I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
Intelligible providences
It is certain that in all general adversities God has some purpose to accomplish with all those that suffer. But it is no less true that individual persons may be particularly aimed at. A few years ago the great steamship Austria, crowded with emigrants, was burned far out at sea, and only a few of the passengers were saved. Of these some after wards published reports of the terrible event. One thrilling narrative was from the pen of a young man who had sunk very low in debauchery, frivolity, and scorn of all higher things. And this is what he said of himself: “I do not understand the ways of the Eternal; but I do know this, that it needed a terrible catastrophe to awaken me from my deathlike sleep. Nothing less than such awful event would have driven me from the path of ruin; and in the midst of all the frightful agony of the scene, an inward voice seemed to say to me, ‘This is all for your sake, that your soul may be dragged from destruction.’” So also a Prussian musketeer who on the battlefield of Sadowa had both his legs shot off, said to me, “I can never reveal my sins to any human being; but believe me, that only in that way could I be plucked as a brand from the burning. As far as I am concerned, I know why the war had to come.” (Pastor Funcke.)
The penitence of the prophet of Gath-hepher
This is the first clear indication of a return on the part of the prophet to a proper state of feeling. His confession did not necessarily imply this.
I. The request of Jonah. “Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea.” These words imply--
1. A conviction of the folly of attempting to resist God’s will. It may be said that this none will dispute. In words, indeed, many may admit this, but in their practice they contradict it. Every disobedient sinner imagines that he can secure his happiness not only independently of God, but in opposition to what He hath revealed or what He can do.
2. An expression of his readiness to endure the chastisement due to his transgression. It is one thing to acknowledge our guilt and desert of punishment, and another practically to acquiesce in that punishment when it is about to be inflicted. It is a much more difficult thing, and much more indicative of true penitence, patiently to bear affliction than actively to perform duty. Jonah pronounces on himself the appalling sentence, that he should be cast into the sea.
3. An expression of his readiness to submit, not only as respected the matter of the punishment, but the manner of it. Though Jonah passed sentence on himself, he did not propose that he should himself carry it into effect. Self-destruction is in no case justifiable.
4. The expression of his satisfaction that the innocent should escape, though he might suffer.
II. The conduct of the mariners. It might have been expected that they would follow Jonah’s advice. They did not at once. Notice--
1. The benevolence of their exertions.
2. The inefficacy of their exertions.
Learn the obstructions which sin presents to our efforts for the good of others. (R. Brodie, A. M.)
Settling the storm
Trace an analogy between the experience of these ancient mariners and that of those who are “led by the Spirit of God” to accept salvation through the death of Christ. “Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.” It will be interesting to trace the steps by which this consummation was reached.
I. True spiritual religion is divine in its origin. Some of us began life very much as these sailors commenced their voyage. Every prospect seemed bright. So easily we persuaded ourselves to rest. Jonah learned in the belly of the fish that “salvation is of the Lord.” This at a stroke removes--
1. Inherent goodness.
2. Inherited grace.
3. Imparted sanctity.
As this spiritual religion is Divine in its origin, so it is--
II. irresistible in its operation. When God said, “Let light be!” light was, and nothing could resist His decree. And so it is in the new creation. What could these sailors do against the “mighty tempest” which threatened to dash their ship in pieces? Men may encase themselves in pride, carnal reason, prejudice, unbelief, but the Word of God is “quick and powerful.”
III. absolute its requirements. “Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea.” That was God’s way of giving calm and rest. See the ways the mariners tried.
1. They began to be religious.
2. They tried to lighten the vessel.
3. They rowed hard to get to land.
“By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of your selves: it is the gift of God.” Accept God’s method.
IV. blessed in its results. This is precisely the way in which God works in grace.
1. Peace through faith.
2. Piety with peace.
3. Profession with piety. (W. H. Burton.)
Jonah’s late
Let us not fail to admire all that was admirable in the conduct of this heathen crew. A nobler ship’s company was never gathered together. No human voice cried across the deck of the labouring vessel that the man who pronounced this sentence upon himself must be taken at his word. With a humane self-restraint which did them infinite honour the sailors set to work at an attempt to save themselves without sacrificing their passenger: and it was not until that attempt had completely and manifestly failed that they reluctantly and reverently consigned him to the deep.
I. The noble attempt of the sailors.
1. Notice the toil it involved on behalf of a stranger.
2. The risk to which it exposed them for the sake of one who had occasioned them loss.
3. It was a noble motive which prompted these men to make this attempt to save the prophet’s life. They desired to show their sense of Jonah’s own demeanour in relation to themselves, and to make a suitable response to it.
4. The failure of their attempt by no means detracts from the nobility of their conduct. It does not follow that they had nothing but their labour for their pains. They were morally the better for the purpose they had cherished of saving the prophet, and for the effort they had made to accomplish their purpose.
II. Consigning Jonah to the sea. They handled the prophet as tenderly as the circumstances permitted. Look at the prayer these men offered before they put Jonah into the sea.
1. The prayer is replete with interest to those who regard it with attention. It was a prayer addressed to the true God by these heathen for the first time. It was a very earnest prayer. It was a prayer for their own preservation. It was a prayer for the prophet.
2. The reply to the prayer. “The sea ceased from her raging.” This was a miracle. Miracles were signs. This was “a sign that Jonah was indeed a prophet of the Lord. A sign that Jehovah is the ruler of the sea. And a sign that God hears and answers prayer. (Samuel Clift Burn.)
Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land.
Hard rowing
The unavailing efforts of these oarsmen have a counter-part--
1. In the efforts we are making to bring souls to the shore of safety, and set their feet on the Rock of Ages.
2. In the efforts we are making to bring this world back to God, His pardon, and safety. If this world could have been saved by human effort, it would have been saved long ago.
3. In every man that is trying to row his own soul into safety. (T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.)