Jonah: The Reluctanct Prophet-9

Introduction: Jonah is cast into the sea, despite the efforts of the Mariners. The results are several: the sea ceased from her raging, the men feared the Lord, and a prepared fish swallows Jonah.

Text: Jonah 1:13-17

Jonah 1:13–17 KJV 1900

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. 14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. 15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows. 17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

We see here in this section:

D. The Casting Forth v13-17

Remember that the Mariners, in spite of Jonah’s advisement attempt to row hard to bring the boat to the land according to verse 13.

And so we have in our notes, this conjunctive word “Nevertheless”

1. Nevertheless v13

Herein is a great truth for you and I, we are responsible for what we know and have been taught.

The second conjunctive word we see at the end of this chapter is the word “wherefore.”

2. Wherefore v14

“Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.”

Remember earlier in the chapter that the Mariners had cried every man unto his own god.

Just like we saw the difference in the fear in verse 10 versus verse 5 there is a difference in this praying versus the praying that was taking place before.

What is different about this prayer by the Mariners?

The answer is they were now praying to the one true Living God.

In order for them to pray in this manner they certainly had faith in Jonah’s message concerning the the LORD.

The demonstration of that faith is seen in not only their prayer but also the very act of tossing Jonah overboard.

John Butler said this in his commentary concerning the praying of the Mariners,

“The person who does not pray much will be a person who has trouble submitting to the will of God.” -John Butler

In other words, there is connection with fellowship with God and our obedience to God.

Three items I would have us note concerning this prayer :

They prayed desperately to God.

They prayed reverentially to God.

They prayed in submission to God.

We see in the first part of this prayer, that the mariners are desperate. And surely they were.

This may sound strange but these Mariners, perhaps will look back and thank the LORD for the desperate straits God allowed to come into their lives.

You and I today are so plagued with our self-sufficiency apart from God.

These Mariners, with a revelation of truth concerning Jehovah God, cry out in their desperation.

Notice they state, “O Lord, we beseech thee...”

All of their self-sufficiency had evaporated and now they are in a position of reliance upon God alone.

Even without the circumstances of life such as these the question for us by way of application is:

Do we realize that we are dependent upon God alone?

James 5:16 states that we ought to have fervency in our prayers.

Fervency has to do with energy (energeo-ενεργεω) or ‘that which works’ or is ‘effectual.’ We might say it has to do with earnestness and is related to our persistence.

These Mariners were serious. They state, “O Lord, we beseech you...”

We see also that they are no longer crying out to just any God but that they use the name Jehovah.

John Phillips pointed this out concerning this prayer, “Earlier the captain had urged Jonah to call upon Elohim, the God of all creation translated “God” as in 1:6). Now the sailors prayed to Jehovah, the living covenantal God of the Jewish people (translated “LORD” as in 1:10,14).

Secondly, they cry out reverentially. In this they ask the Lord not to perish for Jonah’s life and to not be accountable for tossing Him overboard.

These men have been awakened to the exceeding sinfulness of sin in the face of a holy and righteous God.

It reminds us of the statement that we find in I Peter 4:17,18 which states,

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” I Peter 4:17,18

Lastly, we see a prayer in submission to God.

Notice the last part of their prayer in verse 14.

“…O LORD, thou hast done as it pleased thee.”

We have a repetition of them naming Jehovah God, but also a statement of God’s sovereignty.

What I find interesting about their statement is that it is almost a direct quotation of what we find in Psalm 115, though I do not believe they were quoting that particular Psalm.

The Bible says in Psalm 115:3, “3 But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”

Psalm 135:6 states very similarly, “Whatsoever the LORD pleased, That did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.”

Our behavior will be determined by what we believe concerning the Scriptures and God.

Now we move on to verse 15,

“So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.”

3. So v15

Having prayed to the Lord, they took Jonah up and cast him into the sea.

“Note also that Jonah did not jump overboard, but the sailors had to throw him overboard. Throwing Jonah overboard was the only way the sailors could genuinely show their faith in Jonah's message. Just because Jonah was willing to be thrown overboard did not save the sailors.” -John Butler

The Scriptures give us the indication that immediately the waters cease from their raging.

Can you imagine seeing this take place?

Example: Causing waves in a pool.

“Ordinarily, the waves still swell, when the wind has ceased. The sea, when it had received Jonah, was hushed at once, to show that God alone raised and quelled it. It “stood” still, like a servant, when it had accomplished its mission.”

Albert Barnes is referencing the word “ceased” (עמד ‛âmad) which literally would mean to stand still.

This, as we will see in the next verse, had a profound effect upon the Mariners.

We are reminded of the Lord’s calming of the storm in Luke 8:24.

And in this, a remarkable example once again of the deity of Jesus Christ.

Let us now turn to verse 16,

“Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.”

4. Then v16

Only God could do this!!… the mysterious work in the lives of others by the testimony of a disobedient prophet, through all of this, the Bible says, “Then the men feared the LORD...”

Here they are offering a sacrifice, not to a pagan God but Jehovah God.

Here they are making vows…plural… What the vows were, no one knows, but who were they making vows too? Almighty God.

One expositor guessed by saying, “Perhaps they vowed to serve him, to believe in him, and to worship him.” - Dr. David Sorenson

What a tremendous verse!

This ought to give hope to every one of us here today who know of others, that are “hard” cases, rejecting the Lord at this very hour.

These men if they got saved we will find out in glory, but nonetheless we have a remarkable statement.

The constant reminder given to us in the book of Jonah is the inclusiveness of the Gospel message.

God through his penman, is declaring that He is interested in men being saved.

You see, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9

5. Now v17

Illustration: Dr. Whitcomb and Dr. Fullertons encounter with a Princeton College Student.

Dr. John Whitcomb (Brilliant Bible Scholar and Partner with Dr. Henry Morris the founder of ICR. ) and Dr. Fullerton at Princeton university.... they were going by to visit a student in the dorms who signed up for this Bible study and had left off attending that Bible study.- They found the young man in the dorm in a room full of other college students. When they entered they begin speaking to the young man inviting him to come back to the Bible study…The young man replied obviously embarrassed in front of all the others...“Gentlemen I am very sorry I am not interested in coming to a Bible class anymore at all. Dr.Whitcomb thought in his heart like saying, “Well i am sure sorry we bothered you good bye...” Dr. Fullerton though paused and said very graciously and with a smile, “Why are not interested in studying the Bible any more.” The young man continued I have been here for four months and i have discovered that the Bible is not true.. Dr. Fullerton said, “Well you have been here four months, what have you discovered about the Bible that convinced you it was not true?” (Of course the young man paused and was not prepared really to answer this…but the student was trapped now what was he going to say,...The young man blurted out well the example of Jonah---being swallowed by a whale.... absolutely scientifically and historically absurd and impossible. ....In Dr. Whitcomb’s words talking about Dr. Fullerton“This young man said the wrong thing to the wrong person”....Dr. Whitcomb said he was prevented providentially hindered from saying anything at all but though the best course was to jump in and talk about digging up all manner of evidences where men have actually been swallowed and survived. (Consequently, there is one in John Philips commentary on this book)… He continued, Looking back I am so thankful that God prevented me from saying anything at all, because the last thing that that young man needed was a scientific explanation. What he needed he explained was what followed. Dr. Fullerton - — said,I am so thankful you mentioned Jonah… especially in light of what Jesus Christ the Lord said about it and I would like to sit down and talk about these wonderful things with you but before I offer you that let me tell you how I came to know that everything in this book is true... I was student at this very college 30 years ago. And I wanted nothing to do with God or the Bible. Until one day the Lord brought me to bottom in my life and the only place i had to look was up and God met me in his grace and mercy through Jesus Christ the Lord, Gods perfect and infinite love gift to the human race… And he began to unfold the Gospel.... as Dr. Whitcomb was stunned…He didn’t argue about Jonah or the whale or the historicity..... but gave him the Gospel…

v17 “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

I want us to understand as we close out this chapter that it is God that prepared this fish… This was no accident, this is not something you and I have to explain away…

There are four different items are presented to us in the book of Jonah that God prepared.

God prepared this fish. 1:17

God prepared the gourd 4:6

God prepared the worm 4:7

God prepared the east wind 4:8

This is outside of the fact of the tempest that we see here in this very chapter...

All I am trying to illustrate is simply this, these occurences and things in the book of Jonah were directly prepared by God.

As Dr. Whitcomb stated in His message, what is more miraculous than a fish that swallowed a man, is God preperation of the prophet Jonah...

And you and I could similarly look at how he brought us unto Himself… from the miry bondage of sin....by His grace, by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.... and marvel....