The Downward Danger of Disobedience

The natural progression of sin is always down. When Jonah decided to flee, it was “from the presence of the LORD.” Sin is not only digressing, but it is deceiving. Jonah thought he could actually hide from God!

The next phrase of the verse declares that he “went down to Joppa.” Later, we are told that Jonah “was gone down” into the belly of the ship (Jonah 1:5). The ship had become the vehicle of his disobedience, and when man attempts to flee from the will and presence of God, it is always a downward trajectory.

It was the same for Abraham. When famine threatened the faith of Abraham, he left the land of God’s calling and “went down into Egypt” (Gen. 12:10).

Jonah thought he was hiding from God. Soon, everyone around him knew that Jonah was attempting to do the impossible, in his attempt to hide “from the presence of the LORD” (Jon. 1:10).

Jonah had first gone “down” to Joppa (Jonah 1:3), then “down” into the belly of the ship, thinking he could hide from God. By the end of the chapter he had gone “down” into the depths of the sea (cf. Jonah 2:2-6). There he discovered that even in the depths, he could not escape the presence or providence of God. Jonah testified, “I went down to the bottoms of the mountains” (Jonah 2:6).

It was only when the disobedient prophet was in the depths of despair that he could see God again. It was there that he “remembered the LORD” (Jonah 2:7). It was only then that his prayer life became effective again. It was then that Jonah acknowledged his obligation to obey: “I will pay that that I have vowed” (Jonah 2:9). It was only then that he became willing to do what God called him to do.

Sin had taken Jonah down. The farther Jonah ran from the revealed will of God, the farther down he went. But when Jonah turned again to the LORD, his prayer went up: “and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple” (Jonah 2:7).

Sin had taken Jonah down. But when Jonah turned again to the LORD, his prayer went up: “and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple” (Jonah 2:7).

May we learn from Jonah and never try to hide from the will of God or the presence of God. May we all willfully do that which God has called us to do!