Jonah was a servant of God (2 Kings 14:25), he just was not a very good one.  It is a tribute to the authenticity of the Bible that the prophets of God are described very honestly, even when their character is less than stellar.  Some of the prophets were brave and heroic, while others were petty and self-absorbed.  Jonah fell into the latter category.

The writer of Psalm 119 loved the Word of God (ver. 97), so he wrote, “I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever” (ver. 104).  We should all feel the same way.  Sadly, Jonah’s mindset and behavior was the antithesis of this.  When the Word of the Lord came to him, he did not like it at all.  Thus, instead of complying, he tried to run away from God.

God wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against their wicked ways, but the Bible says that Jonah “rose to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:1-3).  Tarshish was in the western portion of the Mediterranean Sea, the opposite direction of Nineveh, a city of Mesopotamia.  Jonah’s fleeing was not something he did merely out of emotionalism, it was a purposeful plan.  “He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish.”

Why did Jonah flee the presence of the Lord?  It was because he did not like the commandment he was given.  In all fairness, it was not a very likable command.  The usual mission of Jonah was to prophesy to the people of God (2 Kings 14:23-27).  This mission that God was sending him on was different.  He was to go to the great Gentile city of Nineveh; great, not only in political and military power, but in wickedness as well.  No prophet of God would want to do that.

God never promised that all of His commandments would be pleasant.  The job of the servant of God is to obey Him no matter what the command is.  Our feelings about it are not even a consideration to God unless He is testing our faithfulness (Genesis 22:1-2).  God uses us to fulfill His will, not ours.  Jonah failed to realize this.  The moment he received the Word from the Lord, he only thought about what he wanted to do rather than want God wanted him to do.  To put God’s will above our own is to follow in the steps of our Savior.

Matthew 26:39 (ESV)
³⁹  And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Attempting to flee the presence of God is futile.  Jonah should have known this, but he had to find out the hard way.  Once he secured a ship to Tarshish and was on his way, God caused a great wind to arise that caused a mighty storm to overtake the ship.  When it comes to God, we can run, but we cannot hide.  David knew this to be true.

Psalm 139:1-3 (ESV)
¹ O LORD, you have searched me and known me! ²  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. ³  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

Are we more like Jesus or Jonah when it comes to the will of God?  You do not have to like everything God commands you to do, but you do have to comply if you want to avoid His wrath.  We all find ourselves in the position of Jonah once in a while—receiving instructions from the Lord that we do not particularly like.  When we do, will we flee, or will we follow?        

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.