No one knew about Jonah’s internal issue except him and God. Did the mariners ever find out what happened to a man they were forced to throw overboard? We don’t know. One thing they understood was that it was absolutely necessary to do so to save themselves. The proof was in that the storm ceased instantly.
Perhaps they thought he drowned, which would seem to be his obvious fate. But the scriptures don’t shed any light on what they knew about Jonah. Or consider the testimony of surviving in the fish for so long and praying until God moved in what seemed impossible. What a testimony that prayer works! But it wasn’t for public consumption at the time. Only God and Jonah knew about that, too.
After the Ninevites repented, we don’t know whether anyone knew of Jonah’s renewed anger toward God and his justification for running to Tarshish in the first place. His stance hadn’t changed. But did others know? The scriptures remain silent on that as well.
Did anyone besides Jonah witness the miracle of a gourd growing overnight that shaded him one day, only to be eaten by a worm, and the gourd shriveled up the next day, leaving Jonah baking in the noonday sun? Was anyone around to hear him ask God to take his life, for it is better for him to die than to live? Seems like another very private time.
God’s mighty work often comes in the deafening solitude of correction and instruction during spiritual tantrums without the presence of inquiring eyes. Sometimes the gift is in the Lord allowing us to process through our internal spiritual battles in private.
Elijah comes to mind when he took off running from Queen Jezebel. Here he was, a mighty prophet running and wringing his hands in fear of a woman who made a promise that he would be dead by the next day. No one was in the cave with him but God, as he blurted out his fears and reasons for running. But we see that, at the end of it all, Elijah left the cave with renewed strength, a new assignment, and support. (1 Kings Chapter 19 KJV)
David was effective in publicly killing Goliath because he had experienced the power of God when he killed a lion and a bear in private. (1 Samuel 17:34-35 KJV)
Esther was effective in publicly standing before King Ahasuerus because she processed her fear privately with Mordecai. (Esther 4:1-16 KJV)
Gideon was effective publicly because God answered his prayers for a fleece in private. (Judges 6:36-40 KJV)
Jonah was able to go and preach after God answered him from the belly of the fish. (Jonah Chapter 2 KJV)
Moses was able to throw down his rod publicly after he had run in private when it turned into a snake. (Exodus 4:1-5 KJV)
Your journey may not resemble Jonah’s or Elijah’s. Still, whatever spiritual tensions you have, God is working on you in the private places of your life. Jonah is one of the people whose outcome we don’t know. But what we can walk away with is that, if God would see to it that Jonah faced his issues, what more will God do with you and me? So, there’s no need to run because whatever issues are in you, God will address them. How you respond is on you.
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.4 Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.6 And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.10 Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? (Jonah Chapter 4 KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)