Why didn’t Jonah just jump off the boat?

[FollowerofShiloh]

yes!

wear your LIFE VEST at all times!

If no vest at least a pair of cutting shears.

6 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul; the deep was round about me; the weeds were wrapped about my head.
7 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars closed upon me for ever; yet hast Thou brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.

The seaweeds had him caught and trapped.

 

[lovejoypeaceetc]

I found the end part very deep.. When Jonah had completed his mission to Nineveh and the people repented and so he kind of spat the dummy and just sat down under the sun probably feeling very sorry for himself and wanting to die.. God grew a plant over night to cover him from the blazing sun by day but soon that plant died and Jonah mourned over the plant withering.. And then God came to him and put his perspective right by making him think of all the people in Nineveh who would have perished if they had not repented.. Jonah had been more concerned with the plant then he was concerned by the thousands in Nineveh.. Must have hit him like a ton of bricks that revelation..

And much cattle!

 

[lovejoypeaceetc]

If Jonah knew he was the cause of the storm, then why not just jump off the ship, instead of requiring the sailors to throw him over?

It seems uncontroversial to me that he was becoming an offering that the sailors could offer. (By the way, this raises a storm of questions, but I think we're meant to ponder the implications of this (staying true to the rest of scripture of course) so that feeling it gives us is not a threat but an opportunity to meditate and seek God.)

Just following on from that in one small way for now, I see an Israelite, one of God's chosen people, being sacrificed for people of other nations. Then I see, the wider theme in the book is this Israelite's attitude to being sent to benefit another nation. I suppose this speaks about the relationship between Israel as a whole and the nations, which takes me to a slight stomach-lurch if the implication is that Israel is intended as a sacrifice. Does that feel like betrayal, like Isaac? It takes me to Isaiah, the Servant (Israel) is to suffer; is this what God intends for his Son (Israel) whom he called out of Egypt; what does this say about God? What does it say about people? How did Israel respond to her calling? What then was the role of Jesus? What is the role of the Church? Are we chosen to be thrown into the sea - sent into the heart of Nineveh - is this God's purpose for us - if so, how can we obey it?

 

[ResidentAlien]

Jumping off the ship would've required courage and heroism. I suppose telling them to throw him over shows a little courage; but deep down he was a coward.

 

[Thunderrr-mental]

Jumping off the ship would've required courage and heroism. I suppose telling them to throw him over shows a little courage; but deep down he was a coward.

I suspect god tricked Jonah into playing poker with the sailor men

somehow I don't think Jonah was a coward.

Maybe a little scared.

 

[Underwhosewings]

Wouldn’t that be suicide?
Jonah would not want to commit that sin.
Disobeying God was bad enough.

 

[Underwhosewings]

It seems uncontroversial to me that he was becoming an offering that the sailors could offer. (By the way, this raises a storm of questions, but I think we're meant to ponder the implications of this (staying true to the rest of scripture of course) so that feeling it gives us is not a threat but an opportunity to meditate and seek God.)

Just following on from that in one small way for now, I see an Israelite, one of God's chosen people, being sacrificed for people of other nations. Then I see, the wider theme in the book is this Israelite's attitude to being sent to benefit another nation. I suppose this speaks about the relationship between Israel as a whole and the nations, which takes me to a slight stomach-lurch if the implication is that Israel is intended as a sacrifice. Does that feel like betrayal, like Isaac? It takes me to Isaiah, the Servant (Israel) is to suffer; is this what God intends for his Son (Israel) whom he called out of Egypt; what does this say about God? What does it say about people? How did Israel respond to her calling? What then was the role of Jesus? What is the role of the Church? Are we chosen to be thrown into the sea - sent into the heart of Nineveh - is this God's purpose for us - if so, how can we obey it?

Yes there will be a cost!
But the end is Glory,
not eternal suffering.

2 Timothy 2:12 KJV
If we suffer,
we shall also reign with him:
if we deny him, he also will deny us:

John 15:18 KJV
If the world hate you,
ye know that it hated me
before it hated you.

 

[Underwhosewings]

It seems uncontroversial to me that he was becoming an offering that the sailors could offer. (By the way, this raises a storm of questions, but I think we're meant to ponder the implications of this (staying true to the rest of scripture of course) so that feeling it gives us is not a threat but an opportunity to meditate and seek God.)

Just following on from that in one small way for now, I see an Israelite, one of God's chosen people, being sacrificed for people of other nations. Then I see, the wider theme in the book is this Israelite's attitude to being sent to benefit another nation. I suppose this speaks about the relationship between Israel as a whole and the nations, which takes me to a slight stomach-lurch if the implication is that Israel is intended as a sacrifice. Does that feel like betrayal, like Isaac? It takes me to Isaiah, the Servant (Israel) is to suffer; is this what God intends for his Son (Israel) whom he called out of Egypt; what does this say about God? What does it say about people? How did Israel respond to her calling? What then was the role of Jesus? What is the role of the Church? Are we chosen to be thrown into the sea - sent into the heart of Nineveh - is this God's purpose for us - if so, how can we obey it?

Simply build the House of God
The Church

Then see the devil roar.

As Jesus said, I will build my Church
And the gates of hell
Shall not prevail against it.

The heart of God is to build His Church

Acts 2:42-43 KJV
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

[43] And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

 

[posthuman]

Just following on from that in one small way for now, I see an Israelite, one of God's chosen people, being sacrificed for people of other nations.

John 11:49-52​

And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, ​

"You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." ​

Now this he did not say on his own but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.​

 

[posthuman]

this raises a storm of questions

tee hee hee...

 

[posthuman]

It seems uncontroversial to me that he was becoming an offering that the sailors could offer. (By the way, this raises a storm of questions, but I think we're meant to ponder the implications of this (staying true to the rest of scripture of course) so that feeling it gives us is not a threat but an opportunity to meditate and seek God.)

There is the element though, that they were at first terrified learning that Jonah had sinned against the God of the Hebrews, and did not want to throw him overboard, but first tried rowing again, and when this failed, they then prayed to the LORD before they did it, that He would not hold them guilty of the blood of an innocent man.

they don't seem willing or accustomed to human sacrifice.

they are initially more like Peter, who said to Christ, no, that He should not be crucified - for which he was harshly rebuked.. and then they were doing what they understood the LORD to be requiring of them, to obey what the prophet said they must do.

 

[Stan_the_Man]

Wouldn’t that be suicide?
Jonah would not want to commit that sin.

Lots of "christians" these days think one can self murder and still be saved.

Euthanasia is another trick of the devil to get people in to hell

 

[Cameron143]

Wouldn’t that be suicide?
Jonah would not want to commit that sin.
Disobeying God was bad enough.

The fact that Jonah was of sound mind is evidenced by the fact that he could reason in this way. Suicide is associated with deep emotional and psychological problems that tend to render rational thought mute.
You haven't done this, but for those who can so easily dismiss suicide as mere sin and not understand the deep hurt and scars and anguish some go through have no sense of love, nor have they held a young person in their arms weeping and desiring for the pain to go away,if even for but a moment.

 

[stilllearning]

Jumping off the ship would've required courage and heroism. I suppose telling them to throw him over shows a little courage; but deep down he was a coward.

I doubt any of that was the case. When we watch movies of ancient times they tend to show biremes and triremes which were ancient warships so they were built different than merchant ships. Merchant ships would only have a fraction of oars used only if there was no wind. As they were propelled by wind.

Being merchant ships they also had a different purpose and that was to carry goods and passengers. So they had very deep hulls so they could carry things like maximum amounts of grain. So the merchant ship would have carried cargo and passengers below deck. So all of this is going on and the conversation would have been happening below deck. So would not be just as simple as jumping off the ship.

Depending on the sea state of the storm good luck walking up the ladder to topside to climb the rails and then jump off. So anyway it was a merchant ship and Jonah would have been below deck the scripture even points out that is where Jonah was and he was actually asleep during the storm and had to be awaken.

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah 1:5-6.............But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. 6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

 

[ResidentAlien]

To me, it just shows the Lord can use weak humans to accomplish His purposes. "For when I am weak then I am strong." 2 Cor. 12:10 The apostles cowered behind locked doors until God's power fell on them.

 

[Thunderrr-mental]

The fact that Jonah was of sound mind is evidenced by the fact that he could reason in this way. Suicide is associated with deep emotional and psychological problems that tend to render rational thought mute.
You haven't done this, but for those who can so easily dismiss suicide as mere sin and not understand the deep hurt and scars and anguish some go through have no sense of love, nor have they held a young person in their arms weeping and desiring for the pain to go away,if even for but a moment.

Do you think Jonah had free will being swallowed up by a whale for 3 days.

I mean did you ever hear of a person being swallowed for 3 days and staying alive

Surely God controlled the will of the whale.

You know the movie free willy the whale.

Well would you not say in the case of the whale in Jonah, the free willy whale, was only free because God was inside the whale

But a more pressing question would be.

Was it Jonah's own will, that Said to sailor men chuck me over, or was it God's will.

Surely God whipped up the storm and had the whale in place.

 

[Cameron143]

Do you think Jonah had free will being swallowed up by a whale for 3 days.

I mean did you ever hear of a person being swallowed for 3 days and staying alive

Surely God controlled the will of the whale.

You know the movie free willy the whale.

Well would you not say in the case of the whale in Jonah, the free willy whale, was only free because God was inside the whale

But a more pressing question would be.

Was it Jonah's own will, that Said to sailor men chuck me over, or was it God's will.

Surely God whipped up the storm and had the whale in place.

Why does it have to be either/or? Can't it be both?
According to Acts 2:23, who is responsible for the death of Jesus?

 

[Thunderrr-mental]

Why does it have to be either/or? Can't it be both?
According to Acts 2:23, who is responsible for the death of Jesus?

are the wicked men who helped put Jesus to the cross free tho.

 

[posthuman]

But a more pressing question would be.

Was it Jonah's own will, that Said to sailor men chuck me over, or was it God's will.

Surely God whipped up the storm and had the whale in place.

Jonah 1:14​

Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, ​

"We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man's life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You."​

 

[posthuman]

To me, it just shows the Lord can use weak humans to accomplish His purposes.

lol is there some other kind of human...?

Isaiah 40:6​

The voice said, ​

"Cry out!" ​

And he said, ​

"What shall I cry?" ​

"All flesh is grass, ​

and all its loveliness ​

is like the flower of the field." ​