You know the tale of Jonah. It is among the most well-known stories in the world. When you hear his name, what comes to mind? No doubt you imagine the man who tried to run from God and ended up trapped in the belly of a fish for three days. The story is incredibly rich and can teach us countless lessons, but I would like to take a non-traditional approach to the tale. Instead of focusing on the main character, let’s take a close look at the supporting cast.
The sailors.
In his attempt to avoid doing what God called him to do, Jonah enlisted the help of some sailors in Joppa. These men were likely Phoenician mariners with diverse ethnicities and backgrounds. The ship they commanded was probably a massive merchant vessel known as a “Ship of Tarshish.” These ships and their crews would transport valuable metals—like silver, iron, tin, and lead—across the Mediterranean for a large payoff.
The trip from Joppa to Tarshish was roughly 2,500 miles across an unforgiving sea, a journey that could take up to several months of difficult sailing. These sailors were brave men, engaged in a high-risk, high-reward occupation. We do not know from the text of Jonah Chapter 1 if this crew normally took on passengers. On this occasion, however, they agreed to take on Jonah. That decision would change their lives. These pagan sailors, who worshiped a variety of false gods, would come face-to-face with Yahweh, Maker of Heaven and Earth.
Trouble at sea.
The crew set sail, hoping for a profitable and uneventful trip. But out on the open sea, they encountered a storm so violent it threatened to tear their ship apart. At first, they relied on their skill to save them from the wind and waves, navigating the storm using their experience as veteran sailors. However, it soon became apparent that this storm was more than they could handle, so they shouted to their gods for help. Their cries went unanswered, and they began to throw precious cargo overboard in a desperate attempt to keep the ship afloat.
The captain knew the situation was dire; this was no ordinary storm. He ventured down into the cargo hold and woke Jonah. “Get up and pray to your god!” he screamed. The captain and crew were convinced that someone had offended the gods and brought this disaster upon them, but they did not know who it was. By casting lots, the crew determined that Jonah was to blame for their predicament.
Jonah came clean, revealing that he was an Israelite who worshiped Yahweh, the one true God, Master of both land and sea. Jonah told them that his flight from Yahweh was the cause of this terrible storm, and that the only way to stop it was to throw him overboard.
A difficult choice.
It is interesting to note the reaction of these pagan sailors. They believed Jonah. They believed that he was the cause of their problems. Yet, these men knew that it would be wrong to murder Jonah to save themselves, exemplifying the universal conscience they possessed—a moral compass that God has given to all humanity. They made one last desperate attempt to beat the storm, rowing as hard as they could, using every trick they knew. It was no use.
Finally, they cried out to Yahweh, begging Him not to punish them for what Jonah had done, nor for what they were about to do to Jonah. Reluctantly, they tossed Jonah into the cold, dark sea. The moment his body hit the water, the storm went silent! These pagan sailors immediately recognized Yahweh’s power. They offered a sacrifice to Him, and vowed to serve Him.
We will probably never experience the terror of being caught in a violent storm in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Nevertheless, we can learn some powerful lessons from the Phoenician mariners in our story.
The storms of life.
What’s your first reaction when trouble comes? Many of us are like the sailors; our first instinct is to rely on our skills and resources to solve the problem. We try to handle things in our own strength. But Scripture reminds us that we ought to trust in the Lord in times of trouble.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.~Isaiah 41:10
When their skills failed them, the sailors looked to their gods to save them. In modern times, we do the same thing when we turn to money, status, fame, power, or pleasure to fix our problems. Anything that takes the place of God in our hearts is a false god. But just as those ancient idols were of no help to the sailors, our modern false gods will fail to deliver us in our hour of need. We must trust in God, not idols.
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
~Matthew 6:24
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
~Colossians 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
~Proverbs 3:5-6
In the end, the sailors cried out to the true God, acknowledging His sovereignty and asking for His mercy. Only then did the storm pass. God does not promise that we will never experience storms, but He does promise to see us through them.
When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.
~Proverbs 10:25
When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.~Isaiah 43:2
Good from bad.
Many stories in Scripture highlight how God can take evil actions and make good things happen. The stories of Joseph, David, Jacob, and many more demonstrate this principle. We see it on display here in Jonah’s story as well.
What Jonah did was wrong. He deliberately disobeyed God and endangered the lives of the sailors by his evil act. Yet, God used the opportunity to reveal Himself to a group of Phoenician mariners who may have never heard of Him otherwise. This does not justify Jonah’s actions, but it does illustrate how God can bring a positive result even from human wrongdoing.
The ultimate example of this is the crucifixion of our Lord, Jesus Christ, which God used to atone for the sins of all who repent and come to Him for forgiveness. Satan and the demons meant Christ’s death for evil, but God meant it for absolute good (see I Corinthians 2:7-8).
The next time you find yourself in one of life’s storms, remember the sailors in the story of Jonah. Don’t rely on your own skills or turn to false gods. Trust the Lord and wait for Him to work. And remember that God can take any situation, no matter how dire, and bring something good out of it.
