A Righteous Sacrifice

Jonah 1:11–16 (ESV)
11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they 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.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

Jonah has an idol

Jonah: “If I speak judgement over my own people and they won’t repent, and speak judgement over our enemy and they do repent, what does that mean?”

Jonah would rather die with his idol than to live and give it up

Matthew 12:41 (ESV)
41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

If I only have God, is that enough?

“I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him…”
Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,
From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.
But with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
They beat—and a Voice beat
More instant than the Feet—
‘All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.’
Francis Thompson, Hound of Heaven

Jesus and Jonah

All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might’st seek it in My arms.
All which thy child’s mistake
Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home:

Rise, clasp My hand, and come!’
Halts by me that footfall:
Is my gloom, after all,
Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?
‘Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest!

B. COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS

1) Read all of Jonah 1. What stands out to you in our section (vs 11-16)? Compare and contrast the sailors with Jonah.

2) Explain the biblical concept of a tomb and a womb as necessary for salvation.

3) How can we tell that Jonah has an idol (cares or fears something more than God)? What do you think it was?

4) Why is God justified in using wrath, fear, the storm and waves…a traumatic and horrible experience to get to Jonah? Does He need to be justified at all from us?

5) Spend time honestly reflecting on any revelation of an idol you may have. What do you fear losing more than God Himself? What could God ask from you that would make running from a relationship with Him a more attractive prospect?

6) Pray for each other…that God will help us defeat our idols.