Jonah's story takes place during the time of the kings of Judah and Israel. Jeroboam II was king when we are first introduced to this prophet of God. 2 Kings 14 tells us that Jonah prophesied that the borders of Israel would be secured from the attacks of foreign nations. Not only was this prophecy encouraging to the nation of Israel, but when it was fulfilled the people were jubilant.
But then God throws a curve ball. God instructs Jonah to take a message to the very enemies that had been attacking them, the Assyrians. And not only to the Assyrians, but to the capital of Assyria, Nineveh. Well, that was just too much for Jonah to swallow, so he boarded a ship bound for Tarshish, Spain.
Storms on the open sea are normal, but when Jonah's ship encountered a storm sent by God... well, let's just say it brought everyone to their knees. Jonah, rather than repenting and obeying God's command to preach to the Ninevites, he chose death and told the sailors to throw him overboard into the sea.
You and I face storms in life. Sometimes they are storms of our own making, sometimes gentle storms to refresh and renew, but then there are the doosie storms that rock our world. Storms that are designed to drive us back to God. Storms of correction. Storms that are meant to get our attention. God uses these storms to cause us to realize He is our only escape. Our only salvation.
Jonah thought God would just let him die in the depths of the sea, but God had a plan for Jonah. And He has a plan for you too.
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