Wrestling with God, a study of Jonah
Jonah 1: 4-11
Intro…Friday’s wedding…told Groom to be a leader, bride cries…
• Why it’s so devastating when our spiritual leaders fall…
• How our running from God can affect others…those close to us, in our family, even strangers in Jonah’s case.
• Jonah was called by God for a specific task…
• He ran from God and it affected others.
• We are all called by God for specific tasks too…
Big Picture: Jonah’s disobedience to God endangered the lives of the ship’s crew. Our sin and disobedience can affect others too.
Text: Jonah 1: 4-11
How God gets our attention
• v. 4 The Lord sent a great wind…a violent storm.
• Jonah’s flight to Tarshish (the opposite direction of Nineveh) marked the beginning of a serious theological argument with God.
• God had clearly commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against the wickedness there.
• Jonah may have believed that God could save the archenemy of the Israelites, but deep down, he couldn’t fully agree.
• God is sovereign, in control of life, nature and circumstances.
• God will use whatever he needs to in order to get our attention.
• If we don’t listen to God, we may end up taking others down with us (initially).
v. 5 The sailors reacted in typical human fashion, the each cried out to their own god.
• What are some of the “gods” people cry out today before they find the one true God? (things that offer security)
• These poor sailors weren’t looking for trouble. They had set out for a routine trip.
• Yet their lives were imminently threatened. These were sailors, used to storms and even they were afraid.
• Although they may have initially turned to their gods, they eventually turned to the one true God (1:16).
• This is a great example of how God can turn our mistakes into good. God used Jonah on that boat to bring those sailors to him.
• This story reminds us that in spite of our sinfulness and disobedience to God, God still brings people to himself.
• God doesn’t need us to save people, however when we are not sinful and obedient, sometimes we have the privilege of being part of the process when someone comes to Jesus.
v. 5 Jonah is in denial, sleeping below deck.
• Even as he ran from God, apparently his actions didn’t bother his conscience. (this is a dangerous place to be)
• The absence of guilt is not a good indicator as to whether we are doing right or wrong.
• Because we can so easily deny reality, we cannot measure obedience by our feelings. (the train diagram)
• Jonah evidently doesn’t even realize the effect his disobedience to God is having on others.
• Sin is a selfish act and when we are selfish, we aren’t thinking of others.
v. 7 God orchestrates Jonah’s next move.
• Lots were cast, they fell on Jonah.
• Casting lots was a common form of divination used by pagans and Hebrews alike.
• They would mix small stones in a container and then pull one out. (Lev. 16:8, Joshua 18:6, 1 Sam. 14:42, Neh. 10:34, Acts 1:23-26)
• The crew thought they were relying on chance and superstition to give them the answer. In reality, God directly intervened.
• “Coincidences’ are situations in which God chose to remain anonymous.”
• God is always working his ways even when we are messing up.
Jonah finally fesses up as to his real identity and invites God into the situation.
• “I am a “Hebrew,” the name Israelites used among Gentiles.
• These sailors were most likely from Phoenicia, the center of Baal worship.
• The title “Hebrew” bears significant weight, especially when coupled with the phrase, “He who made the sea and dry land.”
• Since these pagan sailors didn’t have scripture, this was an appropriate identification for Jonah.
• This terrifying storm led these Sailors to recognize that there had to be a creator. Rom. 1:18-20
• Beginning with creation is a always a good starting point when talking to skeptics….”OK, how did we all get here?”
• That is such a wise move for Jonah and all of us. We need to come back to what we know is right.
• v. 10 They were terrified at his answer because they now recognized exactly what they were dealing with.
Today is a wake-up call for all of us. We may think our sinful habits are only between ourselves and God, but in reality, those sins affect many more people than we realize.
So even though Jonah tried to mess up God’s plan, God used him to bring the other sailors to Himself.
Jonah and the Sailors
Jonah
He was a Hebrew with a rich history of God’s faithfulness
Sailors
They were gentiles with no history of God
Jonah
He was monotheistic, believing in the one true God
Sailors
They were polytheistic, worshipping many false gods.
Jonah
He was rightly related to the true God
Sailors
They had no relationship with the true God
Jonah
He was spiritually insensitive, running in the wrong direction from God
Sailors
They were spiritually sensitive, moving in the right direction toward God.
Jonah
He was indifferent towards God’s will in spite of knowing Him.
Sailors
They were concerned before God in spite of little or no knowledge of Him.
Jonah
He was uncompassionate towards Nineveh.
Sailors
They were compassionate towards Jonah
Jonah
He was rebellious and therefore disciple, but not destroyed.
Sailors
They were brought to worship and commitment.
(Nelson’s complete book of the Bible, 1993 Thomas Nelson)
Conclusion: Lives ruined by disobedience to God
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