Jonah is a prophet but a most unwilling one. The Lord isn't calling him to do what he
wants to do so he runs from the call.
Unbelievably, he is asleep while a storm rages so strongly that the men
of the ship are afraid, crying out to their gods, throwing the cargo overboard
and basically panicked about their lives.
Jonah has to be awakened and told to join the prayer meeting. Finally, nothing works so they cast lots in
the belief that will reveal the source of the problem and the lot falls to
Jonah who gives testimony to his God, the "God of heaven,
who made the sea and the dry land.” The
men were more fearful then because Jonah had told them he was on the run from
the Lord. Jonah wants to preserve his
own righteousness so won't throw himself overboard to save these innocent men
and suggests that they should toss him over.
His disdain for everyone else is amazing. He
doesn't care about their lives enough to take responsibility for his
sin, they don't matter to him. Is there
anything remotely likeable about Jonah?
Jesus has just been among the Gentiles, in
the tombs, among the dead, with a demon-possessed man, and there are pigs
present. Still, the people are waiting
to welcome Him back and a leader of the Jews, Jairus, entreats Jesus to come
heal his daughter. By religious rules no
one, particularly a synagogue ruler, should come near Jesus for days after all
the contamination He has contracted on the other side of the lake. On the way to Jairus' house a woman with an
issue of blood comes into contact with Him in the belief she will be healed and
her faith is rewarded but this contact makes Jesus ritually impure for another
day but Jairus doesn't care, there is something more important than ritual
impurity, the life of his daughter is at stake.
Word comes that she is dead but Jesus encourages him to continue to
believe. Those present laugh at Jesus'
naivete in believing the girl will live but live she does. He "charged them to tell no one what had
happened." Good luck with anyone
keeping that command.
Paul's hope is for all who hear him to become like he is,
albeit not in chains. He speaks directly
to the king, Herod Agrippa II. Herod's
father was a Jew, although not a devout one religiously, and Paul presumes that
this king knows the word of God, knows something about the promised
Messiah. Paul makes an appeal to faith
on the part of Herod, he respects the authority of the man's office but that
isn't the important thing, he wants the man to know the true king. Because Paul has applied to Caesar for a
hearing it is not in the power of Herod to actually dispense justice in the
matter. Did Paul err in his appeal or
was God fulfilling His promise that Paul would testify in Rome?
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