The story of Jonah and the whale is one with which most of us have been familiar since we were children. But it should not be thought of as a story only for children. This little book contains some very
important lessons for adults as well. Each chapter teaches an important lesson. In chapter one, we read a story of rebellion, in chapter two, a story of repentance, in chapter three, a story of revival, and in chapter four, a story of resentment. Today we will begin with chapter one.
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From chapter one, we learn some important lessons about what happens when a believer rebels against God.
1. The True Nature of Rebellion - verses 1-3
The true nature of rebellion is seen in what is said about Jonah in verse three, "But Jonah ran away from the Lord . . . to flee from the Lord."
Any way you look at it, whenever you or I choose to disobey God, we are choosing to go the opposite direction that God is going. We are saying, in effect, "God, I do not want to go your way, I want to go the opposite way." But we need to understand that by so doing, we are choosing to go the way of Satan, which is the way of rebellion. Jesus said, "He who is not with me is against me" - Matthew 12:30 (NIV).
As an old sailor once said, "Aboard this ship, there are only two things: duty or mutiny." Indeed, the same is true of the Christian life, there is only duty or mutiny.
Sometimes rebellion is obvious and open, as was Jonah’s. Other times it may be subtle and private, but it is still rebellion! And the true nature of rebellion is that we are choosing Satan’s way, rather than God’s way. We are choosing the way of trouble, rather than blessing; the way of sorrow, rather than joy; the way of death, rather than life! Whether it’s through doing the wrong thing or not doing the right thing, we have chosen, like Jonah, to run away from Him.
2. The Terrible Consequences of Rebellion - verses 4-10
A. Loss of Fellowship - verses 5 - 6
Jonah’s relationship with God had reached such a low level, that even though his life was in danger, he still had no desire to pray! His rebellion had broken his fellowship with God, for you see, rebellion is sin, and sin always breaks our fellowship with God!
An incident is told of a certain college which was without any supply of water one morning. The plumber was called, but could find nothing wrong. Yet, there was no water. Next, the city water department was called, and they sent men to investigate the trouble. After searching, they finally found the cause. A mile away from the college, where the small pipeline which supplied the college was connected with the large line going into the city, they found a huge toad which had been sucked partly into the small line and had literally shut off all the water. It had probably been there as a tadpole but had fed upon the water until it had grown big enough to plug up the water line.
That’s the way it is with our rebellion against God. It may even begin as a small thing, but eventually it grows to the point where it will totally cut off our fellowship with God; and we, like Jonah, will find ourselves unable to even pray to God when we are in time of need!
B. Loss of Testimony - verses 7-10
Notice verses 9 and 10. When Jonah claimed to be a worshipper of "the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land," the sailors found it hard to understand how he could rebel. Like many
today, who are puzzled by the rebelliousness of those who say they’ve found the Way, the Truth, and the Life, they couldn’t help but notice that his practice didn’t match his profession! Jonah had made a
terrible mess of his testimony!
Even so, when we choose to rebel against God’s will for our lives, we will lose our testimony for Jesus. Jesus not only said, "He who is not with me is against me," but he also said, "he who does not gather with me scatters."
When we rebel against God, we will not draw others to Jesus, but we will turn others away from Jesus; and sadly, we don’t have to wander too far from God to do damage to our testimony!
While I attended seminary, my wife, Donna, worked at a K-Mart store in the automotive department as the accessory manager. One day, the department manager introduced her to a new employee who had transferred from another store.
He explained afterward how this fellow had experienced a nervous breakdown and had gone through difficult times. “We will need to help and encourage him,” the manager told her. Donna sought to encourage him and begun to invite him to church.
Not long after that, there was a big ice storm. Consequently, there was a “run” on ice scrapers at the store. Donna was sitting in the office, filling out some paperwork, when she heard a customer come up to this new employee and ask if they had any ice scrapers. He explained that they were sold out. The customer then proceeded to curse and swear at the employee. Donna left the office, to come to his rescue. When she rounded the corner, she was surprised and extremely disappointed to see that the customer was a member of our Sunday School class, which was comprised of seminary students and their wives! Needless to say, Donna didn’t feel as though she could invite him to visit our church after that!
We don’t need to wander too far before our testimony can be used to turn people away from Christ rather than draw others to Christ!
When you or I turn away from God, it will result in our experiencing a loss of fellowship and a loss of testimony!
3. The Tragic End of Rebellion - verses 11-15
Through-out this chapter, we read of Jonah going down. He begins this downward trend when he chooses to rebel against God. In running away from God, Jonah went "down" to Joppa (v.3), he went "down" into the ship (v,5), he went "down" into the sea (v.15), and "down" into the belly of a great fish (v.17). His choice of rebellion against God led him to the utter depths of despair!
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction.” - Galatians. 6:7-8a (NIV).
One cannot sow bad habits and reap a good character; one cannot sow dishonesty and reap integrity; one cannot sow cruelty and reap kindness; one cannot sow greed and reap generosity; and one cannot sow rebellion against God and reap blessings from God. Because Jonah had sown rebellion, he reaped destruction!
He found himself at such a point of despair and hopelessness that when asked what could be done to calm the sea, instead of thinking of turning in repentance toward God, he thought only of doing away with himself!
Because he had chosen to run away from God, the source of all hope, he came to a hopeless conclusion! While the child of God will always have eternal hope in Christ, the tragic end. of the Christian who rebels against the God that he will lose his hope in this life!
How tragic it is for a person to have a wonderful life to enjoy in heaven, but a miserable life to endure on earth!
A cork placed on top of the water will float on the surface. If it is pressed down 10 feet, or 50 feet, or even 100 feet below the surface and then released, it will rise again, But if it is pressed down 200 feet below the surface, it cannot rise. The cork will collapse because of the pressure being so great.
So it is with the Christian who sinks to the depths of rebellion and sin. The greater the depth, the less probability of his ever rising again to a right relationship with God. The pressure of persistent rebellion can so damage even the conscience of the Christian that he finds himself in the depths of despair!
Conclusion: But notice verse 17! It. was not God’s desire to let Jonah perish in the depths of the sea and it is not God’ s desire to let you or I perish in the depths of despair!
God worked with Jonah in order to call him from a life of rebellion to a life of obedience; from a life of despair to a life of hope; from a life of trouble to a life of blessing; and he will do the same with his children today. The Bible says, “The Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as His child.” - Hebrews 12:6 (NIV). As someone has said, "Sometimes we have to be knocked flat on our back before we will look up." God had to knock Jonah flat on his back in order to get him to look up; and he will do the same with his children today as well!
Are you guilty of rebelling against the God who saved you? Don’t wait to be knocked flat on your back before you look up! Confess your rebellion to God and claim his forgiveness! The same God who gave Jonah a second chance, is willing to give you a second chance, too!
Maybe you’ve already been knocked flat on your back. Like Jonah, you’ve reached the point where you’re as low as a person could possibly get! Don’t despair, God can deliver you from the hopelessness of the fish’s belly to the dry land of a right relationship with him, if you will confess your sin, repent of your rebellion, and commit yourself to once again living for God.
