The Storm of God’s Mercy

Jonah 1:4–16

Big Idea: The way to peace is not through striving, but through the sacrifice of another.

When Love Interrupts

Have you ever seen a little kid bolt from their parent in a store? At first, it looks like a game, smiling, giggling, weaving between racks. But then the parent calls out: “Come back.” And the kid keeps going. And suddenly, the chase isn’t funny anymore. The parent’s voice gets sharper. People start watching. You can feel it, right? The moment when disobedience turns into danger. And what does the parent do? They go after their kid, not because they’re angry, but because they love them too much to let them run.

That’s Jonah. Last week, we saw him run, not physically from a city, but spiritually from the will of God. God said, “Go to Nineveh.” Jonah said, “Nope,” and booked a one-way trip in the opposite direction. The story should’ve ended there. Jonah disobeyed. God could’ve moved on. But He didn’t. This week, we’re going to see what happens when God chases down a runaway heart, not to punish, but to redeem.

Sinners, When Convicted, Make Desperate Efforts to Save Themselves (Jonah 1:4–6)

God hurls a violent storm onto the sea—this is no natural squall but a sovereign, divine act. The Hebrew word “hurled” (ṭûl) is intentional and forceful, used elsewhere for spears or objects flung in anger (cf. 1 Sam. 18:11). The storm is so intense that even seasoned sailors panic. They cry out to their personal gods and begin lightening the ship, tossing cargo overboard in a desperate bid to stay afloat (Guzik, Jonah 1 – Running from God).

Meanwhile, Jonah, God’s prophet, the man who should be interceding, is asleep below deck. The captain, a pagan, wakes him with an almost prophetic rebuke: “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god!” (v. 6). It’s a shocking reversal. The pagans are more spiritually alert than the prophet of Yahweh.

This moment is a mirror of the human heart under conviction. The sailors represent awakened sinners who suddenly sense that something is wrong. They’re not sure what, or who, but they know judgment is near. Their first instinct is to work, cry out, cast off weight, and grab the oars.

This is the soul in panic mode:

• Trying to fix the problem with spiritual activity (crying out to false gods),

• Trying to offload guilt (casting cargo),

• Trying to wake up those who should help (Jonah).

Jonah, in contrast, is the hardened sinner—numb, silent, and indifferent even as others are perishing. His spiritual apathy is deeper than the sailors’ ignorance.

“All the sailors were religious men, devout in their prayers to their gods. Yet their gods were really nothing and could do nothing. There was one man on board who had a relationship with the true God, who knew His word, and who worshiped Him—yet he was asleep!” (Guzik, Jonah 1 – Running from God)

The nature of Jonah’s sleep is deeply instructive, and far too familiar among believers (Guzik, Jonah 1 – Running from God):

• Jonah slept in a place where he hoped no one would see him or disturb him. “Sleeping Christians” like to “hide out” among the Church.

• Jonah slept in a place where he could not help with the work that needed to be done. “Sleeping Christians” stay away from the work of the Lord.

• Jonah slept while there was a prayer meeting up on the deck. “Sleeping Christians” don’t like prayer meetings!

• Jonah slept and had no idea of the problems around him. “Sleeping Christians” don’t know what is really going on.

• Jonah slept when he was in great danger. “Sleeping Christians” are in danger, but don’t know it.

• Jonah slept while the heathen needed him. “Sleeping Christians” snooze on while the world needs their message and testimony.

Some sleeping Christians protest that they are not asleep at all:

• “We talk about Jesus,” – but you can talk in your sleep.

• “We walk with Jesus” – but you can walk in your sleep.

• “We have passion for Jesus – I just wept in worship the other day” – but you can cry in your sleep.

• “We have joy and rejoice in Jesus,” – but you can laugh in your sleep.

• “We think about Jesus all the time” – but you can think while you are asleep; we call it dreaming. (Guzik, Jonah 1 – Running from God)

Spurgeon offers a powerful test of whether we are truly awake:

“What do you mean by a man’s being really awake? I mean two or three things. I mean, first, his having a thorough consciousness of the reality of spiritual things. When I speak of a wakeful man, I mean one who does not take the soul to be a fancy, nor heaven to be a fiction, nor hell to be a tale, but who acts among the sons of men as though these were the only substances, and all other things the shadows. I want men of stern resolution, for no Christian is awake unless he steadfastly determines to serve his God, come fair, come foul.” (Spurgeon, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit)

Fleshly Efforts Always Fail to Bring Peace (Jonah 1:7–10)

The sailors, desperate to understand the cause of the storm, cast lots—and the lot falls on Jonah. They interrogate him: “What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” (v. 8). Jonah answers: “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land” (v. 9).

This terrifies them. They realize he is fleeing from Yahweh, and Jonah had already told them. Their stunned response: “What is this you have done?” (v. 10). This is a picture of religion under pressure. The sailors have tried spiritual ritual (crying out to their gods), works (tossing cargo), and superstition (casting lots). None of it worked.

Jonah’s confession sounds pious, but rings hollow. He claims to “fear the LORD,” but doesn’t obey Him. His theology is orthodox—his life is rebellious.

Both parties are religious failures:

• The sailors are religious without truth.

• Jonah is truthful without obedience.

And neither condition can save them.

The Storm Intensifies as Long as We Resist Surrender (Jonah 1:11–13)

Convinced Jonah is the problem, the sailors ask, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” (v. 11). Jonah tells them plainly: “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea...” (v. 12). Yet even now, they resist. They try to row to safety. But the text says: “They could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them” (v. 13). They had the answer, but couldn’t bring themselves to trust it. So they kept striving.

Why?

• Maybe compassion: they didn’t want to kill a man.

• Maybe fear: they were afraid of offending Jonah’s God.

• Maybe pride: they still believed they could fix it.

And yet the more they resisted surrender, the worse the storm became.

“The soul’s sorrow will increase as long as it relies on its own efforts.” (Spurgeon, Sermons on Jonah)

God’s mercy is persistent. He does not allow peace until surrender happens.

“Though God may appear to deal severely with men, He yet really spares them, and treats them with indulgence.” (Calvin, Commentaries on the Minor Prophets)

Peace Comes Through Substitution (Jonah 1:14–16)

Finally, the sailors obey. But before they do, they pray, not to their gods, but to Yahweh: “O LORD, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood...” (v. 14). Then they throw Jonah overboard and the sea ceases its raging. And something amazing happens: the sailors fear the LORD exceedingly. They offer a sacrifice and make vows. Worship breaks out on the deck of a once-idolatrous ship.

God receives worship through Jonah’s rebellion. The gospel picture is unmistakable. Jonah is hurled into wrath to calm the sea for others. But Jesus—the greater Jonah—goes further. He isn’t forced into the storm. He walks into it willingly.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5)

At the cross, Jesus calmed the ultimate storm, not with a word, but with His life.

Final Word: The Gospel in the Raging Sea

Jonah 1:4–16 isn’t just an old story. It’s a mirror.

• Jonah is us: religious, rebellious, and asleep to the cost of our sin.

• The sailors are us too: striving, superstitious, and fearful—until we finally surrender.

• And the storm is God’s mercy: He will not let us run without interruption.

But at the center is Jesus. He is the greater Jonah, hurled not for His sin, but ours. His sacrifice calms the storm of divine wrath, and His resurrection secures our peace.

“Brethren, I wish I had meet words with which I could fitly describe the peace which comes to a human heart when we learn to see Jesus cast into the sea of divine wrath on our account. Conscience accuses no longer. Judgment now decides for the sinner instead of against him. Memory can look back upon past sins, with sorrow for the sin it is true, but yet with no dread of any penalty to come. It is a blessed thing for a man to know that he cannot be punished, that heaven and earth may shake, but he cannot be punished for his sin.” (Spurgeon, Sermons on Jonah)

Sources

• Calvin, John. Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 3. Translated by John Owen. Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1846.

• Guzik, David. “Jonah 1 – Running from God.” Enduring Word Bible Commentary. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/jonah-1/

• Spurgeon, Charles. Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 20. London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1874.

• Spurgeon, Charles. Sermons on Jonah. London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1883.