◄ Jonah 1:12 ►
"Pick me up," he answered, "and cast me into the sea, so it may quiet down for you. For I know that I am to blame for this violent storm that has come upon you."
Study Bible
Pick me up and cast me into the sea
This phrase begins with Jonah's directive to the sailors. The Hebrew word for "pick me up" is "nasa," which means to lift or carry. This action signifies a voluntary submission and acceptance of responsibility for the storm. Jonah's willingness to be "cast" into the sea reflects a profound moment of self-sacrifice and acknowledgment of his disobedience to God. The sea, in ancient Near Eastern culture, often symbolized chaos and danger, making Jonah's request even more significant as he entrusts himself to God's mercy amidst the chaos.

he replied
The phrase "he replied" indicates Jonah's response to the sailors' desperate situation. It shows Jonah's awareness of the gravity of the situation and his role in it. This moment of dialogue is crucial as it marks a turning point in Jonah's journey from running away to facing the consequences of his actions.

and it will become calm
The promise that the sea "will become calm" is a statement of faith. The Hebrew word "shaqat" means to be quiet or at peace. Jonah's assurance that the sea will calm down upon his removal highlights his understanding of God's control over nature. It also foreshadows the miraculous calming of the storm, demonstrating God's power and mercy.

For I know that it is my fault
Jonah's confession, "For I know," uses the Hebrew word "yada," which means to know or recognize. This acknowledgment of personal responsibility is a critical moment of repentance. Jonah admits his fault, which is a significant step in his spiritual journey. It reflects a deep understanding of his disobedience and its consequences, aligning with the biblical theme of confession and repentance.

that this great storm has come upon you
The "great storm" is described using the Hebrew word "gadol," meaning great or mighty. This emphasizes the severity of the situation and the direct link between Jonah's actions and the storm. The phrase "has come upon you" indicates the impact of Jonah's disobedience on others, highlighting the communal consequences of sin. This serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of human actions and the broader implications of personal choices.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jonah
A prophet of God who is fleeing from the Lord's command to go to Nineveh. His disobedience leads to a storm threatening the ship he is on.

2. The Sailors
The crew of the ship bound for Tarshish, who are caught in a violent storm due to Jonah's disobedience. They are initially unaware of the cause of the storm.

3. The Sea
Represents the chaos and danger that results from Jonah's attempt to flee from God's presence. It is both a literal and symbolic element in the account.

4. The Storm
A divine intervention by God to redirect Jonah's path and bring him back to obedience. It serves as a catalyst for Jonah's confession and the sailors' eventual recognition of God's power.

5. Tarshish
The destination Jonah chooses in his attempt to escape God's command, symbolizing his rebellion and desire to avoid God's mission.
Teaching Points
Acknowledgment of Sin
Jonah's admission of guilt is a crucial step in resolving the crisis. We must recognize and confess our sins to restore our relationship with God.

God's Sovereignty
The storm illustrates God's control over nature and circumstances. Trust in God's sovereignty, even in life's storms.

Impact of Disobedience
Jonah's disobedience affects not only himself but also those around him. Our actions have consequences for others, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God.

Repentance and Redemption
Jonah's willingness to be cast into the sea is a form of repentance, leading to his eventual redemption. True repentance involves a willingness to face the consequences of our actions.

God's Mercy
Despite Jonah's rebellion, God provides a way for his redemption. God's mercy is available to all who turn back to Him.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jonah's acknowledgment of his sin in Jonah 1:12 serve as a model for confession in our own lives?

2. In what ways does the account of Jonah illustrate the concept of God's sovereignty over creation and human affairs?

3. How can we apply the lesson of Jonah's disobedience and its impact on others to our own relationships and community?

4. What parallels can you draw between Jonah's experience and the New Testament accounts of Jesus calming the storm or Paul's shipwreck?

5. How does Jonah's account encourage us to trust in God's mercy and redemption, even when we have strayed from His path?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 107:23-30
This passage describes sailors caught in a storm, crying out to the Lord, and being delivered, similar to the sailors' experience in Jonah.

Matthew 12:39-41
Jesus refers to Jonah's account as a sign, drawing a parallel between Jonah's time in the fish and His own death and resurrection.

Acts 27:13-44
Paul's shipwreck experience echoes Jonah's account, highlighting themes of divine intervention and the power of God over nature.
Sermons
A Voluntary SurrenderJ.E. Henry Jonah 1:11, 12
The Sailors ConductG.T. Coster Jonah 1:11-16
The Offender SacrificedW.G. Blaikie Jonah 1:11-17
Hard RowingT. De Witt Talmage, D. D.Jonah 1:12-13
Intelligible ProvidencesPastor Funcke.Jonah 1:12-13
Jonah's LateSamuel Clift Burn.Jonah 1:12-13
Settling the StormW. H. Burton.Jonah 1:12-13
The Penitence of the Prophet of Gath-HepherR. Brodie, A. M.Jonah 1:12-13
People
Amittai, Jonah, Tarshish
Places
Joppa, Mount Esau, Nineveh, Tarshish
Topics
Account, Calm, Cast, Cease, Fault, Forth, Lift, Pick, Quiet, Replied, Sake, Storm, Tempest, Throw
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jonah 1:12

     6163   faults
     8319   perception, spiritual

Jonah 1:3-15

     5517   seafaring

Jonah 1:4-17

     5828   danger

Jonah 1:10-12

     8718   disobedience

Jonah 1:11-15

     8328   quietness

Library
Guilty Silence and Its Reward
Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2. Arise, go to Nineveh, that great, city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me. 3. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 4. But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Christian Graces.
FAITH. FAITH! Peter saith, faith, in the very trial of it, is much more precious than gold that perisheth. If so, what is the worth or value that is in the grace itself? Faith is so great an artist in arguing and reasoning with the soul, that it will bring over the hardest heart that it hath to deal with. It will bring to my remembrance at once, both my vileness against God, and his goodness towards me; it will show me, that though I deserve not to breathe in the air, yet God will have me an heir …
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

Whether Divination by Drawing Lots is Unlawful?
Objection 1: It would seem that divination by drawing lots is not unlawful, because a gloss of Augustine on Ps. 30:16, "My lots are in Thy hands," says: "It is not wrong to cast lots, for it is a means of ascertaining the divine will when a man is in doubt." Objection 2: There is, seemingly, nothing unlawful in the observances which the Scriptures relate as being practiced by holy men. Now both in the Old and in the New Testament we find holy men practicing the casting of lots. For it is related …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Careless Sinner Awakened.
1, 2. It is too supposable a case that this Treatise may come into such hands.--3, 4. Since many, not grossly vicious, fail under that character.--5, 6. A more particular illustration of this case, with an appeal to the reader, whether it be not his own.--7 to 9. Expostulation with such.--10 to 12. More particularly--From acknowledged principles relating to the Nature of Got, his universal presence, agency, and perfection.--13. From a view of personal obligations to him.--14. From the danger Of this …
Philip Doddridge—The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul

Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12). In our last chapter we considered at some length the much debated and difficult question of the human will. We have shown that the will of the natural man is neither Sovereign nor free but, instead, a servant and slave. We have argued that a right conception of the sinner's will-its servitude-is essential to a just estimate of his depravity and ruin. The utter corruption and degradation of human nature is something which …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved.
(Galilee on the Same Day as the Last Section.) ^A Matt. XII. 38-45; ^C Luke XI. 24-36. ^c 29 And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, ^a 38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. [Having been severely rebuked by Jesus, it is likely that the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign that they might appear to the multitude more fair-minded and open to conviction than Jesus had represented them to be. Jesus had just wrought …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Jonah
The book of Jonah is, in some ways, the greatest in the Old Testament: there is no other which so bravely claims the whole world for the love of God, or presents its noble lessons with so winning or subtle an art. Jonah, a Hebrew prophet, is divinely commanded to preach to Nineveh, the capital of the great Assyrian empire of his day. To escape the unwelcome task of preaching to a heathen people, he takes ship for the distant west, only to be overtaken by a storm, and thrown into the sea, when, by …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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