fredlott63

Jonah chapter 1

Verse 1 & 2

Nineveh is the capital of Assyria. Apparently Jonah had no interest in the salvation of the Assyrians. He probably had good reasons. This was before Assyria stared disrespecting borders and launching unprovoked attacks on neighboring countries. The Assyrians worshipped Dagon, the fish god. Eventually they would take the Northern tribes of the children of Jacob.

Verse 3

Tarshish is in Spain. Jonah wanted to get as far from Assyria as possible. God is in control and His will will be done.

Verse 4 - 7

As a disciple of Christ, you will find yourself on the storm tossed seas of life. The winds will be blowing, the seas billowing, and the boat tossing and turning. It will seem like Christ is asleep. In desperation you will call on God to fix your situation. Your faith is being tested. If God doesn’t test your faith, how will He know it’s any good? If God tells you to do something, you will do it or things will be bad until you do. God appeals to intellect. Only the children of Jacob worshipped the true God. Everyone else made their gods.

Verse 8

Everyone feels they are going to die. The lot fell on Jonah. The men want to know who Jonah is, where he is from, what does he do for a living, who is he related to?

Verse 9 & 10

Jonah tells the men about the creator and that he is fleeing from Him.

Verse 11 - 16

The men ask Jonah what they must do to calm the sea. Jonah says to throw him overboard. They don’t want to toss Jonah to a certain death, they try to row the boat ashore, but could not. They toss Jonah and make sacrifices to God.

Verse 17

Neither Jonah nor the seamen could see the fish in the water. This fish was not a whale. A whale’s throat is about the size of a grapefruit. God can and does create life for His own purpose. You can put no limits on the holy spirit.