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based on Jonah 1:4-6
Jonah and Paul were alike in that they were both commissioned by God as missionaries to the Gentiles, and both were alike in their desire to go to Spain. Both of them had the experience of being on a storm tossed ship with pagans. These superficial similarities, however, become material for a study in contrast when we consider the motives involved. Jonah fled to the sea to escape obedience, while Paul went to the desert to prepare for obedience. Jonah wanted to reach Spain to avoid serving God, but Paul wanted to get there to serve Him, and to proclaim the good news to those in darkness.
Paul on the storm tossed ship was the source of the pagan's deliverance, but Jonah in the same situation was the source of their danger. Paul was wide awake directing and assuring the pagans, but Jonah was fast asleep and had to be awakened and directed by the pagan captain of the ship. In this event it is the children of darkness who are active and central, while the rebel believer is passive, and even an obstacle. It is no wonder that the conclusions of these two sea stories should also be in utter contrast. Paul's situation was such that the only hope was to remain with the ship. In Jonah's case the only hope was for Jonah was to be tossed off the ship. We want to look at this story that reveals how even a pagan captain can be used of God. We want to consider three things about this captain. First-
I. HIS REBUKE OF THE PROPHET. v. 6
Just why it was the captain who came to awaken Jonah is not certain, but it is likely his authority was needed, for Jonah had paid his fare, and was a model passenger as far as staying out of the way. If one of the sailors had gone and awakened him he may have told him to get lost. There is nothing wrong with sleeping in a storm at sea. Jesus did so
Himself when He was exhausted. His disciples rebuked Him because they felt sleep in such an hour of danger seemed like a callous indifference to their safety. This was likely the motive that brought the captain to wake Jonah as well.
Jonah was sound to sleep when every hand was needed on deck. The sailors were likely aggravated as they had to sacrifice their cargo by throwing it into the sea, and Jonah sleeps as if nothing was wrong. Even a pagan has enough sense and fight for life. After all the racket of hauling things up and throwing them into the sea did not wake Jonah, the captain felt it was his duty to go and wake this foolish sleeper. Jonah was fleeing from God, and yet he was not deeply troubled, but could sleep soundly. Even a godly man can be going in a direction out of God's will and not necessarily be troubled by his disobedience.
Jonah was not the first servant of God to be rebuked by a pagan. Even Abraham, the father of the faithful, was rebuked by Abimelech because he lied about Sarah. He said she was his sister, and because of that lie Abimelech almost took her as his wife. When he learned the truth he rebuked Abraham in Gen. 20:9 by saying, "What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done." Can it be that sometimes the world can justifiably rebuke the church? It is a sad day when it is so, but such sad days do come. Almost all of the criticism that the church has received has been valid at some point. Christians need to pay attention to the rebuke of unbelievers, for often they are correct, and Christians can learn from this rebuke.
I once talked to an atheistic professor of history who said the church in his thinking is totally irrelevant. He said, "I live in a world of desperate need and anxiety, with great ignorance and prejudice on every hand. I am constantly compelled to disillusion my students about the glories of history and their heroes. I try and shatter their illusions so they can see life as it really is-tragic, fearful, and awful. All the church does is to try and support their illusions." He was thoroughly disgusted with the church's lack of concern for the critical problems in the world. Even though he was compelled to admit his agreement with Christ's principles, and with the fact that only theology could give ultimate meaning to values, I could never bring him to change his view of the church, for his view is often true that it is hard to refute.
Here was another pagan rebuking the church, and we need to be awakened by such rebuke. The Evangelical Church was at one time the greatest social force in America. This was during the Great Awakening under Jonathan Edwards, and again later under the revivals of Charles Finney. Thousands upon thousands of people were converted, and the whole character of society was changed. But today the church is often asleep as the world is tossed about by raging storms. The church is in the world just as Paul and Jonah were in pagan ships, but the church must cease to follow Jonah's procedure, and put Paul's into operation. It needs to become a leader, and give direction as Paul did, and save itself as well as the pagans. Paul gave leadership, but Jonah was part of the problem instead of part of the answer, and he deserved rebuke. Next we see-
II. HIS REQUEST OF PRAYER.
Imagine a pagan pleading with a prophet to pray. It is not surprising that a pagan would pray in such a situation, but it is surprising that he should have to urge a servant of God to do so. The storm was unusually fierce, and even these men who had been at sea for years were fearful. The Hebrew root of the word mariners in verse 5 is salt. They were old salts, and if they were afraid, it was time for everyone to start praying.
Each of them had his own god he cried out to, and the captain urged Jonah to pray to his God also. It was probably with the thought that the more gods the better. One of them will certainly be able to stop the storm. Matthew Henry said, "He who would learn to pray let him go to sea." All men recognized when they are at the mercy of natural forces that if there is no God to help, there is no help, for only supernatural power can save from such forces.
The captain was ready to bow to any god who could help them, and so he requests that Jonah pray to his God. What would you do if you were asked to join in on a pagan prayer meeting? Jonah, true to his rebellious nature, probably did not honor the request. If he had, the storm may have been stopped, but Jonah was not going to admit he was wrong. He would rather die than do that. A faithful servant should be able to join any group in prayer. If they are pagan and superstitious, it will not affect the validity of his prayer.
Jonah was supposed to go and rebuke the heathen, and now the heathen are rebuking him, and pleading for he cooperation. We see a picture of the tragic results of prejudice and a false sense of superiority. Jonah, because of his ungodlike attitude, becomes a poorer example of piety than the pagans he looked down on. They at least seek God's help, but Jonah does not. They care for his life, but he has no great love for their souls. Never argue with people who say there are non-Christians who are better than Christians because it is a fact of life, and the Bible supports it.
The pagans may be pleading in ignorance, but the fact is God heard their prayer and they were spared. We have no right to expect pagans to be theologically trained. We must begin on their level to lift them to where we have been lifted by revelation. The only way we can aid people to grow from their inadequate ideas of God to mature concepts is by starting where they are. God condescends to use even their superstitions to guide them. This does not mean we are to become like them, but that we condescend to their form of communication in order to relate to them, for only then can we ever lead them to higher and true concepts of God. Next we look at-
III. HIS RECOGNITION OF GOD'S POWER.
Even a pagan has a concept of the providence of God. He knew that God was behind the storm, and that only He could stop it, and like the Greeks of Paul's day, he was willing to turn even to the unknown God for help. He was right, and God did think of them, and had no intention of seeing them perish for the disobedience of Jonah. God is not the author of arbitrary destruction. He sent the wind and storm, but He did not take their lives.
We must beware of universalizing what the Bible does not. This whole event was an act of mercy. God must display His displeasure at deliberate disobedience. He needs a man to bear His message, but He can use nature to get His man. If we say, however, that all storms are the result of a wicked act on the part of some person, we are thrown back to paganism and superstition, which compels us to go witch hunting to find the guilty party, and then sacrifice that person to placate the anger of God.
We see no such thing here. This is a particular case in which God acts uniquely in nature. The timing is what makes it special providence. The storm itself is natural, but the timing is for a specific purpose. If you argue that all storms are for a specific purpose you are in the difficult position of saying that God tries to teach us certain things without telling us what it is, so that we are never really sure. As a method of teaching it is not very appealing or effective. When God wants to teach us something through trial and suffering it is usually clear, and if it is not, there is not likely a message being taught.
In Jonah, the purpose is obvious, and so it is helpful to all involved. Both Jonah and the pagans knew there was purpose and power behind this storm. Jonah, however, had the advantage of revelation, and was superior to those who had only the witness of nature. Man can know that God exists by nature, but he cannot by nature know the God that does exist. Martin says that you can go to an art gallery and by reason and observation know that the paintings there did not just happen, but are the products of skill. You can learn of the style, taste, and love of design of the artist, but for all this, you cannot by this method know the artist. Only as he reveals himself can you know him. Reason falls short of revelation. Even a pagan can recognize the power of God, but only by revelation can he know the person of God.
All it takes for many pagans to become children of God is a faithful prophet who will awake at their rebuke; pray for their preservation, and begin to proclaim the person of Christ. The story of Jonah ought to make all of us aware that sometimes the heathen of the world are closer to the kingdom than many professing believers. May God help us to wake up to the message of His Word, and not wait to be awakened by a pagan.
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