Jonah Chapter 1:4-17 Testimonies Have Power & God Is Limitless

Jonah 1:4-17

As we called out in our first Jonah study - this book sheds additional clarity into who God is, how He works, and what He desires for us:

• God’s grace is greater than ours - whether we want to believe it or not

• God may call us to more than a message of love & grace, but of warning

• God is not held back or limited by the science and nature of this world

• God is moved by a humble, repentant heart & acts that display it

• God disciplines those who ignore His words & calling

In this study we'll focus on God's limitlessness along with the power of our testimony.

God Has Power Over This World - Creating Out Of Thin Air

When God calls on Jonah to warn the nation of Nineveh of their coming judgment - Jonah tries to escape from God by heading off to sea. However, the scriptures explain that the "Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea" after him.

What does this show us about God? It shows us that the God who literally spoke the world into existence (Genesis 1) continues to have power over it. It also shows us that there is no running from the creator of the world, and we truly need to respect Him and His power.

God Can Use Our Testimonies To Save Others

In verses 5-16 we read about the others on the boat and their fear of the current storm. These others don't seem to know about the God of the Bible (Jonah's God), because the verses explain "each cried out to his god", which they then ask Jonah to do as well.

As this section continues to play out those on the boat conclude Jonah is to blame for the storm. They begin to question Jonah and they find out:

• his heritage - "I am a Hebrew"

• his belief in God, and what he believes about God - "I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land"

• the sin he committed that caused the storm - "the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them"

It's clear that what Jonah shared with the others had a real impact on them, because the scripture states "then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, 'What is this that you have done!'" They also begin to ask him what they should do next.

Jonah explains to those on the boat that because his sin has caused the storm from God, that he is the key to stopping it. Jonah actually tells the men that he needs to be thrown into the sea.

The men don't want to do this to Jonah, as they surely believe they'll be throwing him to his death, so they try to battle through the treacherous sea. However, the sea only gets rougher.

Finally, the men realize they must throw Jonah overboard, but the verses reveal an amazing thing - the men who just a few verses earlier called out "each to their own god" now "called out to the Lord, 'O Lord, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you'". Then, after casting Jonah into the sea, which causes it to calm, these men who are now calling out to the true God are said to have "feared the Lord exceedingly" and "offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows".

So, what does this section show us?

• Our God is the great redeemer, and He can redeem any situation - Jonah fled from God's calling. However, God still aligns Jonah with a group of men, who end up moved to belief by Jonah's story.

• Our testimony, no matter how messy, has power - Individual testimonies are shown to have power throughout the scripture, and Jonah's testimony is one of them. Jonah didn't just share his background and beliefs with the men on the boat, but also his sin as he acknowledged the chaos it caused him - the chaos they were all currently experiencing (the stormy sea). These details and experience were enough to convert the men on the boat to seemingly full believers in the Lord! So, let's share our testimonies - including the chaos sin has caused us, so that we might help save and protect others. What's more loving then saving others from the same pain we've caused ourselves?

• Forgiveness Comes With Admitting Our Sin - Jonah faced a storm because he ran from God. How was the storm calmed? Jonah admitted his sin, and he handed himself over to the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8). There is no other way we can be saved from the storms of this life than by repenting of our sin, and giving ourselves over to God. However, doing so, gives us the Good Lord's wonderful, sweet gift of Grace (1 John 1:9).
  

God Has Power Over Nature - He Has No Boundaries

In the final verse of the chapter (Jonah 1:17) we see God again shatter some of the known limits and boundaries of the natural world. The verse explains "the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights".

There are multiple things to consider here:

• Throughout the scriptures God chooses, elects, and anoints: individuals, angels, and even animals (1 Kings 17:2-6, Numbers 22:22-35) to do unbelievable things. So, we shouldn't be shocked by this story at all.

• Like God creating a wind storm out of thin air, we shouldn't be surprised by God's power over any aspect of this world, because He is the creator of it all (Genesis 1)!

Now, what if you aren't sure you can believe some parts of the scriptures? Then we need to remember that throughout the Bible it's explained:

• "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16)

• "Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him" (Proverbs 30:5)

In other words, as followers of God we have to trust what He has given to us in the scriptures. Picking and choosing what we believe isn't an option, and is actually something that is described as a sign of the end times (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Do you simply need help believing? Well the Bible has an amazing quality to it - the Apostle Paul calls it out that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (or "God" depending on the translation)" (Romans 10:17). In other words, if you want to increase your faith in the scriptures - read them! There also could not be a better or more important place to start this process than in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), because they focus on the life and ministry of Jesus, and there is no reaching God without Him (John 14:6)!

Also, as Jesus said “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7) - you can believe if you are trying to get closer to God and grow toward Him, He will meet you.

Wrap Up

Now, let's remember that God is not limited by the things of this world, which is something that should both humble us, but also excite us as we know God can do anything, which includes for us.

Also, let's remember the importance of our testimonies, and let's not be afraid to share them!