SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/25/2025 9:49 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-2 “The Gentiles’ Deliverance”
Bible Reading and Meditation Reference: “Jonah 1:14-16”
Message of the verses: “Then they called on Yahweh and said, “Ah! O Yahweh, we earnestly pray, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life, and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Yahweh, as You have pleased You have done.” So the lifted Jonah up and hurled him into the sea, and the sea stood still from its raging. Then the men greatly feared Yahweh, and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh and made vows.”
MacArthur writes that “The sailor’s appeals were predicated on a recognition of Yahweh’s power and sovereignty. They confessed, ‘for You, O Yahweh, as You have pleased You have done.’ By directly addressing the Lord with the words ‘for You, O Yahweh,’ the sailors acknowledged the true and living God. They also declared the theological truth that, ‘as You have pleased You have done,’ a reality that distinguishes Yahweh from all others (cf. Pss. 115:1-3; 135:5-6). Unlike inanimate and lifeless idols, Yahweh is pleased to act, taking delight to select one matter over another (cf. Num. 14:8 1 Kings 10:9; Hos. 6:6). No one determines, influences, or counsels God on His decisions (Isa. 40:14; Rom. 11:34). He determines everything based on the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11). Recognizing this (for), the sailors understood what they needed to do. Yielding to God’s will, the men reluctantly did what Jonah had initially told them was necessary. They lifted Jonah up and hurled him into the sea (cf. Jonah 1:12), so that God’s sovereign purpose was executed.” I have to believe that since the sailors began to believe in Yahweh, knowing that He is the only true God, that is why they were afraid to do what Jonah had told them they must do, for if they had not come to know Yahweh then I believe that they would have hand not problem throwing Jonah over the side into the sea, but Yahweh changes hearts, and He changed the hearts of these sailors.
MacArthur then goes on to write “Once the sailors had thrown the prophet overboard, the sea stood still from its raging. The chaotic scene became instantly calm just as Jonah had predicted (cf. v. 12). Yahweh irrefutably demonstrated Himself to be everything that Jonah had declared about Him. As the sailors experienced firsthand, the Lord was indeed sovereign over the sea. Therefore, the water stood still from its raging because unlike the prophet, the sea fully submitted to God (cf. Mark 4:41).
“This undeniable miracle escalated the sailor’s fear. The men greatly feared Yahweh—not the storm or the sea, but Yahweh. This exact language was used earlier to describe the highest reverence toward the on true God (cf. v. 10). Accordingly, the offered a sacrifice to Yahweh, evidencing their sincere worship to the Lord (Gen. 46:1; Exod. 24:5; Lev. 17:5; 1 Sam. 6:15). They also made vows or solemn promises, to Yahweh because He had answered their prayers (cf. 1 Sam. 1:11; Ps. 116:17; Isa. 19:21). They committed themselves to honor Him (Deu. 23:22; Eccl. 5:1-7), demonstrating true devotion to the Lord (cf. Ps. 116:17, Isa. 19:21; John 4:23-24; 17:3). That the name Yahweh is mentioned twice in this verse emphasizes the sailors’ exclusive focus on and faith in the only God because He had extended grace to them. Though Jonah did all he could to prevent the message of salvation from going to the Gentiles, God turned Jonah’s rebellion into an evangelistic opportunity in order to bring these Gentile sailors to Himself (cf. Gen. 50:20).” And I will quote the great verse here “"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
I have said that I can see Romans 8:28 in this part of the book of Jonah, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” God was the One who caused these sailors to hear and accept the truth of Him, so that they could be saved. We see that Jonah did not want to go and tell the Gentiles about the salvation of the Lord and so he ran away going in the opposite direction and he did this by getting onto a ship. God then brought a storm to get the heathen sailors attention. Jonah’s testimony about Yahweh caused the sailors to believe, even though this does not seem to be Johan’s plan, but Gods. Because of their new faith they did not want to throw Jonah overboard, but in the end they had too, and once they did God demonstrated His power by stopping the storm immediately. I know that the Lord can teach me things from this book, but as for Jonah not wanting to tell the Gentiles about salvation in Yahweh, I am having a problem with my understanding about Jonah’s attitude, but even with a bad attitude God still used Him to bring about the greatest revival in the Old Testament.
9/25/2025 10:28 AM
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