Jonah Chapter 1, Part 2        

The Mariners and the Lord

V1:13a “Nevertheless”: one of the words that makes it necessary to go back to see why it is there. - - The mariners were afraid of the storm, exceeding afraid of who Jonah was and they were told by Jonah “this tempest is for my sake, cast me into the sea, and the sea would be calmed

·      Their response to the words of LORD’s prophet: *We will save our selves by rowing against the tempest on our own.

V13b The LORD’s answer to their disobedience to His prophet.

·      Tempestuous against them: Notice the tempest was now against them.

·      They had learned there was no hope in their gods. Next they had to learn there was no hope in themselves.

V14 Wherefore: one of the words that makes it necessary to go back to see why it is there. - - Since the harder they rowed against the tempest the stronger the tempest became so,

·      V14a They cried “We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee (V14c) for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee”. Realized who was in control.

·      They realized the prophet of the LORD must be obeyed. To save their own lives they had to take up Jonah and cast him into the sea.

·      “lay not upon us innocent blood”: they knew what they had to do, they knew it was the LORD’s tempest, it was the LORD’s prophet, and it was the LORD’s plan. They did not want to cast the LORD’s prophet to his death. “We must obey Jonah, please forgive us for saving our lives at the cost of his.”

V15 When they obeyed the LORD’s prophet the LORD kept his word and calmed the tempestuous sea.

V16 Notice the change in the object of the mariners’ fear.

·      V5 they feared the tempest - V10 they were exceeding afraid when they learned Jonah was a Jew and he worshipped the God of heaven, the sea and the dry land. - V16 Then when they witnessed the calming of the sea they feared the LORD exceedingly.

·      This LORD is the same Lord that calmed the sea in the Gospels and commanded the same response. [Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?]

Their sacrifice and their vows declare their acknowledgement that the LORD he is God. The little “g” gods are not mentioned any more.

**Notice their sacrifice was not made during the storm. Their vows were not made during the tempest. They did not cry “O LORD if you will calm the storm we will .  .  .”

·      Their sacrifice and vows were in response to what the LORD had done for them, in worship of the LORD God who made heaven, the seas and the land. They witnessed His power and His mercy

Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7, 9:10, 14:27 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge

·      What the mariners learned and now believed. Isaiah 45:5-10

·      Their exceeding fear brought exceeding knowledge. Their exceeding knowledge brought the amazing acknowledgement of the LORD as “O LORD”.

·      Their amazing acknowledgement brought life from the snare of death.

*There is something that the fear and knowledge of the LORD will bring

·      Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

·      These worldly mariners had to be broken down and humbled before LORD. Their spirit and their heart had to be broken and revived by the LORD. [The same must happen before one can except Christ today. The demands of the high and lofty one whose name is Holy have not changed]

·      Their exceeding fear of the LORD brought them to humble themselves

·      Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit

We are not told the specific sacrifice and vows made.

The sacrifice they made could not have been an animal sacrifice.

·      Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise,

·      Think of Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

·      Psalms 107:8,15,21,31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

·      Psalm 107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

·      The sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for His goodness and wonderful works are be made before others

Read Psalm 107:23-32 Could Vs 31-32 be their vows?

·      “We will exalt the LORD in our towns”.

·      {It almost seem the Holy Spirit had these mariners in mind when he inspired this psalm.}

*** For whose sake was the tempestuous tempest?

·      Christians, when a tempest comes into your life it may not be just for your sake!