A Prophet Flees

Intern Aaron starts his series preaching through Jonah. This evening as Aaron begins, he emphasizes the unique nature of the storm and the sailors' response. He then shows us the contrast between the sailors’ recognition of the God of heaven and Jonah’s unwillingness to listen to or to cry out to the Lord. Jonah treats the Lord as some pagan deity that he can escape by fleeing to another country. Aaron then exhorts us not to attempt to flee from the presence of the Lord. We can no more escape God’s presence than we can outrun a hurricane. Though we see both Jonah and Jesus asleep on a boat in the midst of a storm, Jesus Christ calms the storm by His own power and instead hurls himself onto the cross for us. Jonah thought he could escape God, but Jesus Himself is God incarnate who follows God’s plan willingly.