Not Nineveh! #1

 Read Jonah 1

Background: The event recounted in this chapter is one of the best-known accounts from the Old Testament: Jonah and the big fish.  Having been told by God to do something totally reprehensible: call on the people of Nineveh to repent, Jonah headed the other way.  The trip on the ship was interrupted by God, and God used the big fish to set him back on course.

Key Verses: (It's hard to not choose them all!)  8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” 9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)

Thoughts: Each man on the boat had called out to his own god, but the storm kept increasing.  They must not have been calling on the god that controlled that part of the sea. When they found out about the God Jonah worshipped, Who made the sea and controlled it everywhere, they were overwhelmed with fear and awe.  By the time we get to the end of the chapter, they were calling out to Him and making vows to Him, while Jonah festered in his rebellion.  God used Jonah whether he was willing to or not. Fortunately for Jonah (and us) God was not done with him yet.