Jonah Cast Into The Sea

It is clear from the actions and conversation of the sailors this was no ordinary storm. Perhaps it was strangely localised or held them in one spot or by some other means instilled a supernatural fear in them. They discerned the hand of judgment upon them and decided to cast lots and make inquiry of the divine being ‘that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us’. On the verge of death and the edge of hell their desire was to find someone to blame.

God in control

Again, the overruling hand of God is seen. Proverbs tells us, ‘The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD’. The use of the lot or any other form of divination to discover the will of God is not to be practised or imitated by believers. Yet, the Lord was pleased on this occasion to intervene so that Jonah might be identified, his story known and the true purpose of his journey revealed. Jonah appears to have given a full account of his plight and flight from the presence of the Lord.

I am an Hebrew

The prophet confesses to being a Hebrew, a worshipper of the LORD, the God of heaven and creator of the earth. The word ‘Hebrew’ identified Jonah’s country, nation, religion and the God he served. He was not a Jew from Judah, nor did he wish to identify with Israel’s recent idolatry. He possessed the old faith, the true faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. His self-identifying thus is a personal testimony to Jonah’s continuing allegiance to the Lord despite his present circumstances.

A humbling experience

This revelation appears to have generated both fear and respect in the minds of the mariners. Conscious of their own predicament and learning of God’s imminent judgment upon the mighty city of Nineveh – known only to and now revealed by their strange passenger – they realised their own smallness. This was no ordinary storm, nor was Jonah an ordinary man. God Himself was pursuing him! They had become entangled in a matter bigger than they could comprehend and were at a loss how to respond.

A stark choice

The sailors appealed to Jonah as to what they should do but the prophet’s suggestion of throwing him overboard into the sea seemed likely to worsen their predicament. Perhaps pity or the prophet’s honesty or his willingness to die in the raging sea for their deliverance inspired them to try again to reach shore, but it was hopeless. As hard as they rowed the sea worked against them. They had nothing more to give and nothing to offer but the life of their passenger. It was him or them.

Jonah a sign

In this way Jonah can clearly be seen as a picture of the Lord Jesus. Of course, Jonah was a sinful man and his present state was evidence of the chastening rod of God. Yet the parallel holds. Jonah gave himself willingly for the lives of these sailors and Christ gave Himself willingly to suffer and die to save sinners. Christ drank the cup of suffering for our sake and bore the rod of justice to appease God’s anger, bear our sins and set us free.

Mercy obtained

As the sailors took hold of Jonah and cast him into the churning water they cried out to the Lord for mercy and acknowledged His divine authority and sovereign will in the lives of men. ‘Thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.’ No more did they pray to their idols. No more did they cry every man to his god. There was but One God and One Lord with whom they had to do and they knew it. As they cast Jonah into the sea the raging ceased at once and all was calm. They were safe.

Converting grace

The final verse of tomorrow’s reading is very instructive. The Holy Spirit tells us, ‘Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly’. This was not their earlier natural fear but a godly fear of reverence and worship. These men went on their way changed in their souls and in their understanding of the One true God. Their worship was spiritual, now their sacrifices would be offered with an eye to Christ, typified by Jonah. Their vows were made with the full intention of honouring them. They would serve and worship only the God of the Hebrews, no doubt at the temple in Jerusalem.

A pleasing quotation

John Gill writes, ‘If these men were truly converted, as it seems as if they were, they were great gainers by this providence; for though they lost their worldly goods, they found what was infinitely better, God to be their God and portion, and all spiritual good things with him; and it may be observed of the wise and wonderful providence of God, that though Jonah refused to go and preach to the Gentiles at Nineveh, for which he was corrected; yet God made this dispensation a means of converting other Gentiles’.

Amen.