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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 5 of 5
Devotional: June 17th

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Jonah 1:1-17

In contrast to the other prophets Jonah teaches us less by his words than by his striking story. Previously he had prophesied the restoration of Israel’s frontier: good news for his countrymen (2 Kings 14:25). Here we find him charged with a far less acceptable mission: to proclaim the chastisement of Nineveh, the great pagan metropolis, so guilty in God’s sight. Jonah turns tail and flees "from the presence of the LORD". This was a way of self-will; a servant of God cannot choose either his message or his place of work! At the same time, what absurd behaviour! How can a man escape from Him who sees all and who controls the elements to halt the disobedient (Luke 8:25)? We see that Jonah’s path is progressively downward (vv. 3, 5; Jonah 2:3; Jonah 2:6): by a way that is first pleasant (meaning of Joppa), but which leads to destruction (Tarshish). Now, having gone down into the lower part of the ship, he sleeps during the furious storm. The ship’s master has to rouse him from his unconsciousness. What can be more humiliating for a child of God than to be called to order by the world?

Prophetically, this story shows us Israel, unfaithful to their mission, the object of God’s chastisement and thrown into the sea of nations for the salvation of the Gentiles (the mariners; Romans 11:5).

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