Jonah's disobedience to God is the cause of a great storm that imperils a ship and its sailors. When questioned, Jonah confesses he is a Hebrew who fears the God of heaven, the creator of the sea and land, and admits he has fled from the Lord's presence. The sailors, realizing Jonah's disobedience is the reason for the storm and fearing the power of his God, ask what they should do, to which Jonah advises they cast him into the sea. This act of self-sacrifice, though initiated by disobedience, ultimately leads to the sailors' deliverance and foreshadows Christ's own sacrifice for humanity.
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Beloved radio friends, we greet you in the ever-precious and the worthy name of our beloved Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. We give you a hearty welcome to the interesting and the fascinating story, one of the most unique in the Word of God, the story of Jonah the Prophet, as recorded by divine inspiration. We verily believe that God purposely has placed this book in the canon of Holy Scripture for obvious reasons and profitable lessons that even we today may learn. We continue in the first chapter of this book of Jonah, and particularly we begin in this first chapter today in verse eight, where the questioning of Jonah by the sailors is thus given to us.
Now there is no question of doubt that these sailors had grave concern as to the reason that Jonah, who was a passenger on their ship, had been found to be the guilty person who was the cause for the terrific storm as well as the danger of their lives. The questions they now ask of Jonah did not show that they doubted the result of the lot that they had cast. but the questions indicate that they wanted him to confess what he was guilty of. Now listen to their questions and the answer of Jonah in verses eight and nine. 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? And he said unto them, I am in Hebrew, and I fear Jehovah, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and dry land. Now Jonah makes a forthright confession. He declares himself to be a Hebrew, the name of the Israelites, among foreigners, as it was commonly known. It was the name that Joseph had been called. in Genesis chapter thirty-nine when he was in Egypt.
And it was a name which he himself also used to describe his nationality in Genesis chapter forty, when he was in prison. And the name Hebrew distinguished the Israelites in the midst of all foreigners. But Jonah went on to declare that he was also a worshipper of Jehovah, who was the creator of the heavens and of the sea as well as the dry land. Now there is another fact, not quoted in Jonah's words in verse nine, but it is indicated in verse ten. He had already told these men before that he fled from the presence of the Lord.
But when they heard his confession concerning that he was a Hebrew, And concerning the greatness of his God, the maker of heaven and sea and earth, they were in greater consternation and fear. And we read in verse ten, Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he had fled from the presence of the Lord because he had told them. Now there are two outstanding facts that we should realize that were embedded very deeply into the hearts of these heathen sailors.
First, they knew, without any doubt, they knew that Jonah was a disobedient prophet of his God. And their great realization of this fact alarmed them more than it seemed to have alarmed Jonah himself. His flagrant disobedience to his God, which indicated to them the reason for the violent storm, struck their hearts with greater fear. And what a rebuke that this should have been, or it should have been, a great rebuke, if it was, or not, to Jonah. But there was a second fact from Jonah's confession in verse nine.
They were not only in consternation because one of God's disobedient prophets was on board their ship, but they also realized the greatness of his God. They were thrown into a greater panic of fright, for the raging of the storm proclaimed to them the omnipotence of God better than even Jonah could tell it to them. It was no ordinary storm. Not in their maritime experience, but now they were more fully aware that the wrath of Jehovah, the mighty God of heaven, the God of the sea and the God of the earth, was being vented upon his servant, and they themselves were caught as unwilling victims and even innocent partakers of this judgment.
Their dilemma seems more indicated by the words of verse eleven. where we read, they said unto Jonah, What shall we do unto thee? That the sea may be made calm unto us, for the sea wrought and was tempestuous. There is no doubt that the storm was increasing in its fury, when the mariners asked Jonah what course of action should be taken. They were seemingly helpless and hopeless, as to any plan that could be executed and they appealed to Jonah for his advice. They feared the God, his God, who had sent the storm.
They feared also his prophet now, though he was a disobedient one, who was the cause of the storm. To punish Jonah themselves, they were afraid to do that. For they recognized the power of his God whom he had offended, and neither desired they to offend Jehovah Jonah's God themselves. But their question was, their dilemma was, what are we going to do with Jonah? Now the answer of Jonah certainly reveals one of the best indications of his character than anywhere else in the whole book.
For it took great and real courage to advise them as he did. For we read what Jonah said to them As you may read in verse twelve, Jonah sent unto them, Take me up, cast me forth into the sea. So shall the sea become unto you. For I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. Now it is a special notice here to realize that Jonah did not throw himself into the sea. He was not about to commit suicide in despair. Now may I emphasize that there is a vast difference between a man that has been awakened in his conscience and a despairing conscience that gives up all hope.
Jonah was fully aware that he himself was the cause of all the horror that had been brought upon these innocent men. But he willingly confesses He is worthy of death and is willing to accept his punishment. He is willing to sacrifice himself to save these men who were also facing death and expecting to die. And these are noble words from a true servant of God, and in them we can see a likeness to our Savior. Who was willing to sacrifice himself to save us?
But he was not a disobedient servant, as Jonah was. But he was obedient unto death, even the death of the crosses we well know from the word of God. But if Jonah's words were noble, the efforts of the sailors were noble also. For the men did their utmost to save even the life of Jonah. They began rowing hard. They put forth every effort toward the land, as we read in verse thirteen. Nevertheless, the men rode hard to bring the boat to the land, but they could not for the sea wrought and was tempestuous against them.
So we can recognize As the tempest grew worse, no deliverance seemed to be in sight. Oh, beloved, let me think before we close with you of another storm that took place upon a stormy sea. And you may read of that storm in the Gospel of Mark chapter four, beginning at verse thirty-five to the end of the chapter. And in the midst of that violent storm, which was not sent, In my humble opinion, I do not think it was sent at all by God, but rather was the work of the adversary, the devil himself, seeking to destroy one who in the midst of that storm was also asleep.
The only time we ever read that the Savior, the Lord Jesus, was asleep on a pillow in the midst of a fierce storm, and when the waves even filled the boat, He was not the cause of that storm. The terrified disciples in that boat, they roughly awoke the Savior, and they said to him, Master, careest thou not that we perish? And you remember that he arose. He rebuked the wind. He spoke to the raging sea. Peace be still. And there was a great calm. Oh, my beloved. Would you not prefer to have Christ, the Son of God, in your boat, through your life, than to have this disobedient prophet like Jonah long ago, as he was in this storm with the sailors?
And yet, well may it be spoken of that these sailors very bravely sought to reach land, but it was unavailing, and we shall see in our ensuing message, that which they did, in casting Jonah overboard, was in the mind and in the purposes of the Lord, though they may not have known it, but to that God whom they prayed, and to whom, without question if doubt it is my deep conviction, they were converted. And Jonah, the disobedient prophet, was ultimately cast into the sea to bring about deliverance for the sailors and their boats.
But oh, my friend, again may I raise the question, there are many storms in your life and mine. May I raise the question again, is Christ in your boat? You remember the words of that old hymn, Jesus, Savior, Pilate me over life's tempestuous sea. I'd like to ask you, my friend, is the Lord Jesus, your Pilate, taking you through the storms of light, to the harbor above in safety, God grant that he is. If not, seek him today while he may be found. Blessed Father, we pray, in the name of our Savior, may every listener have the pilot on board, the Lord Jesus himself, for his name's sake.