Man Overboard

Jonah 1:10-16

When I lived in Florida, I had a manager that invited a group of us to the lake. We went riding on his boat and went tubing. It was a lot of fun. As we were getting ready to leave, a storm came up. Suddenly the water was very choppy, and it started to rain. As we were making our way to the landing, we came upon a boat that was sinking. The people were doing everything they could, but it was to no avail. Thankfully, they were close enough to shore that the boat did not completely submerge. Even still, it was a sight I will always remember. I have no desire to be on a boat that is going down!

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“Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous.

And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.”

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, “We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You.” So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows.”

Jonah 1:10-16

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Just like me, the sailors in our story had no desire to be on a sinking ship either. They were fighting with everything they had to keep the boat afloat, but they were losing that fight. They threw all of their cargo into the sea, but the boat kept taking on water. They rowed as hard as they could, but the boat went nowhere. They asked Jonah why he had brought this upon them, but they were sharing in his judgment. Yes, his sin had consequences for everyone around him.

Jonah told the sailors what to do. They needed to throw him into the sea and they would be spared. Isn't it interesting that this prophet of God didn't say, "Join me and let's pray that God will spare us"? I have to wonder if he was thinking, "If they throw me out of the boat, I will drown, they will be saved, and I still will not have to go to Nineveh"? If that is the case, then Jonah chose death for himself over the forgiveness and salvation of an entire city of people.

When they had exhausted all of their efforts, they consented to throw Jonah overboard. Just as soon as the act was carried out, the sea became calm and the winds still. If there was any doubt about the power of Jonah's God before, that doubt was removed. Perhaps they were being superstitious before, but the storm calming at the word of a prophet was more than superstition. These men stopped everything and had a worship service.

Jonah should have been ashamed of himself. He was a prophet of God. He had carried the Word of God to his people. He had heard God's voice. Now, it was pagan sailors who were leading in worship and Jonah was rebelling against His own God. A child of God should never allow himself to be motivated by hate more than righteousness. We shouldn't, but if we take our eyes off of God, and focus more on the things of this world, we are all capable of being just like Jonah.

While there will be a redemptive quality to Jonah's story, it is never Jonah himself. He will forever be remembered as the hateful prophet who did not want to preach Salvation's message. He did not love the people he was called to preach to. He tried to leave so he didn't have to preach. He tried to die so that he didn't have to preach. What a sad, sad plot to this story. Are there times in our own lives when the world praises God for His mighty works more than we his children do? Do we allow the lost world to worship the God that they do not know, more than we worship the God we do know? If so, what is our Nineveh? What is it that is driving a wedge between us and God? We need to get rid of it before we, like Jonah, find ourselves drowning in the consequences of our own choices.

Father, if there is anything that is driving a wedge between me and You, I pray that You remove it. Help me to walk with You in obedience and worship. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.