Jonah Cast into the Sea Jonah 1:15

After the attempt of rowing to safety in opposition to Jonah's request to throw him out of the ship, the “mariners” traveling to Joppa “cried out” to God that He might spare them from “innocent blood”. They knew “the LORD” had done as He “pleased”, and in chapter one and verse fifteen of this prophesy, we see how the “mariners” as a last resort “took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea”. We read:

So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

The verse begins, “So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea:” The writer began with the words, “So they took up” or “the mariners carried, lifted up, supported, sustained, endured and swept away” “Jonah” whose name means “dove”, “and cast him forth” or “hurled, carried away and threw Jonah” “into the sea” which refers to “the large body of water in which the ship sailed”. As a final resolve with nothing else that could be done to save themselves, the “mariners” threw Jonah “into the sea” as he requested.

The verse goes on to say, “and the sea ceased from her raging.” The writer continued, “and the sea” which refers to “the large body of water in which the ship sailed” “ceased” or “stood still, remained, endured, stopped, was set and stood firm” “from her raging” which means “indignation, storming and wrath”. When the “mariners” threw Jonah “into the sea”, the winds and waves calmed down and stopped “raging” immediately.

When we consider these words of the writer, we see how the obedience of the “mariners” made their stormy surroundings calm. We wonder why the “mariners” didn't obey Jonah's request earlier, however, this is much like those who are in opposition to God Almighty and His Son Jesus Christ. Many who have surrendered their lives to Jesus as Lord and Savior often wonder, “Why didn't I do this earlier?”. The truth is all we have is “now” to make that kind of decision, and if there are winds raging and sea billows rolling in our lives, perhaps it is because we have not “thrown something out” or “surrendered” some area in which we are involved. May the Holy Spirit bring to our minds and hearts those “Jonahs” that need to be “cast forth”, and let the “raging seas and winds” in our lives be calm again.

Next time we see the “mariners” throw Jonah into the sea, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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