Compassion in the Midst of Judgement | Jonah 1:7-16 | Pastor Mark Griffin (9/13/24)

Before we go into the word, I'd like to to pray again. So if you'll join me. Father, lord, this is a special time where we can come before you and open your word to us. Lord, as that song goes, speak to us, Lord. Speak to us through your word and change our hearts.

Transform our hearts. Renew our minds to be more into the image of Jesus Christ. Father, I pray over this next hour or so that you open our eyes to behold wondrous things out of your word. And Lord, may we be a people in our hearts. May we be a people that are humble, that are contrite in spirit, and that tremble at your word.

In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. So tonight, we are continuing our study of the book of Jonah. And through the help and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, we will rejoice and we will see and we will celebrate what the Lord has to show us in the rest of chapter one, at least up until verse 16.

So I invite you to join me in turning into Jonah chapter one and to orient ourselves again. Let me read the entire chapter. The first 16 verses of Jonah. Jonah chapter one. Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying, arise.

Go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it for their evil has come up before me. But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish away from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea so that the ship threatened to break up. Then the Mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his God.

And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. So the captain came and said to him, what do you mean you sleeper? Arise, call out to your God. Perhaps the God will give a thought to us that we may not perish.

And they said to one another, let us cast lots that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation and where do you come from? What is your country and of what people are you?

And he said to them, I am a Hebrew and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. This that you have done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord because he had told them. Then they said to him, what shall we do to you that the sea may quiet down for us? For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

He said to them, pick me up and hurl me into the sea. Then the sea will quiet down for you. For I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you. For I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you. It is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.

Nevertheless, the men rode hard to get to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. Therefore, they called out to the Lord. O Lord, let us not perish for this man's life and lay not on us innocent blood for you, oh Lord, have done as it pleased you. So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

Now, in our last study, when we are in Jonah, we looked at two groups of people as represented by the sailors and represented by Jonah himself. Verses five and six warned us not to pray like a pagan. As we saw how this how the gentile sailors responded to the storm, don't pray as a last resort when your life is in turmoil around you. Don't pray with a divided heart, asking God to work in your situation and life when you're still holding on to your idols and your sins and your weights. Assurance.

Just tossing up your prayer request, hoping that something sticks. Because we, as Christians, know that God not only hears our prayers, but he delights in us coming to him and seeking his will in our lives. And when looking at Jonah, we are warned not to act like a prodigal. When we sin, when we are in disobedience to the Lord, the worst thing we could do is to isolate ourselves, remove ourselves from the fellowship of other brothers and sisters in the Lord who would encourage us and edify us, and yes, rebuke and correct us. Harden your heart.

So don't give disobedience a veneer of respectability by saying that you have so called peace about your sin. And lastly, we saw how prodigals don't pray. They do not seek the Lord. They remain in their sin. Verses five and six remind us, don't pray like a pagan and don't act like a prodigal.

Which brings us now to verse seven and the rest of the chapter. And here in these verses, we have a front row seat to behold the glory and majesty of God in his righteous judgment against disobedience and sin and continued rebellion. But in addition to God's justice on full display, we encounter his breathtaking compassion and relentless pursuit of His chosen people both Jew and Gentile. We see how God's sovereign plan for the salvation of people will never be thwarted by the sin and selfishness of individual actors. But rather, they are part of the great tapestry woven by, as Jonah later describes, a gracious God, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding and steadfast love.

So Jonah chapter one verse seven. And they said to one another, come let us cast lots that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. We are reminded here of the severity of the storm. These sailors had seen many storms before but even they recognized that this one was different.

It was a storm looking to kill people. They saw it as a supernatural event. That's why they called on their idols. And that's why they tried to determine which one of them was the cause of the storm. Now from these verses and context, we see that the sailors were not in the habit of casting lots whenever a storm blew their way, but this storm was so fearsome that it could only mean one thing to them.

Divine vengeance. Punishment or judgment against one of them. But here, we are reminded of the human capacity for self deception. These sailors and everyone on that ship was under God's judgment whether active or passive. Not one of them was in right standing before God.

The sailors were idolaters, pagans, Gentiles who did not honor the one true God. Jonah, clearly, was a fugitive from the Lord. Yet, while the question of who was to blame for the storm was still undecided, not one of them examined himself and admitted his own sin. Not one of them stood up and looking at this storm volunteered himself as the culprit. All considered themselves innocent before God.

Jonah Jonah knew he was guilty and he still kept silent. But had the sailors truly examined themselves, they would have realized their own guilt instead of exonerating themselves before each other. And here's the point. Don't be quick to champion your own innocence and point the finger at someone, anyone else, when trials come or disaster upends your life. Examine your own heart first in light of God's command, not in comparison with anyone else.

And the temptation is even if we admit some sin, inevitably make light of our own sin. We attenuate it by saying, okay. Yeah. I did this. I know it's wrong.

But in the grand scheme of things, it's not a big deal. Or, yes, I I sinned, but look at him. Look at her. Look at their sin. We are, all of us, poor judges when it comes to evaluating our own sin by our own standards.

But when God evaluates our sin by His standards, not one of us is innocent. And all of us deserve the same verdict of guilty. Nevertheless, the lot fell on Jonah. Proverbs sixteen thirty three. The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

There is nothing random in this universe, folks. There is no such thing as luck or chance. Everything. Every atom, every breath of wind, every fish, every plant, every worm, and yes every human being comes under the sovereignty of God. There is nothing nothing outside of his purview or authority or power.

But lest there be any confusion among the men on that ship, God in his sovereignty pointed a spotlight on Jonah. It is this man's sin, this man's evil that is to blame for this storm. You know, you might run from God. You might hide your sin. You might even think you've gotten away with it.

But you know what the Bible says. Numbers 32, 23. Be sure your sin will find you out. So don't wait to be caught. Don't think that you were successful in covering up your sin because God, and we'll see this throughout this section, the most loving thing He will do is expose you.

He will bring your sin into the light because it is the it is only in the light of the word of God that your sin can truly be fought and defeated. And here's another reason not to hide and hold on to your sin because you will cause other people to be hurt in all manner of different ways by your sin. You will grab people like Jonah and pull them into your sphere of judgment from the Lord. So when God does discipline you Christian or pours out His wrath upon you non Christian, other people will suffer because of what you did. We clearly see this in Jonah's case.

Because of his sin, God created the storm that would rip the ship apart and kill everyone on board. Because of David's sin, a baby died. Because of Achan's sin, his whole family was killed. We see this numerous times in the Bible and we see it today. How many people suffer when a secret affair is exposed in a marriage?

Or that person who just wants one more drink before leaving the bar then kills someone driving home. Or since we're in Illinois, how about the high ranking government official who took a bribe which allowed an unqualified truck driver on the road that caused the crash where six children burned to death. Be sure your sin will find you out, and be sure your sin will cause other people to suffer. Verse eight and nine. Let's continue in Jonah.

Then they said to him, tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation and where do you come from? What is your country and what people are you? And he said to them, I am a Hebrew and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. With a spotlight on Jonah now, the sailors confronted him with question after question trying to figure out who Jonah was and what deity he had offended to deserve this storm and this judgment.

And Jonah's first response clarified many things for these sailors. I am a Hebrew. Now being a Hebrew meant monotheism. Worship of the one true God. Not many gods.

Not many idols like the sailors. The Israelites were known throughout the ancient Near East as different than all of the other nations around them. They were distinct with a distinct history and culture and worship that was unlike anything else. Then Jonah confirmed everything the sailors probably already knew about Israelites by using the personal name of God. Yahweh, Jehovah, I Am.

In fact, he begins a mini sermon. He identifies the one true God, the Lord, all capital letters, and proclaims the Lord's attributes and power and might and sovereignty. He says the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. Jonah made it abundantly clear that there is only one true God, and he created everything. And he is in command of everything, even the sea and the dry land.

He identified and related to them the very subjects that were foremost on their minds. The storming sea all around them and their hope to make it to dry land. And he said God's in charge of all of that. Running away from the command of the Lord, ended up preaching to the very Gentiles that he was running away from what God wanted him to do in the first place. God said go to the Gentiles.

Jonah ran. But God still used him to preach to the Gentiles. God's plans will not be thwarted. But even here, even through his preaching, Jonah only can further convicts himself. You see what he says?

He says, I fear the Lord. Come on. Jonah. I fear the Lord. This proclamation rings hollow and literally drips with hypocrisy.

You see, with his claim of piety and worship of the Lord, Jonah only reinforces the gravity of his sin. Jonah knows what God knows who God is. Jonah knows God's attributes and majesty and dominion over everything while at the same time fleeing from the presence of the Lord. Basically, spitting in God's face. Basically saying, I know who you are.

I know what you want from me. I'm not going to do it. And really, this is just a repeat of the original sin in the Garden of Eden. Knowing what God says and doing the opposite. This truly describes every and all sin by all people.

As we know, all sin deserves death. Romans six twenty three, for the wages of sin is death. And here, Jonah's sin deserved death. Your sin deserves death. My sin deserves death.

And this reminds us that sin isn't mainly about our actions. It's mainly about our attitudes. All outward disobedience and lawlessness first begins in the heart that that does not fear the Lord. Pride causes you to act according to your own will and not God's. Selfishness in your heart sprouts forth lying and stealing and adultery and murder.

All sin starts in the heart. Likewise, if your heart is not right with the Lord, no outward act of piety or worship will please him. In Isaiah 29, the Lord was promising and prophesying judgment because of this kind of hypocrisy by the Israelites. Coming upon him. He says, this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.

So Jonah could say all he wanted, I fear the Lord. But his actions proved that his heart was far from that reality. Now in a similar way, Jonah's example also shows us that right knowledge is very different than right action. Jonah's doctrine was it was correct. He preached true about God while still being a fugitive and a rebel while still being an unrepentant sin.

What does that mean? Right doctrine won't save you. Head knowledge and Orthodox theology won't save you. You can honor God with your lips, but if your heart is far from him, your words will only serve as evidence against you. That's why Paul says to Timothy, keep close watch on yourself and on the teaching.

Or as another translation says, first Timothy four sixteen, watch your life and your doctrine closely. It's both. What you believe and how you live. In other words, your life is the evidence of what you believe. First John chapter five verses one and two makes this abundantly clear.

Why don't you turn there with me briefly? First John chapter five. First John chapter five verse one. One and two. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.

And everyone who loves the father loves whoever has been born of him. But this we know that we love the by this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God and obeying his commandments is the evidence of true belief in Jesus. Let's go back to Jonah as we continue in verse 10. Verse 10.

Then the men, the sailors, were exceedingly afraid and said to him, what is this that you have done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord because he had told them. There was more of the conversation between the sailors and Jonah that was not recorded here. But we know that Jonah at least partially admitted his wrongdoing to them. Jonah told them he was trying to run from what the Lord had commanded him to do.

And in an ironic juxtaposition, the sailors were astonished that Jonah would behave in such a way. We begin to see the Lord, how he was working on the hearts of these sailors even now. We see how God was calling these sailors, these Gentiles to Himself and humbling them through this storm. They heard and understood through Jonah's preaching and through their own experience in the storm, the name, the nature, and the power of the one true God. And they also knew that to disobey God, like Jonah confessed he was doing, was deadly serious and deserving of sure retribution.

So they were terrified. And they were terrified rightly so. They were terrified that Jonah had included included them in the judgment of the Lord. In fact, they were in greater fear now than before Jonah had told them about his flight from the Lord. A powerful and deadly storm was one thing, but a powerful and deadly storm brought about the God of all creation as direct judgment for sin was exponentially more terrifying.

And so they rebuked Jonah. Once again, like in verse six, a pagan Gentile rebukes the prophet of Israel. What is this that you have done? In other words, how could you disobey God? This is the same God you just confessed to being the Lord of all creation and sovereign over the sea and the dry land, and you're rebelling against Him.

Are you insane? In a very real sense, these sailors at that moment had a truer and better understanding of the infinite worth and might of God better than Jonah did himself. Yet in yet another example of the Lord pursuing his wayward prophet, these Gentile sailors were acting as the Lord's reminder to Jonah. Remember who God is. God used the storm to rouse Jonah from his peaceful sleep of rebellion.

He used the captain of the ship to remind Jonah that the Lord was at hand. The casting of the lots was a telltale sign to Jonah of God's sovereignty. God exposing Jonah's sin was an act of kindness from the Lord to lead Jonah to repentance. And now the sailors rebuke only added to the long list of God relentlessly pursuing his backslidden prophet. So you brother, you sister, what is the Lord doing in your life to awaken conviction in your heart for hidden sin or even not so hidden sin?

That might be calamity or a dangerous situation. It might be some seemingly act random act or coincidence. It also might be exposing you in front of other people. And like here in Jonah, it might even be the rebuke of pagans. That supervisor at work who knows you're a Christian.

You you say you're a Christian, but he has to remind you to work diligently or honestly or even ethically. The police officer or judge you stand in front of for breaking the law. Or how about your unbelieving neighbor who sees how you treat your wife and your children? Here's the point. See everything is coming from the hand of the Lord and don't ignore God's prodding.

Don't harden your heart in spite of God's pursuing you and bringing sin out into the open. Confess and repent and turn back to God. Let's continue in verse number eleven and twelve. Then they said to Him, what shall we do that the sea may quiet down for us? For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

And he said to them, pick me up and hurl me into the sea, then the sea will quiet down for you. For I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come up on you. The sailors, when presented with the awesomeness of God and the real consequences of sin, asked what they could do to prevent their own destruction. What shall we do? That's what they asked.

And truly, that's what we should ask. And that's in fact all that we can ask when confronted with a devastating impact of sin in light of the matchless glory of the Lord. What shall we do? It was the same question that the hearers of Peter's sermon on Pentecost asked in Acts chapter two. You don't have to turn there.

Just listen. Acts chapter two thirty seven through 40. Now, when they heard this, they were cut to the heart. And Peter said to the rest of the apostles and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, brothers, what shall we do? And Peter said to them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the gift for for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself. So you see the progression of the sailors in this story. They started in unbelief. They heard the truth, and then they asked what they should do in response. Now Jonah Jonah says, pick me up and hurl me into the sea.

Some might see Jonah here as showing showing selfish selflessness. He wants to sacrifice himself on behalf of the sailors. I'll die for you so you don't have to die yourselves. This storm is my fault, so let God's judgment fall on me. Frankly, it would be refreshing if Jonah had that motivation.

But in light of what we know about Jonah both before and after the storm, that's not the sense that the Bible gives us. Rather than selflessness, we see another demonstration of this man's selfishness and stubbornness. You see, if Jonah was really interested in self sacrifice, why didn't he throw himself in the water? Why enlist the sailors at all? In fact, what we get here is more of Jonah's arrogance in the face of God's judgment.

He knows that God found him out and that the storm would likely kill him and everybody else. And he knows that he deserves this punishment from God for his disobedience. And we actually see Jonah confess his sin openly to the sailors and before God, yet we do not see Jonah repent here. Sure. Yes.

He admits his sin when he is exposed, but he still refuses to obey the Lord and do what the Lord commanded him to do. He doesn't fall on his knees and vow to the Lord that he will go to Nineveh. He will preach to the Assyrians. That he will stop running away. Repentance is more than mere confession, more than guilt or shame at what you have done or that you have gotten caught.

Repentance means hating your sin, turning from it, and fighting it every single day. But Jonah, it seems, would rather die than turn from his sin and submit to God. But Jonah isn't alone in his hardheartedness. There are countless people in the world today and in churches just like this one who will acknowledge their sin, acknowledge their disobedience, even confess it to others. They know God.

They know what God wants from them, but they refuse even in the midst of God's judgment upon them, even in the midst of trials and suffering. They refuse to submit their lives completely to the Lord. They wanna hold on to their sin. Why? What's to gain?

Folks, don't be like Jonah here. Away from your home and your loved ones, cold, alone, in the dark about to die, and still be holding on to your sin. Run to God. Submit everything to God. Verse 13.

Nevertheless, the men rode hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. Therefore, they called out to the Lord. Let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood for you, oh, Lord, have done as it pleased you. So the focus now shifts from Jonah to the sailors. And we have to ask at the outset, why didn't the sailors immediately throw Jonah into the sea?

He just told them, pick me up and throw me in the sea, and the sea will stop its storming. Why didn't these sailors do that? The prophet himself said that the sea would quiet down for them. The storm would end and their lives would be saved. The answer is in the verses before and in the verses after this one.

They greatly feared the Lord. They knew that God was judging Jonah for rebelling against him. They knew that nothing could stop the Lord, and they did not want to come between God and Jo. And at the same time, even though all of this was because of Jonah, they chose to show him And remember, the Bible says multiple times that the sea grew more and more tempestuous. The storm got worse.

So in trying to save Jonah's life, they were contributing. They were continuing to risk their own lives. They didn't want to lay their hand on this prophet of the Lord and incur guilt themselves. Again, we see this incredible comparison here. Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh because he did not want God to show compassion to the Gentiles, to the Assyrians.

Yet, these Gentile sailors were risking everything by showing compassion to him. Again, the Lord is rebuking Jonah through the actions of these Gentiles. We also see God continuing to change the hearts of the sailors. Called out to the Lord. They called out to Yahweh.

And even though they did not necessarily know the Mosaic law, they had the law written on their hearts. And they knew that killing another human being was an affront to God and would incur itself God's wrath. That's why Paul says in Romans chapter two verse number 14, for when Gentiles who do not have the law by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. So these sailors demonstrated that they feared the Lord by not throwing Jonah into the sea. But as the storm increased and their progress to dry land was shown to be futile, they relented.

They eventually understood that the will of God was for Jonah to be thrown into the sea because of his sin. So they asked the Lord for his mercy and for Jonah's life not to be held against them. They said, for you, oh Lord, have done as it pleased you. They were not exercising their own desires. They were not acting in a selfless, sinful, self preservation manner, but they were submitting to God's will.

Which although was not spoken aloud or read in a book was clearly seen through the circumstances. The sailors understood that God alone was the final arbiter of what is right and what is wrong between good and evil. So here, they were not blaming God or accusing God of some injustice, rather they were acknowledging God's supreme authority to act as God desired and they were obeying His will for them and for Jonah. In the end, these men were God's instruments of justice on Jonah. The verdict was clear.

Guilty. And God chose these men to carry out his sentence. But here, we also need to go back to that phrase, for you, oh Lord, have done as it pleased you. The sailors did not take joy in throwing Jonah into the sea, and neither did the Lord. This phrase, as it pleased you, should not evoke in us an idea that God was happy about Jonah being thrown into the sea.

God was not rubbing his hands together in glee, just waiting for these men to pick up Jonah and toss him overboard. We do not serve a God who delights in the destruction of people. Let me be clear here though. God's holiness and justice and righteousness demand that sin be responded to with discipline for the Christian or punishment and wrath for the non Christian. For the Christian, this discipline can be severe and have life lasting repercussions, but it is meant for correction, not vengeance.

It is meant to disciple, not destroy. And for the non Christian, sin merits punishment and wrath and that means that He will destroy those who do not repent and believe on Jesus Christ, and he will condemn them to hell for eternity. All of this is right and just and good. We don't apologize for this truth, And we don't hide from this truth. God is a God of justice.

And He will punish sin because that is His nature. He is holy. He cannot stand sin and still be God. But while God's justice is sure, God does not take pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. Let's look at this together.

Turn to Ezekiel chapter 18 that lays this out. Because you you you do see in this day and age and throughout all history, people rejoicing that other people are going to hell. They rejoice that this person, this wicked individual is going to end up in hell. That's not what God does. God will send that person to hell, but he doesn't rejoice in it and neither should we.

Ezekiel chapter 18 verse 23. The Lord says, have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? Declares the Lord. And not rather that he should turn from his way and live. And then scroll down a couple of verses to the end of the chapter in verse 32.

Four, I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God. So turn and live. What does God desire? Turn from your sin and live. So when the sailors say, for you, oh Lord, have done as it pleased you, this means that God's plan and his will and his justice will not be thwarted by anything.

It does not mean that God delights in destroying Jonah, or he delights in destroying the Gentiles, or anyone who doesn't come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Let's continue. Verse 15. So they picked up Jonah and hurled them into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. So as confirmation that they acted rightly according to God's will, once the sailors threw Jonah into the sea, the storm stopped, the wind ceased, and the sea calmed immediately.

This was also further confirmation to the sailors that everything Jonah testified and preached about the Lord was indeed true. I fear the Lord, the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land, Jonah said. These sailors saw immediately that the Lord did have dominion over the heavens and the sea. And we find that while Jonah failed to submit to the Lord, the sea didn't have that problem. The sea obeyed Him right away.

The wind obeyed Him right away. Truly incontrovertible evidence that Jonah's God, the true God, the Lord is creator, sustainer, all powerful and sovereign over everything. Which brings us to verse 16. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. The result of this great demonstration by the Lord is shown in the sailors reaction.

They feared the Lord. They rightly feared the Lord as the one true God. And this was not superstition. They weren't taking their chances on a new deity in the pantheon of all of their other false gods. This was a fear and awe and reverence born out of a right belief based on right preaching.

And born out of an undeniable witness to God's might and power. And they didn't stop there. They put their new found belief into action by offering sacrifices and making vows to the Lord. We are once again confronted by the magnificence of the Lord's sovereignty and his providential plan to save sinners even through the most unlikeliest of circumstances. Even when you could even in circumstances that you could describe as dreadful.

Remember how these men started. Pagan, Gentile sailors who worshiped idols lost in their sin and destined for hell. But God, being rich in mercy, sent them a wayward prophet. Even through that prophet's sin and disobedience, God sent Jonah to them who would tell them about Yahweh. While exacting punishment against Jonah, God was displaying his compassion on these sailors.

He not only physically delivered them, rescuing them from the storm, but he spiritually rescued them as well. Could have easily gone back to their myths and idols and convinced themselves that Jonah's God wasn't the true cause of the storm or the reason for its end. They could have convinced themselves that their own idols stopped the storm or that it was just a natural phenomenon, part of the part of the crazy weather that was going on in the sea at that time. Throughout the Bible and throughout the ages, there are countless examples of men and women being presented with the truth of God. And many times being presented in miraculous and irrefutable ways and then rejecting Him.

Think think of Pharaoh in Exodus. Of all people who should have feared the Lord and worshiped Him as the one true God, it was this man. You want a demonstration of God's power? You want a miracle? You want a sign?

Pharaoh got these and more. Yet he rejected the Lord. The human heart is wicked. And we love our sin. And we hold on to our sin despite knowing and being presented with the truth.

One more example. And I'm amazed by this. Whenever I read it, turn to John chapter 11 to see this. John chapter 11. The death of Lazarus.

Remember, Lazarus was sick and he died and he was buried and was in the tomb for four days. This man was dead. And Jesus came and told the people there to roll away the stone from the tomb and then he prayed. Then in verse 43 of John chapter 11, the Bible says, when he, Jesus, had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. Had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth.

Jesus said to them, unbind him and let him go. Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. You see it? It's unbelievable.

Many of the Jews believed Bible says. That's astonishing when you think about it. Why didn't all of the Jews believe? Jesus just raised a man from the dead and that wasn't enough for some of them. They still rejected the Lord.

So tonight, I'm speaking to those who are unbelievers. Yeah. You're in church. You're in a Bible study, but you have rejected the Lord. You love holding on to your sin.

You love doing things your way, following your own desires, seeking your own pleasures, but you know the truth. You know God is real. You even know what the Bible what the Bible says about God is true. Yet, for you, everything you know about God, everything you see around you resounding like a trumpet testifying about God doesn't move you. You could care less.

Here's my plea to you tonight. Don't harden your heart. Don't reject the Lord. Hebrews ten thirty one says Hebrews ten thirty one, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Look at these sailors in Jonah and imitate them.

Fall on your face before the Lord. Cry out to him and seek his mercy and pardon. Confess your sins and turn from them. Be a man who truly fears the Lord. Be a woman who truly fears the Lord before it's too late.

Now some people might not believe that these sailors had a real conversion experience. And yes, look, it is true that the text does not definitively state that these men had changed hearts, fully submitted to the Lord. And we know that right thinking about God in and of itself is worthless and does not save anyone. And we also know that external actions true saving true saving faith, then this whole experience with Jonah, this whole experience with the storm and divine rescue was to their detriment. If they still persisted in their unbelief like Pharaoh, then their own fear and awakening to the Lord will only serve to condemn them further on the day of judgment.

But, although we cannot say with 100% certainty that these men were converted, we are not simply left with mere speculation about their eternal destinies. If if you look at this chapter as a whole and even more if you look at the book of Jonah as a whole, we see the message that salvation belongs not just to the Jew but also to the Gentile. Throughout the book, we see comparisons and contrast between Jonah the prophet of Israel, a Jew, God's chosen people acting in a manner that denies what He professes about God. Then we see the Gentiles, whether the sailors or the Assyrians responding to revelation about God with fear and trembling, with confession and repentance. And we see God lavishing His grace and mercy on these Gentiles.

So yes, I believe that these sailors did have saving faith in the Lord, which acted as a testimony to the compassion of God as well as a rebuke to Jonah for his rebellion. And with this verse, verse 16, that could have been the end of the book of Jonah. That could have been the end of Jonah himself. A tragic end, certainly, but an end that vindicated the justice and righteousness of the Lord and exposed the deadly consequences of sin. But as we have seen throughout chapter one, God's justice does not preclude God's mercy.

Indeed, we see God's persistent and unending compassion in the midst of His righteous judgment. He had compassion on the sailors even while administering His judgment against Jonah, but he also had compassion on Jonah himself. Even while showing this wayward prophet the very real and painful consequences of sin and disobedience, God was revealing his mercy and grace to this man. But that's verse 17 in in all of chapter two, which we will look at in the future. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you as we mine this book for your riches. We thank you for giving it to us as a as a testimony for us, as a warning for us, and as a remembrance for us to fear you, to stand in awe of you. And Lord, we confess our sins to you. And Lord, we confess our sins to you. And Lord, we confess our sins to you.

And Lord, we confess our sins to you. Convict us more as we read this passage, as we reflect and meditate on it. Convict us of our sin. And may we not only confess our sin, but may we turn from it. And may we fight it through the power of the Holy Spirit, through the completed work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

May we fight the sin that's still in is in our lives. And Father, I pray for those who do not know you tonight, who've been who've been preached at, who have read your word, who know who you are, but still hold fast to their unbelief in their own sin. Lord, may you convict them tonight. May you save their souls tonight. May they be like these sailors who has experienced the might and the power and the sovereignty of God and bend their knees before you and cry out to you.

Lord, may this be the day of salvation for many people. Father, we love you. We thank you for your word. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen. Church, let's sing.