“But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the Presence of the Lord. . .”
Jonah 1:3a
As someone once said, “You can run, but you can’t hide.”
Tarshish was a long way from Nineveh. Around 2,000 miles to be exact. And, it likely was located in the western Mediterranean in southern Spain near Gibraltar, while Nineveh was located in the Assyrian Empire in what is now modern-day Iraq. Thus, it’s clear Jonah was headed in the wrong direction and somehow thought he could escape God’s notice and reach.
Quite a wicked city, Nineveh was built by Nimrod, the grandson of Noah, who also built the ancient city of Babylon and the Tower of Babel (Gen. 10:8-11; 11:1-4), which was dedicated to the worship of the sun god, while Nineveh was apparently the home for worship of the Babylonian goddess, Ishtar.
But, one thing was clear:
Jonah didn’t like Nineveh or the people who lived there. In fact, he hated them and hated the fact that God wanted to send him there. And, even when they repented (3:5-10), Jonah still felt justified in his hatred of them, instead of giving thanks for their having turned to the Lord (4:1-11).
So, he “rose up to flee from the Presence of the Lord, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare thereof and got aboard” (1:3). We’re not told if he went first class, second class or third class; but we are told “he paid the fare thereof,” which soon would prove to be more than the cost of a boat ticket (1:4-2:10).
Dear Pilgrim, it’s foolish and futile to somehow think we can evade God’s all-seeing Eyes or escape His Presence. It’s impossible (Ps. 139:7-12)! He knows everything about us from the womb to the tomb (Ps. 139:12-16). And, He’s got an incredibly long Reach! As James Weldon Johnson, a black preacher of another generation and author of God’s Trombones once wrote, “Young man, young man, your arm’s too short to box with God!” So true, so true.
Even though we debate Calvinism vs. Arminianism. . .whether or not God causes everything or allows us a free choice. . .the fact remains that God is Sovereign and everything will ultimately pan out according to His Divine Will. This doesn’t mean we can’t choose to disobey Him—for Jonah is but one Biblical example of this; however, it does mean that He always knows where we are and what He desires for our lives. And, if we’re His children, He’s promised to chasten us for our good and His Glory when needed (Heb. 12:5-11).
So, why resist or rebel?
Again, He’s not “out to get us” in the sense of having us serve Him out of morbid fear and trembling. But, He is “out to get us” in the sense of drawing us into a Love-relationship with Him where we serve Him simply because we love Him. Period. So, where are you today, Pilgrim? Running from God? Or, revering Him? Only in loving Him with every part of your being will you discover the true meaning of Peace and Joy in life. Only then.
January 19, 2012
