T I M B E R

TOPIC: Running from God

SCRIPTURE: "So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid a fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." (Jonah 1:3)


OBSERVATION: The thing that jumped out, about the story of Jonah, is what is repeated.

First
I want you to notice
Jonah's downward descent:

(v.3a) He went down to Joppa
NOTE: At that time Tarshish was thought to be the very end of the known world.
(v.3b) He went down into the ship
(v.5a) He went down into the ship's hold
(v.5b) He went down into a bed
(v.5c) He went down into a deep sleep (Comatose)
(v.15) He went down into the water
(v.17) He went down into the stomach of the fish

2nd
I want you to notice
God's Reminders:

(v.4) The Storm = Seen as God's Judgment against someone
(v.5) The Captains Statement = "Arise, cry out to your God"
NOTE: At this time Jonah is in a comatose like sleep. He is awakened by almost the identical command that God had given him earlier in verse 2. Arise, ... cry out. Furthermore, the Captain tells him to talk to his God.
(v.7) Casting of Lots = Fell on Jonah! This was another sign of judgment
(v.8) The Seamen's Questions = Forced him to reveal who he was, and what he was doing. "the men knew he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them." (v.9)
(v.17) The Fish = Would have also been seen as part of God's judgment against Jonah by the Seamen.

APPLICATION: As I read through this story I was reminded of few a things:
#1.) We can run BUT We cannot hide
#2.) When we make a decision to run away from God
& just like a tree that is cut
our new course
will be set on a
d
o
w
n
w
a
r
d

descent
That is destined to only get worse
if
we do not repent

&

#3.) Our God is SOOOOOOOOO faithful to get our attention.
He has a unique ability
to remind us
in so many creative ways
what it is that He has told us to do
that we are not currently doing

May you never forget

how our God pursued Jonah in this story

Know this

He will do the same with you

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for a glimpse into your love for me through this story. You are faithful! Thank you for being a God that is willing to remind us when we chose to forget.

I love you Lord!