 |
| Portugal Sailing Vessel |
The Prodigal Prophet
~ ~ ~
Jonah pursues the wrong path
(part-1b)
Text outline: Jonah 1:4-17
A) God Sends a Huge Storm - 1:4-6
B) The Crew Casts Lots - 1:7-9
C) Jonah admits he is wrong - 1:10-13
D) Jonah stops running from God - 1:14-16
E) Jonah gets swallowed by a great fish - 1:17
A) God sends a huge storm: Jonah 1:4-6
4)The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was
a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. The Sovereignty of God. No matter what the nature of our calling, nor how big or small that calling may be, we should take a lesson from the life of Jonah - when in doubt; run to God not away from Him.
5)Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them but Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep. Aye aye Captain, helms-a-lee, rig for foul weather! Force 12+ hurricane, batten down hatches, reef the mainsail, luff the storm jibs and heave-to the cargo. Every man cry to your god that the ship not sink; but what did Jonah do? With his hardhearted indifference to his surroundings and feet securely dug-in rebellion and opposed to God's will - He'd, 'fallen sound asleep."
6)So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we won't perish.” The Captain is being somewhat cour
tious to Jonah because he did paid his fare for a passage to Tarshish. But Jonah's continual state of rebellion is making him of no use to anyone except to pray to God for a miracle
Get up, call on your god; God is Sovereign and when we call upon the name of the Lord He can save us in our most desperate time of need. A Christian running from God's will is going to produce much distress and regret.
B) The crew cast lots: Jonah 1:7-9
7 Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. Quote: “God sent a pursuer after Jonah, even a mighty tempest. Sin brings storms and tempests into the soul, into the family, into churches and nations; - it is a dis-
quieting, disturbing thing. Having called upon their gods for help, the sailors did what they could to help them-
selves. Oh that men would be thus wise for their souls.” (Matthew Henry commentary).
8Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupa-
tion? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” After the lot falls on Jonah the ships crew becomes anxious to know. "Tell us, now!" what did you do that has caused such a huge calamity and is now threatening every ones life. Bible scholars say this appears to be a kind of interrogation of Jonah by the crew because they want to know why this is happening to them.
9He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.” Again most bible scholars agree Jonah say's, "I am a Hebrew", because Hebrew is the name most foreigners would recognize and understand where he is from. Jonah's acknowledgement; 'and I fear the Lord God', is
a sign of his penitent heart toward God who made the sea and land.
C) Jonah admits that he is wrong: Jonah 1:10-13
10 Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. The crew understands that Jonah is running away from the God who made the sea and the dry land so they ask of him, "How could you do this?" because the possibility of dying makes them want to know why they may have to die.
11So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.” Desperate situations call for desperate measures; It is self-centered pride that makes anyone think they can be right with God without first throwing the Jonah in our life over-board; "Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe. Sin had
left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow."
13However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them. At first the men try to return to the safety of dry land because throwing Jonah into the sea could make things worse.
D) Jonah stops running from God: Jonah 1:14-16
14Then they called on the Lord and said, “We earnestly pray, O Lord, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased.”
15 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
E) Jonah gets swallowed by a great fish: Jonah 1:17
17And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
A Bible study by: Glenn
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment