I started sharing life transforming truths drawn from the book of Jonah in my last post here. I'm trusting God to help me find the time to use this steemit platform more consistently.
It can be very saddening atimes when you have a lot to share but cannot find the time to even do so.
I'm currently employing more staff and restructuring a bit, so my business can allow me more spare time do some other things like being a blessing on Steemit.
Well, this is a continuation of the previous post. I encourage you to read the first part of this series if you haven't already done so.
We looked at how Jonah left his safe zone and went in the direction that appealed to his senses. We also saw how stuff began to go sour for him real fast.
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Take a look at this as the story continues
Jonah 1:4-6 (Living Bible)
4 But as the ship was sailing along, suddenly the Lord flung a terrific wind over the sea, causing a great storm that threatened to send them to the bottom.
5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. And all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.
6 So the captain went down after him. “What do you mean,” he roared, “sleeping at a time like this? Get up and cry to your god, and see if he will have mercy on us and save us!”
Here are a few important take home lessons:
1. Poverty Befriends Those Who Rebel Against God's Purpose
To save the ship the men threw all the cargo overboard (verse 5). If Jonah got on the ship with any luggage, he lost it to the storm.
Those who disregard God's purpose for their lives get poorer, not richer. They begin to lose what they had previously gathered.
2. Nature rebels against those who rebel against God. That's the design.
Life goes against people who go against God's revealed purpose for their lives. Created things themselves fight those who appose the will of God.
Everything goes south for them.
This explains some strange illnesses people come down with as a result of disregarding the dictates of God and following their senses. Paul speaks about this in Romans 1:27.
3. Those who are intentionally rebelling against God are not a good company to keep.
If you think about this story you'd realize that it was Jonah who brought misfortune on those he hung around with.
Let's see another example in the Bible.
Jonathan loved David; he knew David was anointed and chosen by God to be king. Jonathan knew David was meant to be king yet he stuck with Saul, his father.
Jonathan once told David in 1 Samuel 2:16-17
"I know you'll be king and I'll be the second in command to you. "
But Jonathan never saw this happen because he stuck with Saul, someone who was intentionally rebelling against God.
Sad to say, Jonathan died with his father.
It's an error to get emotional with your destiny. Choose wisely those with whom you keep company.
wow! I love this sir,
Punchline for me
>poverty befriends those who rebels against God
But would you really blame Jonathan for sticking with his father?
He although knew another King has been anointed and he supported and believed in him, but still has has a oath with his father and king.
Even David couldn't turn against the king because he has the anointing too, he had to wait his time.
@aristokratos Glad you're being blessed by this. Jonathan didn't have to turn against his dad in any violent way, he could have simply left him and stuck with David.
Though Jonathan was a good man, he died before his time because sentiments wouldn't allow him do that.
We need to be brave enough to move when we should and be where God is, not where God was.
Sentiments hinder people from being all God has for them to be.
Remember that at least 400 men came out to join David and he became their leader/commander. God preserved these men and they enjoyed the kingship of David much later. Jonathan could have been one of them. He didn't have to fight against his father, he just should have left him.
Thanks for the expository explanation, I have learnt much.
Though I feel Jonathan couldn't have easily made that decision and Saul's mistake affected his household. We both know almost everyone was wiped out later on, I feel Jonathan might not have had a place in David's kindom