Jonah at the Mercy of God
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
What is the difference between being shown mercy and being at the mercy of someone? We all want mercy to be shown us at times, but we typically don’t like being at the mercy of someone. Mercy is a beautiful thing to experience, where compassion is shown to us and we receive good things whether we deserve them or not. Being at the mercy of someone, however, means to have all our power and ability taken away from us so that our very survival is dependent on someone else showing us mercy. We don’t like this situation because we have no hope if the person who holds us at their mercy doesn’t show mercy.
We are all, at all times, at the mercy of God. Scripture is full of examples where God displays this through judgement, from Noah’s flood or the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah, to God’s judgement on Nebuchadnezzer or of Ananias and Sapphirah. However, we tend to live without this in mind. It is a truth people either deny or purposefully forget because they don’t want to be at the mercy of a holy, powerful God. But for us to have a relationship with God that is based on faith and submission to his will, we need to be willing to be placed at the mercy of the almighty.
Jonah Discovered and Questioned
Jonah Discovered and Questioned
This was no ordinary storm. It had come on so suddenly that they were close enough to think they could row back to land. The sailors see this as a sign that some god has been offended and they are desperate to find out why.
While Jonah was called to go to the nations and preach the word of God, he is found out by these pagans from their practices of divination. Although God does not endorse divination, God still uses at times throughout the OT uses astrology and divination to reveal himself specifically to pagans and pagan kings like Nebuchadnezzar or the three magi who came to worship Christ.
Although the lot lands on Jonah, they do not assume that Jonah is guilty, only that Jonah has something to do with this storm. Jonah can clearly see that God is following him and not letting him get away with the rebellion he has going on.
The Sailor’s words should be noted. They want to try to figure out how this man Jonah fits into one of the gods being angry. They ask him a variety of questions to come up with theories.
Jonah’s Confession
Jonah’s Confession
Jonah answers all of their relevant questions in his short reply. He is a Hebrew, which tells them whey he comes from, who his people are, and who he worships. But he assumes these likely Canaanite sailors don’t know much about Jewish religion and so he tells them he fears YHWH, who is the god of heaven but who also made the sea and the dry land. There is no realm beyond his God’s grasp.
Now, apparently the sailors already knew that Jonah was running away from a local deity, but now that they know his God is literally God of everything they are rightly terrified. Their exclamation is the equivalent to saying, “you did what??”
Thankfully, not only had Jonah woken up from his sleep in a soon to be sinking ship, he had woken up to the reality of his sin and rebellion. He was forced to confess it and he saw how his sin was not only hurting him, but destroying his ability to bring a godly example to the nations.
Never the less, these Canaanites are struck by the fear of God. It is ironic that they can be so afraid after hearing about Jonah’s sin against this mighty God while Jonah sleeps through it. It is a mark on Jonah’s faith, showing him to have little belief in God's mighty power and unchallenged will.
The sailors wait until it is their final option. They are conscientious about not bringing guilt upon themselves. While God often used pagan nations to discipline and punish his people, few if any ever did it with such a reverence for God. These sailors are an example to Jonah of the right fear he should have of God. They respect his holiness and in the end they even offer their own worship, likely in the pagan fashions that they were accustomed to.
The men finally submit themselves to the will of God (vs 14) hurl Jonah into the sea (vs 15) and sure enough the sea becomes calm. Verse 16 tells us that they feared the Lord even more after seeing this.
Even when God’s people fail to display God’s character and glory, God is faithful to his name and to his mission. In Jonah’s disobedience, a ship full of pagans are brought to worship God in reverence and awe. A powerful reminder to us that we cannot do anything to stop or help the Kingdom of God. It is all God’s work.
Jonah at the Mercy of God
Jonah at the Mercy of God
Now if the text ended there, the assumption would be that Jonah died in the merciless sea. The Jews were not a seafaring people, Jonah likely did not know how to swim and the seas were a place of death and chaos for them.
But that is not his end. God has sovereignly appointed a great sea monster, a big fish to swallow Jonah and Jonah would be there for three days and three nights.
Jonah being swallowed by the fish was:
A mercy. Not exactly a life raft, but metaphorically exactly that. The fish is not part of Jonah’s punishment, its to save him and keep him.
A reminder of God’s firm hold over his life. The fish does not immediately spit up Jonah on dry land. Instead, he is held in God’s custody as it were for three days and nights. He has no say over where he goes, he is unable to free himself or look after himself. He is completely at the mercy of God
God wants to bring his people to the end of themselves so that they have nothing else they will, or can, rest on but him. Jonah only ran away from God because he believed he could. God now has him where he cannot go anywhere and must trust God or die. God his holding him until he stops struggling and begins to trust God’s will.
Why do we need to rest at the mercy of God?
If we cannot rest at the mercy of God, we cannot rest in the mercy of God. That is, if we are not prepared to trust God completely, we cannot experience the fullness of his mercy.
Because we are already at his mercy, and we had best make peace with God rather than struggle against him.
Because being at the mercy of God is a truly peaceful and blessed state.
There is only true, spiritual peace when we submit to God’s complete sovereignty over us. Otherwise our lives are caught in a storm of our own making in rebellion against God.
It is a peaceful state because only at God’s mercy are we truly able to leave all our anxieties and cares in his hands.
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
It is a truly blessed state because God blesses those who submit to him.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
It is a blessed state because God works all things for the good of those who love him.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
It is a blessed state because Christ is gentle to the lowly in heart and to the one who is weak.
a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;
It is a blessed state because only those with a childlike disposition will inherit the Kingdom of God.
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
Jonah was more secure in the hands of God in a giant fish than he was in his own hands. Although difficult, scary, and probably really gross, Jonah found himself in a very real demonstration of the state we are all in. We are at the hands of God’s mercy.
We can either embrace that fact with childlike faith in the love and care he shows us in Christ, or make war against in, vying for control in a fruitless struggle that will leave us struggling against the waves of our own rebellion until we drown.