“Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you.” – Jonah 1:12
How did Jonah know that the sea would become calm if the crew threw him out of the boat? There can only be one answer: God revealed it.
When Jonah’s sin was exposed, God’s silence was ended, and Jonah spoke as a prophet again. This prophetic word was a command from God: “Sacrifice Jonah and you will be saved.” The sacrifice of Jonah will be the salvation of the crew.
Notice that the crew’s first instinct is to refuse the sacrifice: “Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land” (1:13). Feel the weight of this picture. God has spoken through the prophet. But these men think they can save themselves without the sacrifice!
The strength of this impulse to refuse the sacrifice is significant. A deep-seated pride in the human heart says, “We can make it through the judgment of God. We’ll just row harder.” That is the polar opposite of a God-centered life!
When the crew realized that they could not beat the storm, they turned in their desperation to what God had said through the prophet. They staked their lives on the sacrifice of Jonah.
God’s storm is stronger than you are. You can’t overcome sin enough or make yourself good enough to survive God’s judgment. The storm of His judgment will wreck you unless you are saved by the sacrifice of Someone else.
That is why Jesus Christ came into the world. That is why He went to the cross. He was cast out as a sacrifice to calm the wrath of God on your behalf. He died on that cross so that you should survive God’s judgment against sin.
Has pride been causing you to “row harder”? What will it take for you to stop refusing Jesus’ sacrifice?
Do You Need Hope This Easter Season?
Watch the powerful story of the thief on the cross today
The thief’s story of salvation is one that begins, literally, on the brink of hell. The pain this man had experienced throughout his life fueled his hate for God, so much so that he detested the man hanging there on the cross beside him. But then, for the first time, he began to fear God.
If you’ve found yourself in a similar place, there is hope. Hope because heaven is real, hope because we have a Savior, and hope because all you have to do is accept Jesus’ invitation.
Listen NOW!
The HIKE Through the Bible podcast is now streaming! Join Pastor Colin for a leisurely hike through the entire Bible story. In every episode he reads a chapter from his new book HIKE Through the Bible and then discusses it with some friends.
Join Pastor Colin In-Person!
Do you want to understand the Bible story? 📖
Pastor Colin Smith’s upcoming event FLY THROUGH THE BIBLE, is a high-altitude exploration of the entire Bible story. This brief introduction to the Bible will help you grasp who God is, who you are, who Jesus is, and what He offers to you!
Coming to 4 cities this fall:
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Twin Cities, Minnesota
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Indianapolis, Indiana
Will you join us?
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