The Pulpit Commentary — Jonah — Section 43

tho rising power of the United State&, would not have lifted a finger to avert its destruc- tion in the late civil war, so Jonah felt a.bout Nineveh. He determined that he at least would not be the messenger to avert its destruction; 80 be fled as far as he could from the appointed sphere. Examples of similar condact are to be seen amongst us. 1. God calla men lo private prayer. They hear of its benefits; they are conscious that it is a duty and a privilege. Yet they avoid solitude, or they plunge into an interesting book, or they yield themselves to sleep, just when the opportunity comes for praying to the Father who seeth in secret. 2. God calls men to his service. The work requires to be done, but they shut their eyes to it, or they leave it to others, or 80 absorb their time in business that God's service is neglected. 3. God calla men to give themselves to him. At times they a.re almost persuaded to be Christians. But they leave the sphere in which good influences surround them, and wander away into the far country e.s the prodigal did. II. IT 18 NQT ALWAYS EABY TO AVOID THE GOD-APPOINTED WAY. Jonah felt that he could not remain where he was. He wished to divert his mind by travel, and to make it so difficult to journey to Nineveh that he could quiet his conscience in Tarshish by saying, "The distance is too great." Money, time, and trouble were neceseary to his disobedience. Every wrong-doer bas had some such experience. Around most of us God mercifully puts e. protecting hedge of holy influences, which it is difficult and painful to break through. Those who are brought up in Christian homes do not find it easy to snap the bonds of love which have held them, and to get rid of the sacred memories of a hopeful childhood. They feel shocked and ashamed when they first witness scenes of vice and hear words of evil. Doubts and fears trouble them, especially e.t the beginning of a downward course, though all too soon they learn even to rejoice in iniquity. All such feelings and associations are among the God-appointed means for saving us from sin. III. Gon DOES NOT RESISTLESSLY STOP THOSE WHO ARE DETERMINED TO GO WRONG. Jonah had no accident on his journey down to Joppa. He found the very ship he wanted at anchor in the harbour. He paid the fare and embarked for his destination, and when the anchors were raised and the vessel sailed out to sea, he felt that he had nothing more to do but wait, while the breeze that filled the sails would soon carry him to a distant land. Those who mean to leave the ways of unrighteousness do not meet with insuperable difficulties. They may be sometimes troubled with self-reproach, but meantime outward circumstances may appear even to favour their downward progress. If only they can stifle convictions and cast scruples to the winds while they resolutely make their way to scenes of gaiety and sin, God will work no miracle to prevent them. And the time may come when even the inward monitor is silent; for God's voice has been heard saying, "Ephraim is joined to his idols: let him alonc."-A. R. Vere. 4-6.-The Divine interposition. Whe;:. man forsakes God, he who is infinite in mercy does not forsake miin. No sooner had Adam fallen than Divine love planned a scheme of redemption. Through all the ages the voice of God bas been summoning men to repentance; and in the fulness of time his only begotten Son came to seek and to save that which was lost. He deals as lovingly with individuals as with the race. Jonah was an example of this. Had a favourable voyage taken him to his destination, or bad a sudden tempest drowned him in the depths of the sea, we should only hav<J known of him as a disobedient prophet, But God dealt mercifully with him. He sent a tempest which aroused him from lethargy, brought his sin before him tbro11gh the remonstrances of heathen, provided for him a means of escape, and gave him a new commission as his servant. These are the facts we should now consider, I. Gon SOMETIMES BENDS A STORM TO AROUSE A WRONG-DOER. On entering the ship, Jonah went below deck; partly, no doubt, to avoid curious inquiries, and partly to rest after the long and hurried journey he had taken. Soon he sank into a heavy 1deep-fit emblem of the lethargy of sin, 'l'be tempest, or rather its effect on the sailors, aroused him. Many have experienced tempests within or in their outward life which have led them afterwards to say, "He restoreth my soul," Anxieties have been so terrible, that in an agony the convicted have cried, "Lord, save, or I perish." Ill- ness bas come so suddenly, and death has seemed so near, that the awakened soul baa asked, "What shall I do to be saved?" The forsaking of friends, the death of role.~  40 THE BOOK OF JONAH. [ok, t, 1-lT.