Welcome to our journey through the book of Jonah. Today, we're diving into the first chapter, exploring the powerful moment when God calls Jonah to a challenging task.
"God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible—what a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves."
– A.W. Tozer
Jonah 1:1-2
"Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.'"
Imagine receiving a phone call in the middle of the night. The voice on the other end is unmistakably God's, and He's telling you to go to the most dangerous, godless city you can think of and preach against their wickedness. How would you respond?
This was Jonah's reality. God's call came with stark clarity: "Arise, go to Nineveh" (v. 2). The Hebrew word for "arise" (qum) implies urgency. This wasn't a casual suggestion or a future consideration. It was an immediate imperative.
Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was known for its brutality. They were Israel's sworn enemies, famous for their cruelty in war. From a human perspective, Jonah's mission seemed suicidal. Yet God called him to go there.
Notice that God doesn't just tell Jonah where to go, but why: "for their evil has come up before me" (v. 2). The phrase "come up before me" in Hebrew suggests that their wickedness had reached a point where God could no longer overlook it. God's call to Jonah was rooted in His justice and His concern for even the most wicked of cities.
This passage challenges us to consider how we respond to God's calls in our own lives. Often, God's direction may seem illogical, uncomfortable, or even dangerous from our limited perspective. He might call us to forgive someone who's hurt us deeply, to give sacrificially when our finances are tight, or to share our faith with someone who seems hostile to the gospel.
Friends, God's calls often push us out of our comfort zones. But remember, He never sends us where His presence doesn't go before us. When God says "go," He's not just sending us on a mission; He's inviting us into partnership with Him in His redemptive work in the world.
Can you recall a time when you felt God calling you to do something challenging or unexpected? How did you respond?
What "Ninevehs" exist in your life right now - places or people that God might be calling you to engage with, despite your hesitation?
How might your perspective on difficult callings change if you viewed them as invitations to partner with God rather than burdens to bear?
When God calls, He equips. His commands are invitations to witness His power at work through my obedience.
Stay Dialed In,
Jonny Ardavanis