Jonah was adamant — he was not stepping on Nineveh’s soil! Yes, God had spoken to him to deliver a scathing message to the Ninevites about their wickedness. But Jonah’s refusal was more than mere words. He purchased a one-way ticket to Tarshish, which was toward the west. Nineveh was to the east. His actions said Nineveh would not see his face!
He readily made his way aboard the ship and headed down into its lower depths. Finally-good riddance, Nineveh! He wasn’t bothered in the least by the fact that he had emphatically said no to God! Jonah was at peace with his decision and fell asleep.
God sent a horrific storm, but the shipmaster stirred sleeping Jonah, pleading with him to call on his God. It took his fellow seamen casting lots to realize that ole Jonah was the culprit behind the storm.
He explained to the men that he feared God. Interesting choice of words from Jonah, considering his actions. They asked him what could they do to him so the storm would cease. He said, “Throw me overboard.” They tried their best to row, but it was no use as the storm was too much for them. They asked God not to let them perish behind Jonah – they prayed, but the scripture doesn’t mention that Jonah was praying. He was still entrenched in not going to Nineveh. They had no other choice but to throw hard-headed Jonah overboard.
Running from God didn’t bother Jonah. Dealing with the storm and almost taking out a bunch of strangers didn’t bother Jonah, and neither did being thrown overboard. It wasn’t until day three of Jonah existing in the belly of a God-prepared great fish that Jonah took to praying. With seaweeds wrapped around his head, he earnestly prayed with determination that he’d do what he once refused to do.
Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh, Abraham didn’t want to send Ishmael away, Lot didn’t want to escape to the mountains, and Israel didn’t want to send Benjamin with his brothers to go to Egypt to buy life-saving grain. I had my times of refusing to comply with God, and I suspect you can say the same. I thought about those times when God’s mercy stepped in and lovingly convinced us to do what we didn’t want to do. Here’s the reality: God knew before you defied His assignment that you wouldn’t readily comply. It didn’t change His orders to you. Do what He said to do! You are dealing with God, not a human being. He can turn the heat up on you in an instant – and that is a blessing because He could allow you to stay in disobedience. But, like Jonah, sometimes He will place you in closed quarters to get you to say “Yes” to His will.
My mother used to tell us when we were little and didn’t want to do what she said, “You can do it with a beating or without, but you will do it.” And she meant every word.
No one knew about Jonah’s personal experience in the great fish. He had to go through that because he refused to do what God said. Sometimes we’re forced to go through things because we didn’t want to do what God said. There will be seasons where you are faced with doing what you don’t want to do. When Jonah was finally released from that great fish, God had one thing to say, “Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.” And the very next verse reads: “So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.”
Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. 7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah Chapter 1 (KJV)
Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly,2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.10 And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. Jonah Chapter 2 (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)