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Jonah, Pt. 2
After Jonah's defiance of YHWH, he fled to Tarshish. Some scholars believe that this was the farthest destination Jonah could have chosen of the known world at the time. And while the exact location of Tarshish is disputed, we do know that it was in the opposite direction; further proof of his staggering pride to tell the LORD "No".
As the historical account continues in Chapter 1, we read that the LORD Himself "hurled" a great wind on the sea and caused a terrifying storm. This storm was so severe, that even the seasoned sailors became frightened, began to pray (which indicates that even they realized that this storm was of divine origin), and to toss their cargo overboard. This tells us that they indeed were expecting to die in this catastrophe. Their cargo was means of sustenance and was also how they earned their living.
On one trip into the hold of the ship, the Captain was astonished to see Jonah "sound" asleep.
More to come...
2 comments:
Jonah is such a great book of the Bible. Have you read the chapter in Herman Melville's _Moby Dick_? The chapter is called "the sermon," and while it is not the perfect sermon on the book of Jonah, it surely is a powerful one.
It's interesting that you mention that. I was listening to a sermon series on the book of Jonah by Art Azurdia, and he quoted part of that passage from Moby Dick. I should research it, and read it in it's full context.
I remember reading Jonah in one sitting when I had just graduated from High School, and understood that he was not exactly the model prophet. But as we began to study this book in depth with our College/Career ministry, I was (and am) constantly shocked at his outright rebellion. And yet what a great picture of the Lord's sovereignty as well.
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