The story of Jonah is widely known. God called Jonah, one of His prophets, to preach a message of repentance to the people of Nineveh: “Repent or face God’s judgment.” However, Jonah was unwilling to go because Nineveh was an enemy of Israel, and he did not want them to be spared from God’s judgment. Instead, Jonah attempted to flee from God by boarding a ship bound for Tarshish, far in the opposite direction of Nineveh.
But Jonah could not escape God. A violent storm, sent by God, threatened to sink the ship. Realizing the storm was because of him, Jonah instructed the sailors to throw him into the sea to calm it. Reluctantly, they obeyed, and the storm immediately subsided. Jonah’s troubles, however, were far from over. He was swallowed by a great fish and spent three days and three nights inside its belly. During that time, Jonah prayed to God, expressing both repentance and gratitude for His mercy. It is at the of that prayer that we find Jonah’s vow:
But I, with a shout of thanksgiving, will indeed sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed, I will certainly pay in full.
Salvation belongs to the Lord!
Because Jonah renewed his commitment to serve God, God commanded the fish to release him, and Jonah was saved. Jonah then went to Nineveh and delivered God’s warning, calling the people to repentance. Remarkably, the people of Nineveh—from the king to the commoners—repented, and God spared the city from destruction. Although Jonah fulfilled his mission of obedience and service to the Lord, he became upset when God showed mercy to Nineveh. Struggling to understand God’s compassion, Jonah retreated outside the city to sulk and question His mercy.
Today, I want to focus on Jonah’s prayer inside the great fish and the renewal of his commitment to serve God. In his prayer, Jonah demonstrated a clear understanding that he had broken his vow as one of God’s prophets by choosing to flee from God’s command. Jonah declares that he will fully repay what he has vowed. It is only after his prayer of repentance and the renewal of his commitment that God saves him from the great fish.
Sometimes, we are like Jonah. We forget that when we dedicate our lives to God, they are no longer truly our own. We break our promise of obedience and service because, like Jonah, we want to follow our own desires and resist what God is calling us to do. And like Jonah, those decisions always lead to negative consequences. While we may not be literally swallowed by a giant fish, our consequences can leave us feeling trapped, overwhelmed, and utterly alone. Jonah’s experience offers us a blueprint for how to correct our mistakes. Pray to God. Repent of placing your will above His. Renew your vow to serve and obey Him. And just like Jonah, you will find that He is ready to save you, for salvation belongs to the Lord! #KeepYourWord
Adonai's Appeal 