Monday, October 2, 2017

Rowing to No Avail Jonah 1:13


When the storm came upon the “mariners” within the ship in which Jonah boarded, they found Jonah asleep, “cast lots” to determine who was responsible for the storm, asked Jonah why he did this to them, and listened to Jonah tell them to “cast” him “forth into the sea”. Jonah knew he was at fault for the “winds and waves”, and though he made his appeal, in chapter one and verse thirteen of this prophecy, we see how the “mariners” continued to “row” to no avail. We read:

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not:
for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

The verse begins, “Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land;” The writer began with the word, “Nevertheless” or “yet, withal and all the same” “the men” which refers to the “mariners” “rowed hard” or “dug and forced passage with oars” “to bring it” which refers to “returning, turning back and repenting the ship upon which they sailed” “to the land” or “dry ground”. Though Jonah told the “mariners” to “cast” him “into the sea”, the continued “rowing” so they could make it to “dry ground”.

The verse continues, “but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.” The writer added the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was previously stated, “nevertheless, nonetheless and moreover” “they could not” or “didn't prevail, overcome, endure, have power over, accomplish or endure”: “for the sea” which refers to “the large body of water upon which they sailed” “wrought” or “departed, came upon, proceeded, moved or went away”, “and was tempestuous” which means “raging, tossing, enraging and growing” “against them” which refers to the “mariners”. No matter how hard the “mariners” rowed, the sea was “raging” and working contrary to them.

When we meditate upon these words, we think about people who continue in their arduous stress to “row” their ship against the “storms” in life. Jonah's “mariners” thought if they tried hard enough and kept “rowing”, they could somehow get to safety. The flaw in their thinking was not knowing “God” was against them, and there was only one way to satisfy His displeasure. Yielding to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is the best way to “calm” the “tempestuous” winds and waves we encounter, and should we decide to “row” against Him, may the Lord quickly exhaust every effort we make to resist.

Next time we see the “mariners” pray, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites,
http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.




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