October 24, 2011
FISH, SMISH . . . THE GUY WAS RUNNING FROM GOD!
Jonah 1
Bobby Rodriguez
Central Truth
Some people get hung up on the fact that Jonah spent three days in the belly of a great fish, but what is more farfetched is that Jonah thought he could run from a God that he knew was everywhere all the time.
Key Verse | Jonah 1:3
But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. (Jonah 1:3)
Jonah 1
Jonah Flees the Presence of the LORD
1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil 1 1:2 The same Hebrew word can mean evil or disaster, depending on the context; so throughout Jonah has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
4 But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”
Jonah Is Thrown into the Sea
7 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. 8 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?” 9 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.” 10 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.
11 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. 12 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.” 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard 2 1:13 Hebrew the men dug in [their oars] to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 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.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.
A Great Fish Swallows Jonah
17 3 1:17 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew And the LORD appointed 4 1:17 Or had appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Dive Deeper | Jonah 1
I cannot tell you how often I have found myself in a place where I knew what I should do, but just chose not to do it because I didn't want to do it. Honestly, my life before Christ was marked by this kind of attitude, and it is still something I struggle with today. This is just the "boat" in which we find Jonah in chapter one. Jonah was one of God's prophets to the Israelites. That means Jonah was used by God to instruct His people. As a Jew and a prophet, Jonah loved his own people. The Ninevites, on the other hand, were a Gentile nation (not Jewish) and at odds with Israel. It was this friction with the Ninevites that fueled Jonah's rebellion from God's call to "go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it" (Jonah 1:2, NIV).
NOTE -- all of the historical and insightful facts you see here are from Dr. Constable's notes at soniclight.com. They are a great source of biblical knowledge for those of us who need a helping hand. :)
Okay, so Jonah didn't like the Ninevites, and God said He wanted them warned that their ways were going to bring them destruction. Jonah's dislike of the Ninevites was stronger than his fear of the Lord, so he sailed for Tarshish to get away from God and His call.
Man, I do this all the time. God calls me to love my wife even when we're at odds or to love my neighbor even when his leaves are blowing all over my lawn. I so often run from that call and just let my selfishness rule my actions because I, like Jonah, forget that my life has been given in service to the Lord. If my life is going to be one that ends with "Well done, good and faithful servant," then I have to understand that this life isn't about my selfish desires or comfort, but rather about God's glory and my call to share that with those around me.
Even when it feels fishy.
Discussion Questions
1. What has God called you to do that you do not want to do?
2. Do you think you can run away from God by not heeding His call?
3. What have you done/are you going to do about it?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
JONAH 1-MICAH 1 (OCTOBER 24-28)
Read Jonah.
What does God ask Jonah to do?
How does Jonah respond to God's command? (He hopped on board a ship to Tarshish.)
How do YOU respond when someone in authority (parent, teacher, coach, etc.) asks you to do something you don't want to do? Parents: share about a time in your life when it was hard to obey and help your kids be honest about how they feel when they are asked to do hard things. Be compassionate! This is not easy!
What was the consequence of Jonah's disobedience? Think about the men on the boat and the fish.
What are the consequences for you when you don't obey?
Why do you think it was hard for Jonah to obey right away, all the way, and with a heart that trusted God?
Why is it hard for you to obey right away, all the way, and with a heart that trusts God? (Another great opportunity for parents to be authentic and vulnerable!)
Jonah tried to run and hide from God. God sought Jonah out and gave him another opportunity to share truth with the Ninevites. They heard God's truth, repented, and were saved!
ACTIVITY: Play a game of hide and seek in your house or yard. Then talk about how God can always find us, no matter how far we run or how well we hide. Discuss how God loves us and always has our best interest at heart, even when we "feel" like our way would be better. Pray together that you would trust and obey God.