Sometimes, we are so skilled at hiding our sins from other people, even from our loved ones. Sometimes, husbands or wives are so good in hiding part of their salary from their partners; or they are so skilled in hiding their adulterous life from their family and/or friends.
Jonah was one of the many people who are skillful at hiding their sins. If you recall, Jonah received God's call to preach His word to the Ninevites but he ran away from God. He took a ship going to the opposite direction. The crews of the ship did not know about this sin; and Jonah was so good in hiding it. Even in the midst of a great storm, he deeply slept down the ship until such time that the captain of the boat confronted him, and asked him to call upon his God.
In this verse, however, God has revealed his sin to the crews. When they casted lots, it fell on Jonah. Great! Maybe, at this time, Jonah was so ashamed and/or fearful, not because the lot fell on him, but because he was not able to successfully run away from God.
What's the lesson here? First, we cannot escape from the godly eyes of God. No matter how skillful we are to hide our sins, God has a way to reveal it to other people. He did this not to destroy us, but to let us understand that He loves us, and He wants us to walk in holiness with Him. Proverbs 3:12 reveals that the Father disciplines everyone that He loves. But who are those whom God loves? Does He love everyone?
God's love is for everyone. John 3:16 says that God so loved the world. That means that He loves you and me. And the expression of this love was the sending of His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. But unfortunately, everyone neglects this love, and neglects God totally. It means again that you and I neglect this love. This is the reason why God chose people to believe in His Son, and will receive Him as their Lord and Savior. And it is these people whom God will discipline or train to live the godly life that He gave them through His Son so that when His perfect time comes, He will be perfected in their character, become blameless, and perfectly holy. But those who have no Christ in their lives, He will not only discipline them but they will be destroyed in the lake of fire, together with the devil and his cronies.
Going back to our character, God chose Jonah. In fact, He called him to bring the good news of salvation to the people of Nineveh. But because of Jonah's disobedience, God disciplined him. He allowed Jonah to experience a terrible storm while he ran away from God. And God again, revealed Jonah's sin to the ship's crews. In the succeeding verses, we will see that Jonah was thrown into the sea, and in fact experience death for a short while. But God in His great mercy and love, and because His calling is irrevocable, He brought him back to life.
So what's the point in this verse? Very simple. No sin can be hidden before God regardless of who committed it.
Useful Links
God's Amazing Love by Pastor Carmelo Caparros
The Skeptical Grumbling and Sovereign Grace by John Piper
Jonah was one of the many people who are skillful at hiding their sins. If you recall, Jonah received God's call to preach His word to the Ninevites but he ran away from God. He took a ship going to the opposite direction. The crews of the ship did not know about this sin; and Jonah was so good in hiding it. Even in the midst of a great storm, he deeply slept down the ship until such time that the captain of the boat confronted him, and asked him to call upon his God.
In this verse, however, God has revealed his sin to the crews. When they casted lots, it fell on Jonah. Great! Maybe, at this time, Jonah was so ashamed and/or fearful, not because the lot fell on him, but because he was not able to successfully run away from God.
What's the lesson here? First, we cannot escape from the godly eyes of God. No matter how skillful we are to hide our sins, God has a way to reveal it to other people. He did this not to destroy us, but to let us understand that He loves us, and He wants us to walk in holiness with Him. Proverbs 3:12 reveals that the Father disciplines everyone that He loves. But who are those whom God loves? Does He love everyone?
God's love is for everyone. John 3:16 says that God so loved the world. That means that He loves you and me. And the expression of this love was the sending of His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. But unfortunately, everyone neglects this love, and neglects God totally. It means again that you and I neglect this love. This is the reason why God chose people to believe in His Son, and will receive Him as their Lord and Savior. And it is these people whom God will discipline or train to live the godly life that He gave them through His Son so that when His perfect time comes, He will be perfected in their character, become blameless, and perfectly holy. But those who have no Christ in their lives, He will not only discipline them but they will be destroyed in the lake of fire, together with the devil and his cronies.
Going back to our character, God chose Jonah. In fact, He called him to bring the good news of salvation to the people of Nineveh. But because of Jonah's disobedience, God disciplined him. He allowed Jonah to experience a terrible storm while he ran away from God. And God again, revealed Jonah's sin to the ship's crews. In the succeeding verses, we will see that Jonah was thrown into the sea, and in fact experience death for a short while. But God in His great mercy and love, and because His calling is irrevocable, He brought him back to life.
So what's the point in this verse? Very simple. No sin can be hidden before God regardless of who committed it.
Useful Links
God's Amazing Love by Pastor Carmelo Caparros
The Painful Discipline of Our Heavenly Father by John Piper
The Skeptical Grumbling and Sovereign Grace by John Piper
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