Jonah 1:7-16
Notes
Transcript
Confession and consequence
Confession and consequence
We last left our story with Jonah being woken up in the midst of a terrible storm that had all these sailors fearful. Now that they’ve got everyone together they’re going to cast lots to figure out whose fault this is. As we read this in the twenty-first century it seems like a superstitious silly thing to do. But think about that… we already know that God has indeed caused this terrible storm that threatens to kill all aboard and scuttle the ship, and Jonah is indeed the reason God has done it. In a much more spiritually focused world this is more natural and not at all silly to do. That’s why it is no surprise when get the outcome points to Jonah.
And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
A few ways that lots are cast: two stones each having a dark and light side painted. Toss them and see what comes up, both dark - no, dark and light - try again, both light -yes. Or one stone colored differently from the rest placed in a container and everyone takes a turn shaking out a single stone where the one who ends up with the one that’s not like the other is the chosen person. No matter the method proverbs tells us Prov 16.33 “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” So yes it is not a surprise that Jonah is understood to be at fault.
Then a blurted out barrage of questions comes forth.
Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?”
The first question seems out of place. Didn’t they just figure out who’s fault this was when they cast lots!? The first and most obvious answer might actually just be a translational one. This could also be translated “Please tell us, through whom the disaster has come upon us,”... the answer to these questions… But it could also have actually been a question and they wanted to confirm Jonah’s guilt, or it could be that the lot was to determine who would be able to declare fault and not that the person indicated was guilty.
Regardless Jonah gives a clear and definitive answer.
And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
Jonah’s answer certainly doesn’t deny his guilt. He answers the three questions at the end of verse 7 with 2 answers. He is a Hebrew - which is the term the rest of the world knows them by and he fears/worships Yahweh - the God of heaven - the creator. In identifying God this way he’s pointing to God as the God over everything. God of heaven, sea, and land. This was not a comforting thing to find out.
Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
The dread was there because they had already apparently known he was fleeing a god but they didn’t know he was fleeing “The God of heaven, who made the sea and the land” that’s just crazy. That’s why we get an exclaiming rhetorical question. Sure you could run away from gods, they have locality but you’re running from GOD?
Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.
Now we get to reality - they don’t know this God or what he requires for penance punishment or placation so they ask Jonah what to do. Jonah’s answer is disturbing.
He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.”
That’s like telling them to run him through with a sword. It is certain death to be tossed into the sea in the middle of a storm… or even just out here without a storm. No raft or life jacket here… This is a bit too much for the sailors, they would rather not kill someone while the angry God is watching.
But also look at Jonah here… after all we talked about how this book like the other prophets tells us that the Lord has a message for someone and told a prophet… but unlike the other books this one isn’t about the message that God had for Nineveh. It’s really about Jonah and what he does. Jonah here shows absolutely no remorse. He is just very frank possibly believing himself that this will just be a death sentence - at least if he dies he won’t have to go to freakin’ Nineveh! We ended last week in verse 6 but didn’t touch on the captain’s plea to Jonah to pray. We also don’t see that Jonah ever prays on the ship while the sailors did. He also didn’t volunteer to jump either...
Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.
So they tried their best to just get back to land but they had no success. The solution of their work to be saved was not a solution at all. In fact as they worked harder and harder on their own strength the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. For so many, and we’ll see for even Jonah, it takes the brink of death to get through. When we find ourselves out at metaphorical sea where the storm has risen because of our own sin the solution is never try harder and be good-er but instead it’s submit to God and relinquish your sin. The sailors had to do it God’s way and toss the sin overboard.
So finally they call out to Yahweh in desperation...
Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.”
This prayer is made of 3 parts. Don’t bring retribution, we’re not accountable he’s innocent where it concerns us, Yahweh is responsible for this action. The last line is also part of a theme we get in Jonah but it starts here. God does according to His good pleasure. Pss 115.3 “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” Pss 135.6 “Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” Isa 55.11 “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Eph 1.5 “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,”
So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
In the end Jonah is tossed in and the storm does indeed cease. In response they offer a sacrifice and vow vows. At the brink of death these people finally turned to the Lord and obeyed.
Eventually in life as we encounter God we have a choice, grab an oar and try our hardest to get out of sin while the world gets worse around us, or we toss sin overboard in obedience to God. Our challenge this week is simple, it’s don’t try and row out of our own troubles but instead rely on the Lord.