Jonah 1:1

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.

1. There’s Always a Boat

Jonah 1:3 

He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish.

If you start running away from the Lord, the devil will always have a boat for you—and you’ll always have money to pay the way. — Billy Graham

Proverbs 14:12

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

2. There’s Always a Storm

The Bible does not say that every difficulty is the result of sin —but it does teach that every sin will bring you into difficulty.

Galatians 6:7-8

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

God Storms - designed to wake you up.

Enemy Storms - designed to take you out.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

A storm that comes from God: its purpose is not to destroy you, it’s to get you back on track.

Jonah 1:4 

The Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea,

When Jonah fled, he was not running from duty—he was running from God. And yet, God did not let him go. The storm was not a curse; it was grace. A warning before the shipwreck. A correction before the collapse. We are tempted to see difficulty as God’s absence, when in reality, it may be His pursuit. — Charles Spurgeon

3. When the Storm hits you, it hits those in the boat with you.

Romans 14:7

None of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone

You are deeply connected to the people around you.

Jonah 1:5

Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.

The more we resist God and his warnings, the more numb and hard-hearted we become.

Zechariah 7:11-12

They refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit

Jonah 1:5 

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. 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. 17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Substitutionary Instinct

We intuitively understand that one person laying down their life can mean life for others.

Jonah does not offer to go back to God in repentance. He does not say, ‘God, I’ve been running from you, but now I surrender—turn this boat around and take me to Nineveh.’ Instead, he would rather die than obey the Lord. Jonah is not changing here—he is hardening. —  Tim Keller

Jonah 1:14 

They called out to the Lord,  “O Lord, let us not perish for this man's life,

Matthew 12:41

Something greater than Jonah is here.

Someone greater than Jonah is here–Jesus!

Jonah 1:16 

Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

The sailors came to know God through the storm; they saw God’s power, His mercy, His sovereignty—and they surrendered. They forsook their gods, made sacrifices, and swore allegiance to the true God.

Start swearing like sailors

What false gods do you need to forsake?

What sacrifice is God calling you to make?

What vow of faithfulness do you need to declare today?