I’ve been teaching a study on the book of Jonah at church.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all the reading and preparation involved.  I’ve found a few commentary’s especially helpful.  It may seem strange to be teaching a study on Jonah, after all isn’t that a child’s story?  Since all of scripture is God breathed and useful for instruction, this little book actually contains deep truth that speaks to the heart of every Christian.  We can all relate to Jonah’s running from God, after all aren’t we always running when we sin?  God’s love and compassion for us in response to our running from him is a reminder of the gospel and how much we need Jesus.

“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”  But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.  He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port.  After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.”  Jonah 1:1-3

One commentary I have been reading points out that Jonah, being a prophet, had a special calling.  He was privileged to hear from God and see into God’s will for his people.  Yet in running away, he was running from his “destiny.”  The name Jonah means “dove” and we often use the image of a dove for “peace” or “love.”  Even by his very name, Jonah was called to bring peace and love to those who did not have it, in this case the Ninevites.  Sinclair Ferguson in Man Overboard!: The Story of Jonah says, “To be a true prophet of God, and to be made aware that God has a destiny for one’s life, were almost synonymous in the thinking of the Old Testament.  In every age those who have been of service to God’s kingdom, whether publicly or privately, known or unknown, have been conscious of this sense of destiny.”  All of us who are in Christ have a destiny, a calling, that God has prepared for us in advance.  “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  (Ephesians 2:10).  Over and over again in scripture we see God’s people were sustained during difficult times because of this understanding of their destiny.  “Few things are more important for the Christian than to have a conscious sense of God’s destiny.” (Ferguson)  When we are in God’s will and fulfilling that destiny, there is true peace and joy in our hearts.  When we run from that destiny and go our own way, (as Jonah did) God will pull us back to himself and remind us of what “we are for” or what our destiny is in God’s plan.
“There appears to be a direct relationship between our usefulness in the service of God and the sense of destiny we have that, whatever happens, we are doing the work to which God has called us.” (Ferguson)  How am I resisting my destiny today?  Have I turned my back to God’s calling, saying in effect “I know you’re the creator and you know all things, but in this situation, I have a better plan”? 

What is the Nineveh you are fleeing from?