Jonah — When A Believer Runs From God

Text: Jonah 1:1-5

Theme: Running from God can be a costly trip.

When I was growing up, one of the top-rated T.V. shows was "The Fugitive." David Jansen played the part of a medical doctor who had been falsely convicted of killing his wife. He was sentenced to prison but escaped when the train he’s on derails, allowing him to escape and begin a cross-country search for the real killer. His goal was to find the “one-armed man” whom he had seen leaving the scene of the murder. Sometime during each show the fugitive would almost get caught by the police. Yet he would always escape and continue his life on the run. He was always looking over his shoulder. He was always afraid of being identified.

Too many believers spend too much of their life doing the same thing spiritually. They are running from God the way the fugitive runs from the police. They’ve been saved — they have their fire insurance policy paid up — but they want little more of God than that. They don't want to face God, talk to God, listen to God or even think about God — unless, of course, there’s some crisis going on in their lives, at which time they expect God to be at their beckon call. Why do so many believers attempt to imitate Jonah? Because, like Jonah, they’re afraid God may ask them to do something they don’t want to do ... CHANGE! Change an attitude or change a behavior, or change a relationship. It may be a call to repent of a sin, or it may be a call to an activity or behavior or a ministry God wants you to be involved in.

Jonah is the best Biblical example of a believer who runs from God.

But the question comes, "Is running from God ever justified?" To put it another way, "Why would a person run from God in the first place?"

From Jonah's life we can learn some answers about running from God.

I. WHEN A PERSON RUNS FROM GOD, IT MEANS THEY HAVE HEARD FROM GOD

1. when did Jonah take off running from God?

2. it was when he heard God speak to him

"The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:" (Jon 1:1, ESV)

a. there was no question as to who Jonah heard speaking

1) it was the LORD — Jehovah, the self-existent I am

2) he has heard the voice of God before and he recognizes the sound of God’s voice

b. our Lord's voice came emphatically

1) God expressed Himself clearly, forcefully and decisively "The word of the LORD came ..."

c. God never merely suggests

1) He demands and commands

2) that is His right — He is God

3. hearing God did not make Jonah run — it was what he heard God say that caused him to run

a. God came calling with a specific matter

"Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." (Jonah 1:2, NIV)

1) some Hebrew scholars believe that preach against it ought to be translated preach to it

2) it’s a subtle difference, but it could be that what Jonah heard was an assignment born from God’s compassion on Nineveh, not an assignment that would necessarily result in judgment on the city

b. it helps to explain Jonah’s motive for flight which we find in the forth chapter

“And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” (Jonah 4:2, ESV)

c. that Nineveh, as the capitol city of the Assyrian Empire, was wicked is not in doubt

1) their military tactics were brutal and barbaric

ILLUS. When they conquered a city, their army resembled ants smothering the carcass of their dead prey, methodically dismembering the city, taking anything of value and burning the rest. Soldiers were rewarded for every severed head they brought in from the field, so that the aftermath of a victory generally witnessed the wholesale decapitation of fallen foes.

a) the Assyrians were feared and hated

2) the Prophet Nahum’s entire prophecy was against the wickedness of Nineveh, and the descriptions of it are vivid

“Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder— no end to the prey! 2 The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! 3 Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over the bodies! 4 And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms.” (Nahum 3:1–4, ESV)

4. it’s easy for us to understand why Jonah might not want to go preach to the Ninevites

a. this is the only case of a prophet, charged with a prophetical call, deliberately concealing it

A. RUNNING FROM GOD IS THE EXPECTED RESPONSE OF LOST MEN

1. the Apostle Paul is an example of a lost man who ran from God for a long time

“At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 26:13–15, ESV)

a. literally vs. 15 reads “to kick against the pricks”

1) the phrase was a Greek proverb, but was familiar to the Jews, and anyone who made a living in agriculture

2) it’s a reference to an ox-goad — a stick with an iron barb at the end used to prod oxen when they were plowing

b. in that word of testimony, Paul is telling King Agrippa that God was continually goading the young Saul and pricking his conscience about the truth of Christ

c. God had to finally knock Paul down to get him to stop running and pay attention

2. lost men and women are running from God

a. sometimes they don't realize they are running from God

b. usually they do

"As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God." (Romans 3:10-11, NIV)

1) Paul affirms that not one person who has ever lived since Adam has openly searched God out, and embraced Him

2. lost men run from God because they have heard His voice and they don't like what He says

a. they hear God say Your righteousness is as filthy rags, and they don’t like what they hear

b. they hear God say Your have sinned, and they don’t like what they hear

c. they hear God say Your good character will not save you, and they don’t like what they hear

d. they hear God say You must repent of your sin, and they don’t like what they hear

e. they hear God say You must be born again, and they don’t like what they hear

1) it's not God's divine presence men bolt from, but His divine will for their lives

a) if God came and gave warm fuzzy feelings, the lost man would be fine with hearing from God

b) if God came saying, “You’re a great guy, just keep doing what you’re doing, and you’ll make it to heaven” the lost man would be fine with hearing from God

c) the lost man assumes that the world is their oyster, God is their enemy, and only they themselves have their best interests at heart

3. lost men hear the voice of the Holy Spirit convicting them of sin, and judgment, and righteousness

a. that conviction makes the sinner uncomfortable

b. to escape the conviction they follow Jonah's example

c. they run!

ILLUS. They run after things. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus compares the godly man to the pagan man. He says that the pagan man sets his heart on the objects of this world; that is they pursue the things of this world. Work becomes their Tarshish. Relationships and networking become their Tarshish. Sexual indulgence becomes their Tarshish. The quest for riches becomes their Tarshish.

4. that is typical of lost people ... we should not be surprised when we witness lost people running from God

B. RUNNING FROM GOD IS THE UNEXPECTED RESPONSE OF THE SAVED MAN

"But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD." (Jonah 1:3, NIV)

1. Jonah is one of God’s elect people, Jonah is a prophet with a successful track record for prophecy, and Jonah ran from God

ILLUS. Remember from our introduction to Jonah last week I said Jonah was popular and had gained a good reputation among the Hebrews for his word had come true about the expanded kingdom and prosperity ... They were God's privileged people and they liked this special status, prosperity, and peace.

a. when Jonah heard what God want him to do he ran away

1) the language here is extremely picturesque

2) literally the Hebrew verb ran away means, Jonah bolted like a horse stung by a bumble bee

b. rather than confront God face-to-face he turned and fled

2. saved men have been known to run from God as well

3. all of us run from God from time-to-time

a. we run from God for the same reasons

b. we don't like what we hear God saying

1) God says, "I want you to teach a Sunday School class," and we don’t like what we hear

2) God says, "I want you to tithe," and we don’t like what we hear

3) God says, "I want you to forgive you Christians sister who sinned against you," and we don’t like what they hear

4) God says, "You have sin in your life I want you to confess and repent of," and we don’t like what we hear

4. listening to God's voice often brings tension into our lives and a conviction that we’re not completely right with God

a. conviction is painful because it usually means we must change in our lives, or change our values, or change our attitude, ... it means CHANGE

1) in Jonah's case obeying God's will mean giving up a life-long prejudice and hate for the people of Nineveh

2) it meant realizing that God cared for people Jonah did not like

5. Jonah was not willing to change so he choose to run

a. like Jonah, it is easier for many believers to run from God than to obey God

b. once we run the first time, running from God gets easier and easier

When a Person Runs from God, it Means They Have Heard from God

II. WHEN A PERSON RUNS FROM GOD, HE BELIEVES HE CAN ESCAPE FROM GOD

1. the word of God had come

2. Jonah knew what God wanted

a. but Jonah had his own ideas

3. Jonah’s plan is to flee from the presence of the Lord by going as far as he can in the opposite direction

a. he thinks that if he can get as far as Tarshish God won’t be able to find him

1) Tarshish is about 2,500 miles to the west on the southern coast of Spain

2) any further and you’ve gone through the Straight of Gibraltar — known in the ancient world it was known as the Pillars of Hercules — and you’re out into the Atlantic Ocean

b. the thing to remember about Jonah’s attempted escape from God is that it took a good deal of planning

ILLUS. He had to plan for a long trip which meant selling property and divesting his interests at home. He has to make up a cover story for family and friends to explain his prolonged absence. He had to travel from the village of Gath-hepher near Nazareth to the coastal town of Joppa. He had to find a ship that was sailing soon and sailing west. He had to find the captain and pay his fare.

4. notice that verse 3 begins with the conjunction of contrast but

A. LOST MEN ARE FULL OF "YEA, BUT"

1. how many times have you heard that lost person you know say, "Yea, but ..."

a. "Yea, but I work hard each week, and Sunday is my only day to sleep in late."

b. "Yea, but I don't need church, it's for weak people who need a crutch."

c. "Yea, but I'm a good person."

d. "Yea, but I've got plenty of time to accept Christ."

e. “Yea, but my wife takes care of the spiritual stuff in the family.”

ILLUS. Jesus encountered such a man. The Bible calls him the Rich Young Ruler. He reminds us that lost people will all slide into hell on their ‘buts’.

B. BELIEVERS CAN HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM

1. God's will for Jonah's life was clear

a. He wanted Jonah to go preach repentance to the wicked city of Nineveh

b. Jonah heard, but responded with, "Yea, but ... God I really don’t like those people"

2. how many times have your heard God speak to you and you've responded with "Yea, but"

a. "Yea, but I can't teach that Sunday School class. I just don't have the time."

b. "Yea, but I can't tithe. I have too many bills."

c. "Yea, but I can't serve on that committee. I don’t like the committee chairman."

d. "Yea, but I don’t want to forgive her. I like holding this grudge. Besides, she started it. She ought to be asking me for forgiveness!”

1) ya know what? A lot of Christians are going to slide into Heaven on their buts

3. Jonah should have known better ... and we should know better!

a. Jonah found out what we all find out sooner-or-later — you can run from God, but you can't hide from God

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”” (Psalm 139:7–11, ESV)

When a Person Runs from God, He Believes He Can Escape from God

III. WHEN A PERSON RUNS FROM GOD, HE IS IN FOR A COSTLY JOURNEY

1. let me get a little allegorical on you here

a. note that when Jonah entered the ship, he paid the fare thereof

b. running from God will always cost you something

1) it will cost you your spiritual peace

2) it will cost you your spiritual power

3) it will cost you the spiritual assurance

ILLUS. Donald Grey Barnhouse, in his commentary on the book, noted that Jonah did not get to where he was going, since he was thrown overboard, and that he obviously did not get a refund on his ticket. So he paid the full fare and did not get to the end of his journey. Barnhouse said, “It is always that way. When you run away from the Lord you never get to where you are going, and you always pay your own fare. On the other hand, when you go the Lord’s way you always get to where you are going, and he pays the fare.”

2. Satan likes for us not to notice things like that

a. when you run from God you pay Satan's toll

A. ANY TIME YOU RUN FROM GOD YOU ARE ALWAYS GOING DOWN

ILLUS. This is something almost every commentary points to. It obviously one of the central themes of the story.

1. he went down to Joppa

2. he went down to the ship

3. he went down into the ship's hold during the storm

4. he went down into the belly of the beast

5. any time you run from god you are always going down

B. ANY TIME YOU RUN FROM GOD YOU ARE ALWAYS HEADED FOR STORMY WEATHER

"But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken." (Jonah 1:4, NIV)

1. when you run from God, don't be surprised when your life is battered by stress and anxiety and you find yourself with no anchor and no secure harbor

2. God is equally up to responding to run-a-way believers

a. vs. 3 begins with But Jonah ... , while vs. 4 begins with Then the Lord ...

b. what did God do? He did three great things

1) 1st, God sent a great storm to get Jonah’s attention

2) 2nd, God prepared a great fish to save Jonah and deliver him back to land

3) 3rd, God saved a great city through the preaching of Jonah, even though it was reluctantly preached, and ridiculously short

c. all of these are acts of mercy on God’s part

C. ANY TIME YOU RUN FROM GOD YOU ALWAYS AFFECT THOSE AROUND YOU

"Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep." (Jonah 1:5, NIV)

1. Jonah's disobedience and backslidding affected not only his life, but the lives of those around him

2. a Christian cannot be out of the will of God and have only his or her own life affected by their disobedience

ILLUS. Peter decides to "go fishing" in John 21 & others go too.

3. every time we run from God, we are telling God, ‘My way of navigating this particular situation is better than yours. My wisdom and skill are more efficient and more effective in this moment than your wisdom and skill.’

a. it’s not that we stop believing; It’s just that what we believe has shifted

When a Person Runs from God, He Is in for a Costly Journey

There is a better choice this evening than running away from God. Run to Him. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me ... and I will give you rest."

God's calling the shots. He's running the show. Either he's in full control or he's off his throne.

Jerry Clower was a great story teller. He once told a story of a young girl who accepted Christ as her Savior and sought membership in a local church. "Were you a sinner before you received the Lord Jesus into your life?" inquired an old deacon.

"Yes, sir," she replied.

"Well, are you still a sinner?" asked the old deacon.

"To tell you the truth, I feel I'm a greater sinner than ever," replied the little girl.

"Then what real change have you experienced?" said the deacon.

"I don't quite know how to explain it," she said, "except I used to be a sinner running AFTER sin, but now that I am saved I'm a sinner running FROM sin!"

The old deacon stood and recommended that she be taken into the fellowship of the church, remarking that her testimony showed that she was truly converted.