Theme: I worship the Living Lord
Text: Jonah 1:1-9
Jonah answered them, “I am a Hebrew. I worship Yahweh, the God of heaven. He is the Elohim who made the sea and the land.” (Names of God Bible).
Introduction:
The book of Jonah describes the event that had happened at the time of prophet Jonah. It explains the relationship between a Prophet and his God. Jonah received a call to go to Nineveh, But he ran away from the presence of the Lord. Jonah not only refused but fled in the opposite direction. He boarded a ship and headed for the distant Mediterranean port of Tarshish, somewhere in the region of Spain (1:1-3). But God determined to bring Jonah back to his mission work. God sent a fierce storm that threatened to sink the ship, but the shipmen called on to gods so Jonah on Yahweh. He was victimised and thrown into the sea at his request. Then he ran to God in repentance, later he ran with God while preaching the Gospel to the Ninevites, and again he ran ahead of God.
Three Statements of Jonah to Seamen:
I am a Hebrew
I worship Yahweh
I am running away from the presence of Yahweh
I AM A HEBREW
The word Hebrew was first used to denote Abraham (Genesis 14:13). It is derived from the root word “ ’br ” which means one who has come from the other side of the one who had crossed the river. Also means the descendants of Eber (Cambridge Bible), an immigrant from beyond the river Euphrates (Pulpit). "The sons of Heber" are distinctly mentioned in the table of nations among the descendants of Shem. Its introduction here intimates that there were other descendants of Heber besides Abram already in the land (Albert Barnes).
MacLaren says that it was a nickname used by the neighbours of Abraham to humiliate him that he was a foreigner. We can understand that Abraham does not enjoy the status of a local citizen. He was a secondary citizen. His obedience to the command of God brought this identity to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). Christian was a nickname. Methodist was a nickname.
Joseph spoke of his land as the Land of Hebrews (Genesis 40:15,43;32). The Egyptian nurses told Pharoah that the Hebrew women were strong enough to deliver babies without the help of the doctors and midwives. (Exodus 1:19) Miriam told the Pharoah’s daughter she is willing to bring Hebrew women to nurse Moses (Exodus 2:6-7). God in His commission to Moses mentioned that he is the God of the Hebrews (Exodus 3:18, Exodus 5:3), and Moses referred it to the Israelites and Pharoah (Exodus 7:16, Exodus 9:10). "Hebrew" is the name by which the Israelites’ neighbours knew them (1 Samuel 4:6, 4:9, 1 Samuel 14:11).
Jonah probably identified himself as a Hebrew as a preamble to explaining that he worshipped Yahweh Elohim, the heavenly God of the Hebrews. Jonah used it as a highly respectable, honourable word to denote his identity. He was not afraid to say that he was a Hebrew. Hebrew means stranger on the earth, the sojourner to Canaan, foreigners, pilgrims. Abraham had the name as he has passed the River Euphrates as “emigrant.” Abraham, then Jacob had left their home at God’s command became passers-by through this world to death, and through death to immortality (Hebrews 11:13). The Septuagint translates it the passenger.”
The first recorded use of the term Christians is found in the New Testament (Acts 11:26). It became a symbol of honour and a term proudly borne by the early church (Act 26:28). At a later time, what had been at first a taunt became a name in which to glory “If any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed” (1 Peter 4:16). Paul said that he was not ashamed of this Gospel (Romans 1:17-18), and he encouraged the disciples to enter into heaven through many hardships and tribulations or sufferings (Acts 14:22). Governor Felix was afraid to become a Christian during the Trial of Paul at Caesarea. “I am not ashamed of Christ who died for me. I will not deny this Lord” said Bishop Poly Carp.
The earliest occurrences of the term in non-Christian literature are the writings of Josephus “the tribe of Christians, so named from him” Pliny and Tacitus refer “by vulgar appellation to call Christians” and identifies Christians as Nero’s scapegoats for the Great Fire of Rome. Today, for me the word Christian is honourable. Because it identifies me with Christ. It is a mark of discipleship. Are we proud of our identity as Christians?
I WORSHIP YAHWEH
God in the Bible has more than 1000 names. But only one name that is unchangeable and highly fearful and awful for Jews is YHWH. According to scholars, the Old Testament has 6800 references to this word as a sacred and personal name for God of the Hebrews. The Hebrew word Adonai was used for the word YHWH to refer to the LORD, and on some occasions as Elohim. The significance of the name Yahweh is that it is confirming God’s existence but most importantly His presence.
Yahweh means God has always existed and will always exist. Originally God appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as El Shaddai (Exodus 6:3). Yahweh refers to I am that I am. He is the Almighty, living and jealous God, Author of everything, Creator, Eternal, Everlasting, Father, God, Godhead, Lord, Maker, Providence, Supreme Being.
Jonah told the seamen that he worshipped Yahweh. He refers that he worshipped the God one who is living, loving, and relational. His God has created all that was created. He exists even before anything on the earth existed. He has no beginning and no end. He is from eternity to eternity. He does not believe in a God who has the limitation of Time, limitation of boundaries, limitation of languages to understand. He could understand all languages and dialects of the world. He has power over the sea, storm and everything in the universe (Revelation 7:9, 20:11-15). Jesus Christ has come as a revelation of God to relate with us and dwell among us (John 1:14). He has shown us the Father, who is loving and living God. He relates with me, guides me and leads me throughout my life journey. He is the God of the earth and the God of the heavens. He is with me while I am on the earth, and then with me on the in the otherworld. The faith of Jonah is my faith too.
I AM RUNNING AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE OF YAHWEH
Jonah told his testimony with his sinful behaviour. He was a prophet of Truth. He spoke about God and his self. He expressed that he ran away from the presence of the Lord. There is no real joy away from the presence of the Lord. God is Omnipresent and present everywhere, then what does it mean to say in the presence of God, and away from the presence of God.
Let's understand the meaning of the Presence of The Lord from the texts of the Bible to make difference between the Omnipresent and immanent presence of God. Adam and Eve had communion with God on daily basis at a particular time (Genesis 3:8). Enoch and Noah had the physical form of God and related with him and pleased to talk to him (Genesis 3:22-24, 6:9).
Abraham received God into his tent and prepared a meal to honour guests along with God (Genesis 18:1-2). Israelites enjoyed the presence of God over forty years in the wilderness (Psalm 114:7). David prayed not to cast him away or remove the presence of God from his life (Psalm 51:11). Lamentations 2:19 says to pour out your heart in the presence of the Lord. Where can I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139:7). My presence shall go before thee (Exodus 33:14), and I will give you rest (Leviticus 26:12). Where two or three gathered, I will be in midst of them (Matthew 18:20).
Is it possible to be away from God? Yes. Its relationship issue. Physically you may be sitting with one another, next to each other but mentally you are not connected because of problems.
