Divine Providence In Pursuing The Rebellious

We will continue our studies from the book of Jonah. Last time we started the book of Jonah. We will continue our studies. We’ll read today, we’ll turn our Bibles to Jonah 1. Sorry, I thought of making PPT but I couldn’t do that. We’ll read verses 4 till 16. I’ll read out, you can follow me or follow me as I read through this passage, because this is a—this is a different translation, so please follow me or you can follow in your Bibles. You may find different wordings here and there. Um, yeah, Jonah 1, verses 4 till 16.

Now Yahweh hurled a great wind on the sea, such that there was a great storm on the sea, and the ship was about to break up, and the sailors became afraid, and every man cried out to his god. And they threw the cargo which was on the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost part of the ship, laying down, and went into a deep sleep. Then the captain approached him and said to him, “Why are you sleeping? Get up, call on your gods. Perhaps the gods will have regard for us so that we will not perish.” Then each man said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots so that we may learn on whose account this calamity has come upon us.” And they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. So they said to him,

“Tell us, we entreat you, on whose account has this calamity come upon us? What is your occupation, and where do you come from? What is your country, and from what people are you?” And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Yah—the Yahweh, the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.” So the men became terrified, and they said to him, “What is this you have done?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh, because he had told them. Then they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea

may become calm for us?” For the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. So he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea, and then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that this great storm has on account of me.” However, the men rowed desperately to return to the dry land, and they were not able to, because the sea was growing stormier against them. Then they cried out to Yahweh and said, “O Yahweh, please do not let us perish on account of this man’s life, and do not lay upon us innocent blood. For you, O Yahweh, have done as you have pleased.”

Then they lifted Jonah up and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased its raging. Then the men greatly feared Yahweh, and they offered to sacrifice to Yahweh, and they made vows. Father, we pray at this time that you would bless our time in your word, impress your truths upon our hearts. We pray that you give us grace, Lord, to walk in the light of your truth, that we may not be a people who flee from your presence, we may not be a people who flee from your commandments. Oh, have mercy upon us, Lord, that our hearts may be filled with awe towards

your God. Give us grace, in Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen. Last time we have seen Jonah’s reluctance to obey God’s command, to deliver his word to the Ninevites. Jonah was driven by personal feelings and fears, leading him to disobey God’s command. His emotions overshadowed God’s imperative or God’s command. And we have noted how, like Jonah, we are frequently influenced by our own fears and feelings that cause us to disobey God in our personal lives and also in the life of the church. We have seen that not living according to God’s clear instructions is fleeing away from the presence of the Lord.

Today, we’re going to continue to look at this narrative. And the title of today’s sermon is Divine Providence in Pursuing the Rebellious. Divine providence in pursuing the rebellious. I’m going to share three points today with you. The first one is how God pursues his rebellious children through his providential acts. And the second thing we’re going to see, that how God exposes a sinner, sinner exposed. And at times our confession of who God is contradicts the way we live. And thirdly, we will look at that God will certainly deal with sin. He will not ignore sin.

He will deal with sin. So, we have seen that Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord. And the narrator, I believe here, intentionally uses these words. Look at verse 3. As he fled from the presence of the Lord, it says that he went down to Joppa. And in the last part of verse 3, it says that he went down into the ship.

And when there was a great storm, in verse 5, he went down into the innermost parts of the ship to lie down. In each of these three different instances, the author uses, or the narrator uses the same words. I think to convey a point.

The prophet’s fleeing from the presence of the Lord or his disobedience is picturized here as going down. And today, in our passage, we observe Jonah’s pattern of disobedience continues. Firstly, we see here in verses 4 and 5 how God pursues his rebellious children. Look at verse 4. It says that, “Now Yahweh hurled a great wind on the sea, and such that there was a great storm on the sea, and the ship was about to break up, and the sailors became afraid, and every man cried out to God, to his god, and they threw the cargo which was on the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone into the innermost part of the ship and lay down and went into a deep sleep.”

Jonah was already overboard on the ship. Jonah is still rebelling against God’s command to preach to the Ninevites. He knew what he was doing and he didn’t want to do God’s will. He is aware of God’s word. Jonah was silencing his conscience. He probably was justifying his actions in his own mind.

Jonah no longer heard God’s word. He knew God’s word. You knew that God is not going to stop pursuing the Ninevites because Jonah has turned his back. God is not going to change his plan. We encounter a new scene here in verse 4 and a new character here in verse 4. We see the Lord’s intervention here. In the first three verses we see that the Lord’s word had come to Jonah, but here we see the Lord himself.

God’s actions here are a result of Jonah’s rebellion. God doesn’t simply send the wind here. He is so active here. He says that he hurls a great wind. He hurls a great wind. It is a causative work. It means that he is causing this wind. He is actively causing this wind. He hurls a great wind, and this great wind upon the sea causes a great storm. This intense storm is beating the ship to break it up. Jonah knew this storm was a result of his rebellion against God. Now Jonah puts the lives of the sailors in danger. He’s, he’s unconcerned. Like he was unconcerned for the Ninevites, he’s unconcerned for his fellow sailors. And these experienced sailors were — they were terrified by this violent storm.

They might have seen many storms as sailors, but they are extremely terrified here. They were doing everything to save themselves. They were lightening the ship by throwing the cargo. They were also crying to their gods who couldn’t hear them. A violent storm threatened their lives and they were throwing the cargo which meant a loss of income. They were losing their income.

But Jonah was determined to be self-centered. Jonah was determined to rebel against God. However, Jonah doesn’t seem to care. He doesn’t cry to the one who could save everyone. If only Jonah could cry to the Lord of the sea and the earth, the situation would have improved.

But Jonah is indifferent, is apathetic here. Jonah leaves the sailors in their utter distress and he further descends into the lower parts of the ship to sleep. What a man. And the narrator says here, he goes into a deep sleep. He’s so depressed. He is so disappointed with God that he is such a melancholic person. He is in such depression that he could fall into sleep in such a great distress.

Jonah furthers his rebellion against God. Jonah knew that God had caused this great storm and he was warning him through it, but Jonah ignores. Jonah is so depressed that he is not even concerned about his own survival. Bible. What do you do when your expectations or desires don’t match up with God’s word?

God’s word says something, your expectations are something, what will you do? What will you do? How will you live? God’s word says not to do this, but your heart says do this. What will you do? God says don’t lust after that person, but your heart says lust after that person. What will you do? You flee from the presence of the Lord by disobeying God’s Word, or do you flee into God’s presence to seek his grace? God told us in his word to love that brother, to forgive

that sister. That is God’s expectation. But do we justify our rebellion by awarding God’s clear commands in the word? We have been hearing about many pastors falling into adulterous relationships. Even recently we — I heard of a good theologian fell into an adulterous relationship. A very good theologian.

And he’s not so famous. So that’s the reason it’s not in the news everywhere. He’s a young man but very good theologian, and admit, and, and he was in an adulterous relationship. It’s not like he lusted like this, or, you know, there was a accident or something like that. It’s not like it just he was something. It’s not like he was in a relationship. He preached while he was in relationships. Those are elders relationships. He wrote books. He authored books while he was in that adulterous relationship. And many stories go like this or end up like this. Now after a couple of years they come forward and confess, or they are, they’re caught in these sins. God

did not speak to them through a voice and warn them. There will be no other voice from heaven to warn you and me. Because God has already given us his word. It is our duty, it is our business to look into his word and to be forewarned by his instructions in the world.

Now at that initial look or that flirtatious talk with the opposite sex, you may not see any harm in it. Maybe others have not noticed it. But once you are on that downward path, brother, sister, you will end up badly. Sin will be exposed. God has already spoken against lust and adultery in his word. And our conscience should be captivated by God’s word.

Do not let feelings guide you. Always let the word guide you. Oh, I feel like this. I’ve been married to this person for such a long time now. This person, I started a feeling for that person. That is from the pit of hell. Don’t we act like Jonah when our hearts are bent down to do something that is contrary to God’s word? We silence God’s explicit commands by justifying our actions.

We know that we shouldn’t lie, but we justify those lies because we are bent on doing those things which we desire to do, which we want in our own lives. It could be any sinful desire. We should repent of every sin and trust in God’s word and his design.

Hear what Sinclair Ferguson says: “When we have a heart to rebel against God, there will frequently be the providential means put before us to give us the opportunity. But when we are on the run from God, His providences are wise tests. They are never gracious excuses.”

I remember even Carson said something on the similar, D. A. Carson said similarly on these lines. Do not take God’s long suffering for granted. Because God is not punishing you at that moment when you have sinned, or when you have sinned couple of times in the same way, do not think that God’s long suffering — do not take God’s long suffering for granted. Do not think that God is ignoring your sins. You did, you did that sin one time. Oh, God didn’t do anything to me. No one noticed me. Aha, I can continue in that. You do a second time, you do a third time, you do a fourth time. God still doesn’t do anything to you, right? Because God has already given you the word. Sooner or later, if you

go in that path, your sin will be exposed. Your sin will be exposed. It is not good to let God’s providence guide us at all times in the case of sin actually. In this case where God used a storm to warn Jonah, now it’s not a good thing, he had the word, but letting God’s warnings guide us in our spiritual lives shows a trajectory of our lives and indicates a rebellion against God. If you are always letting God’s warnings guide us, that means that we are in a bad shape or in a spiritually.

As the Psalmist suggests, we should let God’s word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. When confronted by God’s word about sin, we must immediately turn away and trust his wisdom. Otherwise God may use providence and discipline to warn us and to steer us back to His paths.

Remember, God will not leave you, not forsake you. Secondly, verses 6 till 10. At times our confession of who God is contradicts our lives. The captain approached him and said to him, “Why are you sleeping? Get up. Call on your gods. Perhaps the gods will have regard for us so that we will not perish.”

Sinclair Ferguson points out that the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, suggests that the captain may only have found him. He was snoring. He went to the innermost parts of the ship and they were all busy emptying the ship, right? And he must be snoring so loud that he went to this person. And the narrator uses the words deliberately here. As the captain approaches Jonah, he calls out to him with these words, “Get up, call on.” Same words that we find in the first two verses.

Arise, get up. Arise or call on. The same word, the same word was used to use in verse 2, to proclaim the good news or proclaim to the Ninevites — not the good news — proclaim to the Ninevites. The same word, call on. And the, in the original language the narrator uses the same words in verse 2 and verse 6. And when the Lord, when the word of the Lord came to Jonah in verse 2, he heard these words: “Arise and cry out” or “call out.” And in verse 6 the captain utters the same words: “Get up” or “arise,” “call on” or “cry out.” Is reminding, what is reminding providentially. However, this

captain was unaware of Jonah's situation. Jonah's sole reason for being on the ship was to flee from the presence of the Lord. But to Jonah these words must have been like a haunting echo appealing to his conscience. Arise, get up, cry out. Arise, get up, cry out. But still Jonah doesn't cry out to his God. He doesn't cry out to his God who can ease this situation. However, Jonah knew that if he cries out to God, he has no other option but to heed the call in verse 2, which he didn't want to do. Jonah doesn't cry.

What stands out in this part of narrative is that Jonah did not pray even after the captain's rebuke. “How could you sleep, man?” Despite the raging storm. Jonah remained trapped in his unresolved conflict with God, unable and unwilling to pray. His defiance toward God was firm.

It's tempting to believe you can always turn to God in a crisis, right? Or, let only crisis come, people will turn to God. But that's not always the case. Secret sins — if there are secret sins in our hearts, secret sins against God — foster forbidden sentiments, and as long as these remain in our hearts, prayer becomes impossible. Let there be difficult situations in your life, troubling times in your life; if you are harboring sins in your heart, if you are rejoicing in those secret sins, you will not pray. Even in your most difficult point in your life you will not turn to God. How does God

expose the sinner? Look at verse 7. “Then each man said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots, so that we may learn on whose account this calamity has come upon us.' And they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.” The sailors cast lots to find the guilty party, and the lot falls on Jonah. Now we must be careful here. The Bible does not endorse lot casting as a normative means of divine guidance. Yes, it was used once in the New Testament as well, when the, when the apostles were choosing another disciple, choosing Matthias as one of the twelve

disciples. However, it is never a standard way for God to guide us. We now have the completed scriptures before us and the indwelling Spirit of God. So, you want to make a decision, next time don't cast lot. You may be disappointed. But what we see here in this story is that God is working. God is actively working, actively pursuing. So he's using everything to pursue his rebellious child. And in the story of Jonah we see that God as the one who brought the word pursues Jonah despite his rebellion. He hurls the storm, and now he reveals the sinner, and he uses this means of casting lots to reveal. That's enough. Proverbs chapter 16 verse 33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

even the Lord casting in this scenario comes under providence he sovereignly uses this lot casting like he used the storm he uses the Lord casting as well the Lord fell on Jonah so don't take this into consideration should know no just like you don't take a storm into consideration every time there's a storm you don't think that oh it's God signaling something no you wouldn't think like that so in the same way don't take not casting as something so yeah he the Lord is providentially working out something and the Lord falls on Jonah providentially so you must say they said to

him, “Tell us, we entreat you, on whose account has this calamity come upon us?” No, they literally beg Jonah. The word user is “entreat you.” No, it's like begging you. We beg you, please tell us, please tell us, answer us. And they asked series of questions: “On whose account has this calamity come upon us? What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And for what people are you?” But Jonah doesn't give out much information. He answers the last part of the question.

Finally, it has become evident to the crew that this is indeed an evil that has come upon them on account of Jonah. The sinner is exposed. The silence is broken. And verse 9, he said, he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” “So the men became terrified and said to him, ‘What is this you have done?' For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh, because he had told them.”

What a confession. “I am a Hebrew, I fear Yahweh.” Right? What a contradiction. He claims to fear God, the creator of sea and land, while running away on the very sea that God created. While fleeing from God, is fearing God. He confesses God's sovereignty over the waters while trying to escape across the same waters.

Jonah knows the truth. He can articulate sound theology but he is living in flagrant disobedience to it. This is the danger. Everyone who has been raised in a good church. Everyone who knows theology, reformed theology or everyone who can quote the historical confessions. That sounds good and great. Oh man, this man certainly knows a lot. God, wow, correct doctrine without corresponding obedience is not faith.

It's presumption. The demons also believe and shudder. Right knowledge and contradiction in life is still a rebellion. You may be rebelling in your heart, those secret sins, and still be passionate about your good theology. You are swelling up in your head but you are still rebelling against God. Dear brother and sister, you may articulate theology well, you may reason it well while you are still rebelling against God. You may be active in the service of

in some capacity in the church, while you are still rebelling against God, it is a hypocrisy. While people may see you as a passionate person, maybe you just want that sort of recognition. But before God, you are still a rebellious person. Look, God is pursuing you.

have been many providential warnings that you have ignored. Do not tread on that path. It is dangerous. According to Hebrews 12, the Lord will discipline you. And according to 1 Corinthians 3, all the work that you have accomplished that was great in the sight of man will be counted as nothing by God if you continue on that path of rebellion.

Here is a theological point from the story of Jonah. Sin hardens us to God's word and also his providential warnings. Have you hardened your heart? Are you ignoring some of God's commands? Are you justifying your actions and feelings? If you are running from God today, from His call, from His correction, from His commands, know this, He will pursue you because He loves you.

Because He redeemed you on the cross. He loves you too much. He loves you so much that He will not let you go. The storms He sends are mercies, not cruelty. They are meant to turn you back before you destroy yourself. Stop sleeping in your sin. Wake up. Return to God. Confess your rebellion. You cannot outrun the God who made the sea and the dry land. Do not take God's warnings for granted.

He may have warned you from many years now. People may have observed a pattern in your life and might have told you as well. Don't ignore it. Don't ignore it. Thirdly, God will deal with sin. Verses 11–16. The raging storm now made sense to these unbelieving men. They had no trouble believing that there must be a God who created the sea, and if Jonah was fleeing from this God, they needed to look no further for the cause of their trouble. But what should they do now? Jonah knew what had to happen if the crew on the ship was to

be saved. Verse 12, he said to them, “Pick me up, throw me into the sea, and then the sea will become calm, and I know that this great storm has come upon you on account of me.” Jonah wakes up from his sleep, finally takes responsibility. He acknowledges that his sin has endangered others.

Right, it sounds holy, but that Jonah was still rebelling against God here. He still doesn't cry out to God. He still doesn't cry out to God. He could have cried out to God. He made that confession to God, “Lord, it's because of me you're doing this. Have mercy upon them and upon me.” He doesn't cry out to God.

He wanted to see his end. He doesn't want to submit. Observe the sailors' response here in verse 13. They were more compassionate than Jonah. Instead of throwing him into the sea, they row hard to reach the dry land because they didn't want to throw him into the sea. They were trying to save Jonah's life.

But the sea continues to be tempestuous. Verse 14. Then they cried out to Yahweh and said, “O Yahweh, please do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not lay upon us innocent blood. For you, O Yahweh, have done as you have pleased.”

These pagans cried out to God again. But Jonah doesn’t cry to God. He’s so hardened. Look at their prayer. These sailors are learning theology not through this prophet. These sailors are learning theology in the midst of a storm, which was caused by God’s providence.

Then the sailors committed Jonah to God’s mercies and his providence. And they lifted Jonah, verse 15, lifted Jonah up, threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased its raging. Jonah wanted to descend into his rebellion against God. He want to further in his rebellion against God. When the deserving candidate took the punishment, the storm, the storm ceased. As soon as the sea became calm, awe of God gripped these sailors. Look at verse 16, “Then the men greatly feared Yahweh, and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh, and they made vows.” They became worshippers of Yahweh. They offered sacrifice and made vows. When we get to see the heart of God again through this fearful for all, God pursues his rebellious prophet and reaches out to the pagans.

God takes sin seriously. Sin is an abomination to God. God punishes sin. He will not tolerate sin. He cannot simply forgive a sinner. He is just and holy. He will act justly. But God’s heart to save a rebellious people is evident from the beginning.

The only way God can forgive you is through substitution. Jonah forgot that he was an unworthy prophet. His people were undeserving people. He forgot how God called a pagan Abraham and saved him and made a nation out of him. He forgot all the wondrous works that God did over the ages to a rebellious people. And one of the promises that God made to Abraham was that nations will be blessed through him. And Jonah forgot that call. Jonah disobeys. Every sinner that God ever saved or will save is an undeserving person. Unlike Jonah, God, though he detests sins and hates the sinner, he sent his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was one with him, who is God in all glory.

He stepped down into this world to become a substitute for the undeserving sinners to spare them. Jesus was born into this world through a virgin and took upon himself a human in nature, lived a sinless life to become a perfect substitute for our sins. One day, at the right time, Jesus went to the cross. Our sins were laid, your sins were laid on him. On the cross he suffered God’s judgment for your sins and my. He paid the penalty for his people. He suffered and died under the severe anger of God which was burning against the sinners.

Jesus shed his blood to atone for the sins of the unworthy. He rose again from the dead on the third day for our salvation. Jesus’ sacrifice is the only provision that God has made for our salvation. That’s the only provision of God. There is no other way a person can be saved.

For every person on the face of this earth, from every tribe and every tongue, there is only one provision and that provision is from God and that provision is Lord Jesus Christ. His death, His burial and His resurrection, His finished work which alone can save a people for His glory. So dear brother, dear sister, turn from your sinful self-centered ways of life.

Don’t be hardened in your heart because of your sins. Turn away from your rebellious ways. Trust in Jesus for your salvation. Jonah’s story confronts our own rebellion. We may not be on a ship to Tarshish. But now, but about how often, but how often do we run from God’s clear instructions in his word? Why don’t you flee from sin and sinful patterns? Why don’t you flee from your sins and sinful patterns? You have, you haven’t you observed your sinful patterns in your life? And when you have observed them, why don’t you flee? Why don’t you see that and cry out to God? But you are willing to tolerate that sin, and you are willing to rebel against God. How often do we sleep through spiritual crisis and to deal with our apathy and indifference in matters of God and his purposes.

You’re not willing to spend an hour in prayer, but are willing to sit up and have empty chatter with your friends or pass your time just like that. Why don’t you have a heart for God? Have you ever asked this question? How much time do you spend in the word?

Is some sin stopping you? Why don't you delight in the word of God? What keeps you away from the word life? Do you have a quality time meditating upon God's word? Do you have a time that you spend before the face of the Lord?

Do you have a time when you look into the Word and you look at the glory of Christ, you fall flat on your face before God and cry out for mercies? Do you have such times in your personal life, in your personal walk with the Lord?

Have you, like Jonah, seared your conscience against the providential callings of God? Here are the words from the book of Jonah: “Arise, you sleeper, wake up, cry out to God.” Arise, O sleeper, wake up and cry out to God. And from the broader context of the Bible: arise from your sleep, continue to look to Christ, trust in him and in his provision. He will give you life. He will give you life once again.

He will fill you with awe like he had filled the hearts of these sailors. When your heart is captivated by the love of God revealed on the cross and when you recognize the magnitude of the love through the propitiation by which Christ became the sacrifice for your sin enduring wrath on your behalf and when you become persuaded that this Christ extends his redeeming love to others who have not yet come to him as you behold that glorious Christ a passion shall be ignited in your heart to pursue a life centered on God.

A life is only possible when you live by His Word, in His Word, in His presence, at His feet. Let's pray.