Dr. Lawrence Butler, The Bridge Church, Pembroke

This is the seventh in a series of lessons from the Book of Jonah: A life of sin and rebellion always takes a person d own. It never lifts one higher, glorifies God nor brings peace and happiness to the individual. Look at Jonah’s downward course: He went down to Joppa - (Jon 1:3) “But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa…” He went down into the ship – ( Jonah 1:3) “…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.”

He went down and went to sleep – (Jonah 1:5) “… But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.”

Jonah controlled steps 1,2, and 3.

1. He went down to Joppa in disobedience.

2. He went down into the ship hiding.

3. He went down into the sides of the ship and fell asleep, unconcerned.

4.The fourth trip downward was controlled by God! (Jon 2:6) “I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever…” Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord. Now something very tragic had happened that was beyond his control. (Jon 2:4) “Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight…” Disobeying God and running from His presence and calling can result in your being “cast out” of His sight.

Jonah learned this the hard way!