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Jonah 1:9-10 Jonah 1:9-Jonah Identifies Himself As a Hebrew

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Jonah 1:9-10 Jonah 1:9-Jonah Identifies Himself As a Hebrew Jonah 1:9-10 Jonah 1:9-Jonah Identifies Himself As A Hebrew Worshipper Of The Lord God Of Heaven, Creator Of Sea And Earth By way of review, the first of seven scenes in the book of Jonah appears in Jonah 1:1-3. Jonah 1:1 introduces to the reader the principle characters of the book of Jonah, namely, the Lord and Jonah who function in the narrative as protagonist and antagonist. All the other human characters in the narrative are unnamed with the exception of course, of Jonah’s father, Amittai. These unnamed characters are foils to emphasize the relationship between Jonah and the Lord. Interestingly, the word of the Lord begins the narrative and ends it. Therefore, the book of Jonah is concerned with the effects and consequences of the word of the Lord. Next, in Jonah 1:2a, we saw the Lord commanding Jonah to go immediately to the great city of Nineveh. This journey from Gath-Hepher, Jonah’s hometown to Nineveh is approximately 500 miles east, which would be a rugged journey. Then, in Jonah 1:2b, the Lord commands Jonah to announce judgment against the Ninevites because of their wickedness. Jonah 1:3 records Jonah disobeying the Lord’s command to go immediately to Nineveh and announce judgment against its inhabitants because of their wickedness. Instead of going to Nineveh, the prophet heads in the opposite direction and boards a merchant ship at Joppa heading to Tarshish. Jonah 1:1, “Now, a message from the Lord was communicated to Jonah, the son of Amittai, 2 ‘You must go immediately to Nineveh, that great city and then announce judgment against it because their wickedness has come to my attention.’ 3 However, instead Jonah arose in order to flee to Tarshish from the commission of the Lord. Specifically, he traveled down to Joppa and then found a ship, which was heading to Tarshish. Next, he paid for her services. Then, he went down into her in order to head to Tarshish with them from the commission of the Lord.” (My translation) Jonah 4:1-2 reveals that Jonan disobeyed the Lord because he knew full well that the Lord wanted him to issue a proclamation of impending destruction of Nineveh and its inhabitants in order to elicit a response from the Ninevites, namely that they would repent so He could not execute this judgment. So Jonah hated the Ninevites so much that he was willing to travel all the way across the Mediterranean Sea to get away from them. He is out of the “geographical” will of God meaning Jonah is not in the geographical location that the Lord has directed him to be in. He is out of this geographical will of God because he does not want the Ninevites to get saved. He has a great prejudice 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1 against the Ninevites and the nation of Assyria as a whole because they were a great enemy of Israel. Jonah is also going against the “directive” will of God meaning he is disobeying a direct command from the Lord. The Lord is permitting Jonah to disobey Him, which is the “permissive” will of God. However, Jonah will soon experience the “overruling” will of God in that the Lord will “overrule” Jonah’s bad decision and will use a storm and a great fish to “overrule” his bad decision. The second scene in the book of Jonah appears in Jonah 1:4-16. Jonah 1:4 records the Lord responding to Jonah’s disobedience by hurling a powerful wind on the sea that threatened to break up the ship. Jonah 1:4, “However, the Lord caused a great wind to be hurled against the sea so that there was a great storm upon the sea. In fact, the ship’s captain and crew were made to think they were being broken to pieces.” (My translation) In Jonah 1:5, we see each of the crew members crying out to their gods and flinging the ship’s cargo overboard in an attempt to save it while Jonah is sound asleep down below the ship’s deck. Jonah 1:5, “Consequently, the sailors were terrified so that each individual crew member cried out for help in distress to his own god. Then they hurled the cargo, which was in the ship into the sea in order to ease the burden upon them. However, Jonah went down into the inner most recesses of the ship. Then, he lay down and then fell into a deep hypnotic sleep.” (My translation) This verse contrasts the frantic efforts of the crew to save their ship and their lives with that of Jonah’s indifference. Undoubtedly, he must have been exhausted not only because of the journey to Joppa and seeking out a ship going to Tarshish but also he must have been exhausted and thus psychologically depressed by his determination to rebel against the command of the Lord to go to Nineveh. Then, in Jonah 1:6, we see that each of the crew members cries out to their gods and hurls the ship’s cargo overboard in an attempt to save it while Jonah is sound asleep down below the ship’s deck. Jonah 1:6, “Next, the captain of the crew advanced toward him and then he posed a question to him, ‘what are you doing sound asleep? Get up! Cry out for help to your god! Perhaps, your god will desire to act favorably for the benefit of himself and all of us so that we will by no means die.” (My translation) The ship’s captain’s conduct stands in stark contrast with Jonah’s since the former demonstrates great concern for his crew whereas Jonah has no concern at all. The storm presented a great opportunity to witness to the heathen crew of this Phoenician vessel. However, Jonah shows no desire to evangelize them. He is wasting a great opportunity to tell these men about the Lord. 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2 The captain also recognizes his need for divine intervention in this terrible storm that threatens the lives of himself and his crew whereas Jonah is dead to the world. The heathen captain uses prayer whereas the man of God sleeps. The captain’s demand for prayer from Jonah is a rebuke as indicated by the fact that he uses the same language that the Lord used in commanding him to go to the Ninevites and announce judgment against that great city’s inhabitants. Next, in Jonah 1:7, the crew casts lots to determine which individual on the ship was responsible for bringing this disastrous, life-threatening storm upon the ship and they discover that Jonah is fault. Jonah 1:7, “Then, each individual crew member spoke to his mate, ‘Come, let us cast lots in order that we may know on whose account, against whom this disaster has taken place against us.’ Consequently, they cast lots and as a result the lot fell on Jonah.” (My translation) Like Jonah 1:4, this verse emphasizes the Lord’s sovereignty over Jonah’s life, i.e. his circumstances. It stresses with the reader that the Lord will exercise that sovereignty and omnipotence to change the prophet’s mind about obeying His command to go to the great city of Nineveh and announce judgment against its inhabitants. Jonah 1:7 also emphasizes the providence of God, which expresses the fact that the world and our lives are not ruled by chance or fate but by God. It emphasizes that God is in control of Jonah’s life and the life of the heathen crew. It stresses with the reader that the Lord controls the circumstances of our lives, right down to the lot that fell to Jonah. It emphasizes that it was no accident that Jonah’s shard with his name on it was chosen. Jonah has learned the principle taught in Numbers 32:23 that his sin of disobeying the Lord has found him out. He thought he could hide it from the crew that he disobeyed the Lord and was the reason the storm came upon the ship. Numbers 32:20, “Then Moses replied, ‘If you will do this thing, and if you will arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, and if all your armed men cross the Jordan before the Lord until he drives out his enemies from his presence and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be free of your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. This land will then be your possession in the Lord’s sight. 23 But if you do not do this, then look, you will have sinned against the Lord. And know that your sin will find you out.’” (NET Bible) Lastly, Jonah 1:8 records the crew interrogating Jonah. Jonah 1:8, “Then, they interrogated him, ‘Please for our sake tell us now on whose account, against who has this disaster taken place against us? What is your occupation? In fact, where do you come from? Specifically, from where in the world are your people?’” (My translation) 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3 Jonah 1:8 records the crew interrogating Jonah by asking him five questions. The answer to the first question was simply soliciting a confession from Jonah since Jonah 1:10 records that before the storm Jonah had told the crew that he was disobeying his commission from the Lord. Also, the fact that the lot fell to Jonah also indicated that the crew already knew the answer to the first question.
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