Jonah 1:9 Study Bible: He said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land."

◄ Jonah 1:9 ►

"I am a Hebrew," replied Jonah. "I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land."

I am a Hebrew
The phrase "I am a Hebrew" is a declaration of identity and faith. The term "Hebrew" (Hebrew: עִבְרִי, Ivri) is significant as it connects Jonah to the covenant people of God, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Historically, the Hebrews were known as the people who crossed over, possibly referring to Abraham's crossing of the Euphrates River. This identity is not just ethnic but deeply spiritual, signifying Jonah's belonging to the chosen people who have a unique relationship with Yahweh, the one true God. In the context of Jonah's story, this declaration is a reminder of his calling and the responsibilities that come with being part of God's covenant community.

and I worship the LORD
The word "worship" here is translated from the Hebrew word יָרֵא (yare), which can mean to fear, revere, or stand in awe of. Jonah's statement "I worship the LORD" indicates a recognition of God's sovereignty and power. The term "LORD" (Hebrew: יְהוָה, Yahweh) is the personal name of God, emphasizing His eternal, self-existent nature. This phrase underscores Jonah's acknowledgment of God's authority over all creation, despite his current disobedience. It serves as a reminder of the reverence and awe due to God, who is worthy of worship and obedience.

the God of the heavens
This phrase highlights the transcendence and supremacy of God. The "heavens" (Hebrew: שָׁמַיִם, shamayim) refer to the sky and beyond, symbolizing the vastness and majesty of God's creation. By identifying God as the "God of the heavens," Jonah acknowledges His dominion over the entire universe. This is a powerful affirmation of God's omnipotence and His role as the Creator and Sustainer of all things. It contrasts with the limited, localized deities of the pagan sailors, emphasizing that Jonah's God is the one true God who reigns over all.

who made the sea and the dry land
This phrase further emphasizes God's creative power and authority. The sea and the dry land represent the totality of the earth, highlighting God's sovereignty over both the chaotic and the stable elements of creation. The Hebrew word for "made" (עָשָׂה, asah) implies intentionality and craftsmanship, indicating that the world is not a product of chance but of divine design. By stating that God made both the sea and the dry land, Jonah acknowledges that the storm they are experiencing is under God's control. This serves as a reminder of God's ability to intervene in the natural world and His ultimate authority over all aspects of life.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jonah
A prophet of God who is called to deliver a message to the city of Nineveh but initially flees from God's command.

2. Sailors
The men aboard the ship with Jonah, who are caught in a violent storm and seek to understand the cause of their peril.

3. The Sea
Represents the chaos and danger that ensues when Jonah attempts to flee from God's presence.

4. The LORD, the God of heaven
Jonah identifies Him as the Creator of the sea and dry land, emphasizing His sovereignty over all creation.

Teaching Points

Acknowledging God's Sovereignty
Jonah's declaration in Jonah 1:9 reminds us of the importance of recognizing God's ultimate authority over all aspects of life.

The Futility of Running from God
Jonah's attempt to flee serves as a cautionary tale about the impossibility of escaping God's presence and plans.

Witnessing to Others
Even in his disobedience, Jonah's testimony about God impacts the sailors, showing that God can use us to witness to others in unexpected ways.

Fear of the Lord
The sailors' reaction to Jonah's words highlights the importance of having a reverent fear of God, which leads to wisdom and understanding.

Repentance and Obedience
Jonah's account encourages us to turn back to God in repentance and obedience, trusting in His mercy and grace.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does Jonah's acknowledgment of God as the Creator in Jonah 1:9 challenge or affirm your understanding of God's sovereignty in your life?

2. In what ways have you experienced the futility of trying to run from God's plans or presence, similar to Jonah's experience?

3. How can Jonah's testimony to the sailors inspire you to share your faith with others, even in difficult or unexpected circumstances?

4. Reflect on a time when you have experienced a "storm" in your life. How did acknowledging God's sovereignty help you navigate through it?

5. How does the fear of the Lord, as demonstrated by the sailors, influence your daily decisions and actions? How can you cultivate a deeper reverence for God?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 1
The creation account where God establishes His authority over the sea and dry land, paralleling Jonah's declaration of God's sovereignty.

Psalm 139
Highlights God's omnipresence and the futility of trying to flee from Him, similar to Jonah's situation.

Acts 17
Paul's sermon at the Areopagus, where he speaks of God as the Creator of the world, echoing Jonah's acknowledgment of God's power.

Sermons

Jonah's Confession	John Hartcliffe, M. A.	Jonah 1:9
The Confession and its Sequel	J. O. Keen, D. D.	Jonah 1:9
An Effective Hue and Cry	J.E. Henry	Jonah 1:4-10
Jonah Detected	G.T. Coster	Jonah 1:7-10
The Fugitive Convicted	W.G. Blaikie	Jonah 1:7-10

People

Amittai, Jonah, Tarshish

Places

Joppa, Mount Esau, Nineveh, Tarshish

Topics

Dry, Fear, Heaven, Heavens, Hebrew, Reverencing, Worship, Worshipper

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Jonah 1:9

     1235   God, the LORD
     4060   nature
     8496   witnessing, importance

Jonah 1:1-10

5178 running

Jonah 1:3-15

5517 seafaring

Jonah 1:4-17

5828 danger

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

Links

Jonah 1:9 NIV
Jonah 1:9 NLT
Jonah 1:9 ESV
Jonah 1:9 NASB
Jonah 1:9 KJV

Jonah 1:9 Commentaries

Bible Hub