Useful Bible Studies > Jonah Commentary > chapter 1
When the sailors threw Jonah into the sea, the storm ended. The wind and waves had been so severe that the sailors expected them to destroy the boat at any moment; but now the sea became suddenly still. The sailors had lost everything except the boat itself in the storm. Now, however, they could row their boat back to the shore, and start to repair it.
Probably, the sailors did not know what had happened to Jonah. They may have discovered it later, when they told people about their strange experiences during the storm. However, at the present time they knew that Jonah was a true prophet. A prophet is a person who speaks messages from God. Therefore, what he says about the future, actually happens (contrast Deuteronomy 18:21-22). The storm really did stop when the men threw Jonah into the sea. Jonah had said that this would happen (1:12).
The sailors could also see that this storm was not a natural event. Storms happen frequently at sea, of course, and some of them are very severe. However, this particular storm happened only because of Jonah’s decision not to obey God. The storm ended because it had carried out its purpose. The storm had destroyed Jonah’s idea that he could control his own life. He had to see that he must depend completely upon God.
For the sailors, the end of the storm may have been even more frightening that the storm itself. They knew that, that day, the real God had acted powerfully in their lives. They saw that they must leave their false gods and wrong religions. They knew that God had saved their lives from death. Therefore, they must be grateful; they must start to live in the way that pleases him.
Next part: The sailors promise to serve only the true God (Jonah 1:16)
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© 2024, Keith Simons.