The Perfect Storm

Jonah 1:7-16

Last week we left Jonah and the sailors in their prayer meeting.  After the sailors spend much time and effort seeking their gods and hearing no response and receiving no help, they turn quickly to plan B. They decide that casting lots would be a way to find out who is responsible for this mess.  They knew that something was wrong somewhere because this was no ordinary storm at sea.  This storm was of Divine origin.

1- The Lord Reveals Jonah (7-10)

A- Casting Lots (7)

The sailors resort to an ancient method of learning the truth. Casting of lots was sort of like flipping coins. The answer came up no that is, until it was Jonah’s turn. All the rocks said yes.

The sailors start their interrogation of this visitor.

               B- Question and Answer Time (8-10)

               -The Sailor’s Questions

-Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us?

-What is your occupation?

- Where do you come from? What is your country?

- Of what people are you?

-Jonah’s Answers

Notice the irony of this account.  Jonah had attempted to run away from the presence of God.  He was in this tight spot because he would not go and preach to pagans.  Guess what is happening?  Jonah is preaching to pagans.

Jonah’s first sermon- “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."

-I am a Hebrew Think about the impact this would have on these men (Exodus 9:16 ; Romans 9:17 ).

It is not by accident that after Jonah tells them who he is that the text says, Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, "What is this that you have done!"

-I fear the Lord, the God of heaven.

The sailors knew about this great God.

Jonah, what are thinking? You’re telling us that this God you worship made the sea and you are trying to run away from Him by the sea! 

This question was an amazing question coming from pagan sailors.  They were possibly thinking things like this:  Did your God do something terrible that caused you to flee from Him?

These pagan sailors could not understand why, if Jonah’s God was so powerful, he would forsake Him and turn and go in the opposite direction.

What was Jonah’s reason?  His reason for fleeing didn’t have anything to do with God, the reason was Jonah.  Jonah’s heart was hard toward others that were not like him. 

 

2- The Lord Reveals Himself (11-16)

In this single event, God is showing these pagans who He is. God is showing Jonah just how hard his heart is because these lost people are showing more compassion for one person than Jonah had for all of Nineveh . They are willing to risk their lives to keep from throwing Jonah over board.     

So determined was Jonah to resist the will of God that he said, Pick me up and hurl me into the sea.

Jonah was really saying, I’d rather die than do what God says.

What are the big things wrong in Jonah’s thinking and possibly in ours? 

A- Ignored the Word of God.

He didn’t do what God’s Word told him to do. Are you obeying God’s Word? 

B- He thought he was sovereign.

Jonah didn’t submit to the Lord. He thought he was the controller of his own destiny. Who controls your destiny?

C- He had no compassion for others.

He didn’t care what happened to other people.  Jonah didn’t love others. How are you showing your love for others? 

The most amazing thing happens in the lives of these sailors.  They get converted.  In spite of Jonah they are converted. 

Here’s the progression:

A- They feared the storm- [5] Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god.

B- They feared after they found out Jonah was a Hebrew and worship Jehovah.

[10] Then the men were exceedingly afraid

The sailors fear the Lord exceedingly.

Then the text says that they worshipped Jehovah. 

How did they worship?  They performed a sacrifice, the Jewish way to worship. 

C- They feared the Lord

[16] Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly

Literally, they feared the Lord with great fear.

Another example of this phrase is found in the New Testament.  Here is the Greek rendering of it (Mark 4:35 -41).

As we think about Jonah and the question the sailors ask about why would you do this?  Why would you forsake your God?  I want to look at Christ and His question while hanging on the cross (Matthew 27:46).

Why did God forsake Jesus? God turned His back on Jesus because at that moment while hanging on the cross He became sin. God’s justice was in operation. The death sentence was being passed. Jesus was being forsaken by God because of all the times God’s people had forsaken Him.

L