We often forget that God doesn’t call the qualified, but he qualifies those he calls for assignments involving his divine purposes. We achieve these purposes and tasks through God’s guidance and power, lest we forget, get the big head, and boast.
Jonah’s assignment didn’t appear to be too difficult. He didn’t have a speech impediment like Moses. No miracles were authorized by his hands. He didn’t have to free or relocate hundreds, thousands, or millions of oppressed or disgruntled people from Nineveh to a distant country.
God told Jonah to arise, go, and warn the people of Nineveh to stop their wickedness and repent, or they would be destroyed.
Jonah didn’t volunteer for the assignment, but God didn’t give him the option of not completing it.
Did Jonah want to go?
No!
Doing what we don’t want to do but should do is not a bad thing. We’ll all had to do it.
Our parents warned us about being hard-headed and disobedient.
Mom always said that a hard head leads to a soft behind, and we knew what this meant.
Jonah did arise as God told him, but he didn’t go to Nineveh.
Jonah’s hardheadedness reflected his disobedience, closed-mindedness, and disregard for God’s command.
A hard head symbolizes arrogance, stubbornness, and a refusal to follow directions. A soft behind suggests emotional or physical pain, regret, or any other discomfort.
As if it were possible, Jonah tried to flee from God’s presence and abort his mission. He went to Joppa and boarded a ship going to Tarshish.
Jonah left his country and got out of Dodge.
He was AWOL or absent without official leave.
Why did Jonah flee?
To say that Jonah cared little for the people of Nineveh is an understatement, but he also knew that God would not destroy Nineveh if they repented.
Jonah had to pass the qualification course for his assignment.
God had to humble him.
What a great learning opportunity for Jonah. He didn’t know that the ship and sea were God’s classrooms.
Before Nineveh could be warned about their disobedience and evil ways, God had to make Jonah aware of his selfishness, disobedience, and lack of mercy.
Jonah couldn’t tell God what not to do, so he decided not to be a part of what he didn’t want God to do.
He didn’t want God to repent of any evil he wouold do against Nineveh.
Jonah’s “soft behind”, a place of great discomfort and pain, manifested itself.
God didn’t send a man after Jonah. The wind, the invisible will of God, sought out Jonah. The wind and the sea howled and beat on the ship until the mariners feared for their lives.
The wind and the sea rattled and stretched every rope, plank, and wooden bolt. It was a terrible storm with a purpose.
The seamen called on their gods to save the ship and themselves.
What about Jonah?
It was as if the ship was Jonah’s cradle and the wind and raging sea a lullaby. Jonah slept like a baby below the deck.
When the mariners’ gods did not respond, the shipmaster woke Jonah up and told him to call on his god.
The men cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah: Jonah was the reason for the evil and the great storm.
After the mariners learned a few things about Jonah and that he had fled from God, they asked Jonah, “What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us?
The mariners had to throw Jonah overboard into the sea as Jonah suggested to calm the sea and save their lives.
Jonah 1:17 says, “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.”
A three-day stay in the great fish was no hotel stay, and the softening of Jonah’s heart and behind commenced.
Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, and he prayed to God for mercy.
He was enclosed in the bars of hell on earth, at the foot of a mountain, in the fish’s belly.
God heard and answered Jonah’s prayer. The fish obeyed God, vomited, and released Jonah.
Jonah was freed and completed his assignment, but……
The Book of Jonah is an amazing story about trusting and believing that God knows best. The Book reveal human fallicies and sins and God’s mercy for all.
I hope you are happy and well.