Part 1: The Sovereign Lord

Introduction

It is not uncommon for people to try and think of God as the God of wrath in the Old Testament and then a God of love in the New Testament.

There is one major issue with this view: The Book of Jonah!

Jonah 1:1–16 ESV

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. 4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.” 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.

1) God is Sovereign Over the Nations…

Ninevah, a city of great influence within Assyria that would later go on to be the capital city, was a place of great sin and lawlessness.

It was known historically for its great wickedness and blatant disregard for human life.

God had chosen Israel as His Chosen people.

In Exodus 19:5–6 “5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.””

Israel was to be God’s Chosen people for a purpose…to be a light to all nations.

In His Sovereignty, God was calling for His prophet to go and proclaim His message of judgment against it.

This took place in a time where Assyria was an enemy of Israel.

God’s purpose with an enemy of Israel was not favorable in the eyes of Jonah.

2) God is Sovereign Over Circumstances…

Jonah rejected the Lord and ran…

Jonah couldn’t run away from God’s influence!

When we run from God, we are never getting away from Him.

God used Jonah’s circumstances as an opportunity to get His attention.

There is no where we can run that God cannot reach us.

Jonah even tried to use death as an escape…

God would not allow it

3) God is Sovereign Over People…

Contrast between Pagan fearing the Lord and God’s prophet actively rebelling.

God, in His Sovereignty, used Jonah’s rebellion as a means of His grace for His glory.

Closing

The first chapter of Jonah shows us that God has regard for all people.

In this first chapter, He desires an opportunity for a rebellious pagan nation to encounter HIs prophet / messenger; He puts pagan sailors in a situation to encounter His might and receive His grace and mercy; and He allows a rebellious servant another chance through unlikely means.

This God who is Sovereign is still the same God who is Sovereign over us today.