Jonah’s Disobedience

Jonah 1:1–9
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The book opens with Jonah choosing to run away from God’s will for His life.

1. Jonah chooses to go his own way (vv. 1-2). God tells him to go to Nineveh which was the capital of Assyria, and cry out against it for their great wickedness. Instead Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He did just the opposite of what God wanted.
2. Jonah finds a ship going his own way (v. 3). “He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish.” It is amazing how Satan provides free transportation for those who are running away from God’s will. However, you can be sure a great storm is coming.
3. Jonah has enough money to go his own way (v. 3). “...so he paid the fare, and went down into it (the ship).” Notice that running away from God is expensive. Sin is costly and we pay our own way. The trip to Tarshish from Joppa was 2200 miles and took six months.
4. Jonah had peace going his own way (vv. 4-5). “But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had laid down, and was fast asleep.” It was no ordinary sleep but was a deep heavy sleep. The sailors awaken Jonah and begin to question him as to who he is (vv. 6-9).

Jonah had convinced himself that everything was alright. The circumstances were right. The ship was there, he had the right amount of money and he felt such great peace that he went to sleep. However he was out of the will of God because he disobeyed the command of God. Notice that he went down to Joppa, he went down into the ship, he went down into the sea and he went down into the whales belly. No one ever goes up when he disobeys God and goes his own way.

Application

I want to make sure that I’m running God’s way and not in my own way in this life. (I John 2:3-6).