Tuesday, May 17, 2016

In recent visits we’ve looked at the book of Jonah in the Old Testament. We identified the focus of the book as being mobilized to minister. Unfortunately, as God was seeking to mobilize Jonah, chapter one says he rebelled against the Word of God that came to him. When I reflected on this I titled the first chapter, “It Might Have Been.” Jonah received God’s Word, but then rejected and rebelled against it, trying to run away from God. Reading through this chapter, however, there is a point made towards the end that reminds me of what the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 55. So under the theme of chapter one – “It might have been,” I made this point: God’s Word Returns. Listen to Isaiah’s words: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and make it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater. So is my Word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” The amazing thing to me is how this promise is fulfilled before the first chapter of Jonah ends, in spite of Jonah’s poor witness. The chapter closes with the pagan sailors expressing fear of the Lord, offering a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to Him. It’s a faith builder to see how God’s Word spoken through a disobedient prophet nevertheless had such a powerful result.