JONAH CHAPTER 1: NOTICING OPPOSITES 

Jonah is one of those stories from the Bible that is often taught at VBS or scoffed by cynics or considered far-fetched or fictional but is a vivid true story from the Old Testament (confirmed by Jesus Christ Himself as real and historical, Matthew 12:40, 16:4).  There is much for us. 

OPPOSITES IN VERSES 1-3 

There are some things in this story that are backward and upside down and that is the point, and we are supposed to notice.  There are two phrases at the beginning of chapter one that are examples of this: “The Word of the Lord” vs. “ran away from the presence of the Lord.”  Jonah ran away from the Word which he knew to be true.  He rejected the presence of God Whom he served.  Jonah acted the opposite of the way we expect because we expect a prophet to obey and be a willing vehicle of grace.  Jonah was not willing to be a vehicle for grace.  He rejected grace. 

OPPOSITES IN VERSE 9 

Another example in this chapter of this oppositeness, Jonah is speaking to the pagan non-God-fearing sailors and declares himself a worshipper/fearer of God and yet he was purposefully disobedient… for he knew the sea storm was because of him.  In verse 9, Jonah declares himself a Hebrew and a God-fearer and yet he is running from God and not obeying.  Jonah feared the Lord, but disobeyed and this is the opposite of what we expect. 

THE KEY TO THE OPPOSITES 

The key to the conflicted nature of Jonah is that he refused to deny himself.  To put it in New Testament terms, he did not want to “deny himself and take up his cross and follow the Lord.”  He believed in the God of Heaven but balked at this assignment which went against his human opinions. 

Here is where this passage moves from just being a whale of a story and one that sinks down below the skin and becomes very practical: 

Jonah just didn’t want to serve the way God commanded. 

Jonah wanted to serve God but on his own terms. 

Jonah desired God to act according to human-designed parameters.   

Jonah didn’t want it to be hard or uncomfortable. 

Jonah didn’t want to serve where it cost him. 

You and I are called to give mercy and grace and it will cost us.  Obedience is required to go where God sends and speak what God directs.  Obedience shows our love for God and God commands us to be His vessels of God’s grace.  We must take up the cross and go where God sends and be obedient to Him.  It might be uncomfortable or grind against our prejudices, but we must obey the Lord. 

SUMMARY 

The strangeness of Jonah and the conflicting nature of his actions and his faith are part of what makes this book of the Bible so compelling.  The disobedient nature of the prophet is what draws us into his life and his conflicted nature.  Jonah did not understand God’s mercy and grace at the beginning (chapter 1) and by the end of the book (chapter 4) he has an intimate knowledge of God’s mercy and grace.   

QUESTIONS TO THINK ON 

Are you a kind and merciful person to those who are foolish and terrible? 

How quick are you to be fed up with someone’s nonsense? 

Do you deny yourself and follow God when bad attitudes rise in you? 

Do you allow God to work His character and mercy through you? 

Are you an effective vessel for God’s grace? 

BMD