Wednesday Devo

Jonah 1:1-3
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

3 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.

1:1 Jonah prophesied prosperity for Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:23–28). Jonah means “dove,” a symbol for Israel as silly and senseless (Hos. 7:11); Jonah will be true to his name. Son of Amittai means “son of my faithfulness”; Jonah will remain the object of God’s faithful love.

1:2 Nineveh sat on the east bank of the Tigris River about 220 miles (354 km) north of present-day Baghdad and over 500 miles (805 km) northeast of Israel. Great (Hb. gadol) is used 14 times in Jonah. Nineveh was an important (“great”) city (see 3:3). evil. As the ESV footnote indicates, the same Hebrew term (Hb. ra‘ah; used 9 times in Jonah [see chart]) can mean “evil” or “disaster.” The Ninevites were evil, and they were in line for disaster.

1:3 To Tarshish is repeated three times in this verse to underscore that Jonah is not going to Nineveh. Tarshish, an unknown locale associated with distant coastlands, was somewhere in the western Mediterranean—the opposite direction from Nineveh. From the presence of the LORD is repeated at the end of this verse to underscore Jonah’s purpose in going to Tarshish. Went down (see also v. 5; 2:6; the same verb is used for went on board) is also a euphemism for death (e.g., Gen. 37:35). The suggestion is that each step away from the presence of the Lord is one step closer to “going down” to death (see notes on Jonah 1:4–5; 2:6).


Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1687.

Jonah heard God clearly and deliberately went the opposite direction. We may not board a ship to a faraway city, but we have our own ways of running. When God’s call feels uncomfortable, risky, or inconvenient, we don’t always say “no” out loud. Often, we slip quietly into delay, overthinking, or distraction, treating God’s commands like suggestions we can debate with ourselves.

• When the Holy Spirit nudges you to step outside your comfort zone, how do you usually respond? Do you ignore it, rationalize it, or wait for another sign before acting?
• Why is it that we sometimes find ourselves saying: "I’m praying for more clarity" when what we really mean is: "I do not want to do what God is asking"? Be honest before God. In those moments, are you actually seeking clarity or are you delaying obedience?
• Where do you go when you’re avoiding a task, a conversation, or an action God has prompted? Is it scrolling endlessly, hiding in busyness, or clinging to comfort and safety? Confess that hiding place to God. 

3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?  Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.

(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)