Jonah 1:7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is on us… God will certainly find out the Jonah that causeth the storm. The guilty person shall not always go undiscovered. I. PERSONS UNDER GUILT MAY GO A LONG TIME UNDISCOVERED. Some men's hidden works of darkness are sooner brought to light than others. II. SOME MEN'S SINS ARE NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL THEY COME TO THE GREAT RECKONING, THE GREAT AUDIT DAY. "Some men's sins are open beforehand to judgment, and some men they follow after." Then the hidden things of darkness that escape discovery now will all be brought to light; and what if you he hid here, this will but harden you: whereas a discovery might be a means to awaken you and bring you to repentance. III. SOME MEN'S GUILT COMES UNDER MORE DREADFUL AGGRAVATIONS THAN OTHERS. Ordinarily, the more aggravations that men's sins are clothed with, the sooner will God lay them open to a discovery. IV. UPON THEIR DISCOVERY THEY EITHER GROW WORSE AND ARE HARDENED, OR THEY ARE DEEPLY HUMBLED. Jonah, upon his dis covery, acknowledges and accepts the punishment of his iniquity. Now we inquire, What ways and means doth God take for the discovery of guilty persons? 1. By pursuing them with the terrors of conscience. 2. By sending judgments and afflictions after them. 3. By suffering them to fall into some notorious sin. 4. By giving the guilty person up to some gross and notorious error. 5. By causing the power and authority of the Word to seize upon them and arrest them. 6. By wonderful providences. 7. By bringing them to heart and con science examination.By such discovery of guilty persons God gets Himself a name. A name for His justice, wisdom, omniscience, omnipresence, and also for His Word and truth. Why will the Lord discover guilt? To bring poor souls to shame, and so to repentance, and all this while He hath a design of love to the soul in the discovery. Because He will have some persons made cautions and examples to others. That the world may know of His displeasure against sin. That the rottenness of many hearts may appear, and they may no longer go on to deceive others. (John Ryther.) Parallel Verses KJV: And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. |
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