7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they called out to the LORD, “O LORD, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.
17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Jonah was on the ship bound for Tarshish and God had sent a tempestuous storm which had the sailors exploring every means to avoid destruction. They decided to cast lots to determine who was the cause of their predicament. When they cast lots, the lot fell on Jonah. They drilled him with questions to determine how he might be the cause of the storm. When Jonah told them that he was running away from the God who created the sea and the dry land, they became exceedingly afraid. Jonah was clear that God is the true creator God who is sovereignly in control of all creation, not simply one of many gods as the sailors believed. Even though Jonah had an accurate understanding of who God is, he still chose to disobey Him.
The storm continued to grow in intensity and so they asked Jonah what they should do to him to quiet the storm. They believed that his God controlled the seas and asked him what to do because they had no way of knowing how to appease his God. Jonah told them to throw him into the sea in order to save themselves. He knew that he was the cause of the storm and that God had brought it about to get his attention. They were not quick to take human life and be held guilty of murder so, despite Jonah’s suggestion, they continued to try row the ship to shore but their efforts were futile in the face of the tempest. Before hurling Jonah overboard, they prayed that God would spare them for their actions. As soon as they cast Jonah overboard, the sea calmed. Their response was to fear God and worship Him with sacrifices and vows. There is a stark contrast between Jonah’s disobedience and the sailors willingness to recognise and acknowledge God’s sovereignty.
Jonah may have thought that giving his life for the sailors would be the end of everything. But God had other plans and sent a large fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah remained in the fish for three days and three nights.
Have you become complacent in your relationship with God? What can you do to respond to God in awe and worship without needing a miraculous display of His sovereignty in your life?
Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan
Noah and The Flood: Genesis 6-7