Useful Bible Studies > Jonah Commentary > chapter 2

Troubles like waves

Jonah 2:3

Many people have tried to describe how troubles in their lives seemed certain to overcome them completely. In these descriptions, they have often chosen to use word-pictures about the sea.

For example, their troubles had ruined everything in which they formerly trusted. So, they felt as if they were drowning in the sea. Like a drowning man, they were unable to control anything that was happening round them.

In such circumstances, it is rare for only one trouble to affect the person. More often, there are a series of troubles. Each trouble comes so soon after the previous one that the person is unable to recover. So that person’s troubles seem like the waves of the sea.

The difference for Jonah, of course, was that he was not using word-pictures. This was the reality of his experience. He really was under the sea; and wave after wave passed over him. However, Jonah’s worst trouble was that God himself now seemed to be his enemy. So, Jonah said that God (and not the sailors) had thrown him into the sea. He even described the waves as ‘your waves’ – in other words, God’s waves.

In his great troubles, Job too thought that God had become his enemy (Job 23:13-16). However, it seems worse for Jonah than for Job. Job knew that he had remained loyal to God (Job 23:10-12); but Jonah knew that he had refused to obey God (1:1-3).

So, it was even harder for Jonah to find hope in God than it was for Job. However, Jonah knew the true nature of God: he knew that God is eager to forgive even the most guilty people (4:2).

Next part: Jonah turns his attention to God and his temple (Jonah 2:4)

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