command, believing it instead to be a simple request. Although Jonah felt he was leaving his troubles behind, he only compounded them. He had forgotten that man's actions could not thwart God's will. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back (Is. 14:27)?
At least in the beginning, circumstances seemed to favor Jonah’s plan and allowed him to ‘escape.’ Soon, however, the situation changed, and Jonah experienced the consequences of ignoring the will of God. He quickly discovered that the Lord's will WOULD be done, regardless of his own opinion. His only choice was to serve God or to die. But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken (Jon. 1:4).
Like Jonah, we are often more diligent in working toward our ruin than in seeking our salvation. Jonah sought out the ship and paid the fare , just as many today who spend their time and money on selfish projects while disregarding the Lord’s work and the needs of others. However, just as Jonah soon discovered the futility of his actions, so too we will find that these pursuits will leave us empty and unfulfilled. Unless we actively follow God's will, our souls are in as much imminent danger as was the boat in the storm.
If you find that you tend to shirk responsibilities that seem unpleasant, as Jonah did, you may want to take this time to reacquaint yourself with the will of God. He does not expect us to understand or agree with everything He asks us to do, but He does expect us to trust Him and follow Him anyway.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:6-7).
Thought For Today:We are not equal partners with God; we are His subordinates tasked with accomplishing what He delegates us to do.
Christ Revealed: By Jonah’s experience in the great fish (Jon. 1:7 – 2:10). Jesus used this historical event as an illustration to tell of His death, burial, and resurrection when the Pharisees demanded a sign from Him (Matt. 12:39-41; also I Cor. 15:3-4).
Word Studies:2:2 hell in O.T. 31 times (from Sheol, used about 65 times) = to hide, cover, or the grave. In the N.T. Jesus used hell (from Hades, Gehenna) to explain an after-death place of torments (Matt. 8:29; Luke 16:23,28; Rev. 14:10; 20:10); 2:8 lying vanities = worthless idols, false worship; 3:10 God repented = He was grieved; 4:5 booth = shelter; 4:8 vehement = scorching.
Pray For Staff: Jennifer Palafox • Government Official: Rep. Erin Houchin (IN) • Country: Chad (11,412,107) Central Africa • Major Languages: French, Arabic • Religious Freedom • 53.1% Muslim; 20.1% Catholic; 14.2% Protestant 7.3% % Animist; 0.5% Other; 1.7% Unknown; 3.1% Atheist • Prayer Suggestion: Thank God for guiding you to sacrifice freely for what pleases Him (Ps. 54:6).