CRITICAL NOTES.
Jonah 2:8.] When prayer reaches to God he helps and saves. Salvation is only from Him. Idolaters forfeit their mercy. Observe] Lit. regard, hold to, an intensive form: “pay deference to court, sue vanity of vanities, vain things which prove ruin at last” [Pusey]. Mercy] Lit. their goodness, i.e. God, their Benefactor, the Author of all mercies (Psalms 144:2).
Jonah 2:9. I will] The vow of a pious man as opposed to the life of apostates. As the mariners ended their sacrifice with vows, so Jonah ends his prayer with thanksgiving. Sal.] Lit. a mighty salvation (an intensive form) which God gives to his people after affliction, “is wholly His; all belongs to Him, so that none can share in bestowing it” [Pusey].
Jonah 2:10. Spake] His uttered voice produces everything. In heaven, earth, and sea, all things submit to him. Land] Probably the coast of Palestine. This circumstance typical of a more wonderful event, when death will be swallowed up of victory (Isaiah 26:19; 1 Corinthians 15:54).
THE MORAL CONTRASTS IN LIFE.—Jonah 2:8-9
Jonah now expresses his feelings in sacrifice and praise, resolves to lead a new life, and pay his vows to God. This conduct stands in marked contrast to the ungodly who forget God, and forsake their own interests.
I. God is the highest good of men. What is the chief good of humanity has been the problem of ages, the aim of all religion and philosophy. Many have been the theories concerning it; but the declaration of God’s word decides the question.
1. God is the supreme good in himself. David calls him, my goodness (Psalms 144:2), my kindness or benignity; the God of my mercy (Psalms 59:17). What is comprehended in the summum bonum of man—wisdom and justice, beauty and love—belong to him. He is the infinite excellence and the ultimate good of all men.
2. God is the source of goodness to others. He is good in himself, and his tender mercies are over all his works. He is the source and fountain of all our enjoyments. When he relieves the miserable it is mercy; when he bestows favour upon the unworthy it is grace; when he supplies the indigent it is bounty. God’s mercy includes all the forms of his kindness shown to men; whether considered as creatures, as sinners, or as believers. “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”
II. The wicked forsake God, their highest good.
1. This conduct is wilful. God does not forsake them. They voluntarily forsake him, and therefore should not blame him. Examples warn, hindrances check them, but they go on. In opposition to light and known results they obstinately choose death rather than life.
2. This conduct is injurious. “They forsake their own mercy.” They take nothing from God, but rob themselves of natural enjoyments, Divine favour which is better than life, and commit moral suicide. Sinners put God from them, who would be their life, and destroy themselves (Hosea 13:9). “He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.”
3. This conduct is foolish. “They observe lying vanities.” They forsake the true for the false.
(1) Idols are vanities. The gods of the heathen, or the idols of modern days, are empty and vain. The worship of mammon and the desire of fame, the gods of intellect and superstitions, are worthless things.
(2) Idols are lying vanities. They are both vanity and falsehood. They deceive by vain show, and in the end disappoint.
(3) Yet men observe idols. They guard and love them, depend upon them, and pursue them with eagerness. Falsehood can neither feed the mind nor calm the conscience. Everything apart from God is vanity and lies. “O ye sons of men, how long will ye love vanity?”
III. The righteous serve God, their highest good. The grace that had called forth prayer now ends in praise. Jonah vows, and pays his vows.
1. They offer thanksgiving to God. “The voice of praise.” When we drink of the stream we should lift up our head to heaven. The least mercies are great when viewed as coming from God. Let this be felt, then we shall enjoy them, and gladly offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Our gratitude will be (a) sincere, (b) devout, and (c) continual. “Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually; that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.”
2. They dedicate their lives to God. They renew their vows, and bind their treacherous heart the faster to God and duty. Jonah was ready to go and preach at Nineveh, or serve God anywhere, now. God’s loving correction had made him great and bold. Let our oath of allegiance be renewed in every deliverance from trouble. Do not show coldness and ingratitude, which sense of duty and natural shame allow not to an earthly benefactor. Our future life should be a hymn of praise and a living sacrifice. Let the power derived from discipline, the gratitude prompted by mercy, be practical and abiding. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.”
HOMILETIC HINTS AND OUTLINES
Jonah 2:8. Such were actual idols in which men openly professed that they trusted. Such are all things in which men trust out of God. One is not more vain than another. All have this common principle of vanity. It is, then, one general maxim, including all men’s idols—idols of the flesh, idols of intellect, idols of ambition, idols of pride, idols of self and self-will. Men observe them as gods; watch them, hang upon them, never lose sight of them, guard them as though they could keep them. But what are they? Lying vanities; breath and wind which none can grasp or detain, vanishing like air into air. And what do they who so observe them? All alike forsake their own mercy, i.e. God, whose property is always to have mercy, and who would be mercy to them if they wanted [Pusey].
Jonah 2:9. Praise. It must be noticed here that the worship of God especially consists in praises, as it is said in Psalms 50; for there God shows that he regards as nothing all sacrifices except they answer this end—to set forth the praise of his name [Calvin].
Sacrifice. Now to offer a sacrifice at such a confession or thanksgiving added much to the solemnity thereof; and made it more honourable in itself and more acceptable to God [Trapp].
Vow. The Hebrew word seemeth to imply two things: First, that his vow till paid was incomplete; it was an imperfect thing; the better part of it was yet wanting. Next, till that were done he could not be at peace within himself; for vows are debts; and debts till they be paid are a burden to an honest mind, and do much disease it [Ibid.].
HOMILETICS
SALVATION OF THE LORD.—Jonah 2:9
By salvation here we do not understand Jonah’s deliverance from death merely. Dr Gill says there is something so special in the original, the word having one more letter than it usually has when it only refers to temporal deliverance, that we must understand it here as relating to the great work of the soul, which endureth for ever. That salvation I shall try to show as best I can.
I. Expound the doctrine that salvation is of Jehovah. To begin at the beginning, the plan of salvation is entirely of God. And as in planning, so it was of the Lord in execution. Salvation, in the application of it, is from God. As to the sustaining of the work in a man’s heart, salvation is of the Lord.
II. God has hedged this doctrine about to prevent mistake. Some say, salvation in some cases is the result of natural temperament. Others, that the minister converts them. God takes care that salvation is not of man, for usually he blesses those who seem most unlikely to be useful.
III. What is, what should be, the influence of this doctrine upon men? First, with sinners this doctrine is a great battering-ram against their pride. What influence upon the saint? Why, it is the keystone of all Divinity. I will defy you to be heterodox if you believe it; proud, if you feel it, you cannot be. You will not be distrustful. You may always be joyful if you keep it in mind. This may, by grace, nerve you to work for God. Go and preach the gospel everywhere, recollecting that God is more than a match for man’s sin; and will ye be master over the earth? [Spurgeon].
THE GREAT DELIVERANCE.—Jonah 2:9-10
These words were the result of recent experience, penned in grateful feeling, and adapted to all ages.
I. The inestimable blessing. “Salvation.”
1. Its magnitude. In the intensive form it denotes a mighty salvation. The force of the Hebrew may include temporal and eternal salvation. Jonah’s deliverance was unknown in history, unparalleled in God’s dealings with men. God’s power is drawn out by the emergencies of his people, often reserved for great occasions, and unlimited in its nature. “So great a salvation” is offered in Christ, that men should receive it and glorify him.
2. Its fulness. It was a complete salvation. Jonah was not left in the deep, nor sent to the surface to swim to land. The fish vomited out and cast him on dry land. He was left in no danger, but enjoyed a perfect rescue. “His work is honourable and glorious.”
II. The Divine source from which it comes. “Salvation is of the Lord.” It is wholly his; and not part his, and part ours. It is specially and peculiarly his. It belongs to him, and no other. Hence understand the words,
1. Affirmatively. “To Jehovah be ascribed salvation.” “Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever.”
2. Negatively. There is salvation from no other source. “Beside me there is no Saviour.”
III. The wonderful method of its accomplishment. God “spake unto the fish.” Some deny an active will and a personal presence in nature. They recognize nothing but matter and force. All creatures are controlled by law and instinct, say they. But Creation is subject to God’s will. A fish was prepared for Jonah, and at the bidding of Jehovah it disgorged him. Hence, notice—
1. The power of God over all creatures. The beasts of the field, and the fish of the sea; “all cattle, creeping things, and flying fowl,” are governed by him.
2. The ease with which God governs all creatures. He has only to speak—the world is created, the storm is stilled, and the dead are raised. In heaven above, and in the remotest bounds of space, the highest archangel and the smallest atom, hearken and obey the voice of God.
3. The times in which God accomplishes his purpose in reference to all creatures. The time of the prophet’s deliverance was come, and the sea-monster in whose belly he had traversed the deep, could not retain him. With unerring precision it bore him through the trackless ocean to the destined shore. Events are subservient to God, and at his pleasure carry believers to appointed duty, needful trial, and purchased rest. However dark your position or agitated your course, let faith realize, and prayer ask for, the overruling will of God, and all will be well. “My times are in thy hand.”
HOMILETIC HINTS AND OUTLINES
Jonah 2:9. Salvation of God.
1. The feeling of assurance.
2. The expression of gratitude.
3. The ground of encouragement to others. Turn the prison of the world into the temple of God and it will not be able to detain thee [Lange].
Jonah 2:10. That time might not efface his impressions, he would hasten to record, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, for the instruction of his own countrymen and the Israel of God in all ages, the trials, mercies, and experience of the last few eventful days. The record has reached us, and besides other instruction, may remind us—First, That the troubles of believers have an appointed end, and a joyful one: the rod of their correction is not for ever (Psalms 77:7-11; Isaiah 49:14-15). Let them, then, believe, submit, and wait. Secondly, That trust in God is that grace which it is their privilege and duty to exercise under all circumstances, even under manifest chastisements for admitted sins. The issue of such trust shall be good, truly and thoroughly good, and often, beyond all expectation, blessed and joyful. Thirdly, That Christians should not sorrow over departed Christians, as they who are without hope. This extraordinary circumstance in Jonah’s history was typical of the far more wonderful and glorious event of the resurrection of Christ, and those who sleep with him. The grave shall disgorge her temporary prey, and then shall be brought to pass the saying, Death is swallowed up of victory [Sibthorp].
ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 2
Jonah 2:1-4. Affliction. Sorrow sanctifies the soul that has passed through it, renders it supple and sweet, prompt with gentle sympathy. Larger self-knowledge has been acquired. One can date from such seasons deeper emotions, broader lines of thought, a stronger character, and enlarged experience. As Rodgers sings—
“The good are better made by ill,
As odours crushed are sweeter still.”
Jonah 2:5-6. Here his cry might be as dolorous as that of David in Psalms 69. Some of the tried children of God have found cause to make it theirs; and so would all, if he gave the reins to their soul’s enemies or dealt with them as their iniquities deserve. Let us look at the sufferings of Abraham, Joseph, Job, David, Jeremiah, Paul, and others of God’s ancient saints, and adore his mercy toward us. But let us look from them at the Saviour, and at the deep and stormy waters he passed through [Sibthorp].
“Night brings out stars, as sorrow teaches truth.”
Jonah 2:7. Remembered. As God doth plant and actuate grace in the soul, so he is pleased to come in with seasonable supplies and reinforcements to the weak and decayed graces of his people. Thus he feeds the believer’s lamp with fresh oil; gives in more faith, more love, more hope, and more desires; and hereby he gives power to the faint, and strengthens the things which remain and are ready to die [John Willison].
This truth the poet sings—
“That a sorrow’s crown of sorrow is remembering happier things” [Tennyson].
Jonah 2:8. Vanity. As well try to fill the yawning chasm with a few grains of sand as satisfy the gulf of the soul’s desires with the pleasure of an empty world [Macduff].
Jonah 2:9. Vowed. The Archbishop of Cologne, being asked by the Emperor Sigismund how to attain true happiness, replied, “Perform when thou art well what thou promised when thou wast sick.”
Jonah 2:10. Providence. We are not able to account for the method of Divine providence in many instances. We talk of special and general providence; but it would be better if we could see that human life is one grand providence and purpose.
“Each man’s life is all men’s lessons.” [Lord Lytton.]