So what Jonah knew was the character of God, the very
character the Lord revealed to Moses way back in Exodus 34. But did he know that the people of Babylon
would repent? He couldn't have expected
that and if they didn't repent the Lord wouldn't relent (to rip off Johnny Cochran). Jonah desperately wanted the Lord to destroy
Babylon and who could blame him? The
Babylonians were cruel and hated enemies, many prophets got the opportunity to
prophesy against that nation but the Lord also used the nation as a holding
place for the nation in exile. Jeremiah
told the people to settle in and pray for the prosperity of Babylon. Jonah receives so much unmerited grace in
this short book it is amazing and yet he would deny it to others based on their
unworthiness, just because they weren't born into the covenant.
"If anyone would come after me, let him
deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Daily is the standard Jesus raises here, not
once, every day. It is a constant battle
to deny self and take up our cross. We
should begin each day with that as our firm resolve and ask the Holy Spirit to
assist us each moment of the day in this endeavor. Jonah just couldn't do it, he would do
anything else for the Lord except deny himself.
The contrast between Jesus and Jonah is remarkable. Jesus was faithful and righteous, never
presumptive, never self-seeking, and Jonah was completely self-absorbed by
hatred for the unrighteous. If God's
attitude and ours were the same concerning our enemies would there be any
reason to either hope or worship?
Everyone had to stay in the ship if they were to
survive. It was dangerous in the water
but some of the men tried to lower the ship's boat into the water and make a
getaway themselves, leaving the others to fend for themselves. Paul's interest was in saving everyone, not a
few people. He actually wanted to save
even the soldiers who wanted to kill the prisoners, including him, and the
centurion who was guarding him, who spoke into the situation in order to save
Paul. It all began with Paul's concern
for all people, an attitude God worked in him when He extended grace to the man
Paul called the chief of sinners, God's enemy.
We need that same perspective.
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