When Consequence Turns Out to Be Providence

Introduction

When we are tasked with an assignment it’s not up to us to choose if we are a part of the repentance, restoration, or reconciliation. That’s God’s choosing. Typically, history suggest that God will use different people at every stop, nonetheless each role is extremely important. To our human brain it may seem far fetched to spend three days in the belly of great fish, nonetheless, there is a lesson that we can learn from the prayer of Jonah. One thing that we have to realize is that we are never too far out of reach from God. Sometimes the remedy for running is being forced to sit. In this case it was in the belly of a fish. There are times that we have run from responsibilities and calling from God just to find ourselves the culprit for a storm that we caused. It’s quite sobering to see that Jonah asked to be tossed over the ship. One would suggest that he was requesting to die. Some scholars even point toward suicidal ideation rather that adhering to the assignment that God had provided.

The silver lining is this, the belly of the fish was better than death in that moment, and was better than drowning in that moment. To reiterate there’s no place outside or beyond the reach of God. No matter how far you’ve wandered God’s hand is extended, now I need to be honest with you that your responsibility still exist and there is some work that has to be done in effort to ensure that we begin to walk in the obedience of God. Faith suggest that no matter how far I’ve wandered, even when the grace of God looks ugly, the belly of fish is better than drowning in your sin.

When we are the cause of the storm, sometimes our removal brings peace to the innocent bystanders, but our storm is just beginning.

Textually it’s imperative that we understand that Jonah crying out to God in this matter was not out of the ordinary. A similar disposition is shared in Psalm 120:1 “In my distress I cried to the Lord, And He heard me.”

One of the beautiful parts about the words of Jonah is the fact that it’s not just lamenting, it’s lamenting in the midst of thanksgiving. Understand trusting in God will prompt us to hang in the balance of struggling but thankful at the same time! Finding thanksgiving in the midst of a storm is what leads to deliverance.

New Living Translation Chapter 1

15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the LORD’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.

17 Now the LORD had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

If it had not been for this fish, Jonah would have perished. Nonetheless the grace of God provided an unorthodox way of preserving Jonah for the mission that God called him to. See sometimes we feel stuck but truthfully our stuck may be the holding place for repentance, we would be surprised at the depths we can go to to truly see God for who He actually is.

What We Know

Jonah was thrown over the ship because of his own disobedience

Jonah refused to go to Nineveh and believed that he could out run God.

Jonah did not just run history according to 1 Kings 10:22 “For the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.” Jonah was looking to be gone a lot longer than three days!

I understand why Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh there are engraved images of leaders of Nineveh surround by the dismembered body parts of enemies, nonetheless even history suggest that Assyria didn’t pose an immediate threat to Israel at that time nonetheless God’s providence today suggest protection in the future.

On The Run

What is your Nineveh this morning, what are you running from? Where have you decided to go to Joppa rather than facing the assignment that God has given you.

As we approach chapter two we see that Prayer takes place in a place that God placed Him. Even in disobedience the protection from drowning comes in a place where Jonah has no control of running or staying. This is something that Jonah has to sit in. Sometimes the remedy for running is being forced to sit. Family when you’ve been running too long God will force you to sit down and really reflect on everything that you’ve been going through at that moment.

Jonah 2:1 - “Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish. He said, I cried out to the LORD in great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and LORD, you heard me!”

It’s mind-blowing to see this, the first instinct of Jonah when God gave the message to Him the first time was to run. He ran into a storm, tossed aside to a raging sea, just to be saved by God and placed on the path he was supposed to be on in the first place.

There’s consequences that come from being on the run, you will find yourself overcome by the depth of life, the mighty waters of wandering, and the seaweed of strife.

But even on the run, God’s grace shows up. see the belly of the fish as bad as it may be, is a whole lot better than drowning. We could’ve drowned in our sin this morning, but in the midst of sinking, God prepared some grace in the form of a fish. Sometimes God has some obscure ways according to our rationale but sometimes God has got to pull out the big fish to get our attention.

In other words when consequences overtake me God’s grace shows up in ways I don’t expect. Pay attention to the fact that there is no piece of Jonah that’s not overwhelmed.

The mighty waters engulfed me

I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.

So much so he’s just asking for one more chance! You ever thought you were on your last chance. Language and actions change. Jonah 2:4 “Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’”

These are those God if you get me out of this, I promise you ______

Sometimes God has to take everything away from you so you appreciate the assignment God gave you in the first place. Even in the midst of the storm, I thank God that He’s given me the ability to see Him even in the waves, even in the belly of the fish!

New Living Translation Chapter 2

7 As my life was slipping away,

I remembered the LORD.

And my earnest prayer went out to you

in your holy Temple.

It’s Going to Take Some Repentance Before Deliverance

New Living Translation Chapter 2

8 Those who worship false gods

turn their backs on all God’s mercies.

9 But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,

and I will fulfill all my vows.

For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.”

10 Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.

When you are in your belly of the fish moment, it’s not about what anyone else is doing it’s about what you are going to offer God in this moment. Salvation comes from God, and no one else! I know you have been looking for deliverance from books, hanging out with friends, vacations, podcasts, shopping, alcohol, drugs. Understand there’s nothing that can replace the ability that God has to deliver you! The consequence may not be removed but the providence of God isn’t going anywhere. It’s interesting of what you’ll be thankful for when you know death could’ve been the consequence. Thanksgiving, commitment and repentance led to salvation.

You might be in a situation of isolation right now - God hears you! Jonah made a commitment in the belly of the fish not after he got out. We have to stop praying that God just get us out and commit while we are in it.

You will never be too far from the reach of God, even if you decided to run in the opposite direction! Commit your way to the Lord today! If you showed up today, it’s not too late! Forget the past, and let’s push forward to the future.

Isaiah 43:18–19 ““Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.”

DELIVERANCE AWAITS! God is the only one that can set you free.