God’s Plans Will Prevail - In Touch Ministries - Charles Stanley

Rebellion against God produces heartache.

Jonah 1:1-17

Jonah fled toward Tarshish to escape God’s plan. Perhaps the prophet thought that ignoring a divine command would cause the Lord to withdraw or change it. Instead, God dramatically intervened in Jonah’s life until he submitted.

Jonah believed he had good reason to be reluctant. The Ninevites were a brutal civilization determined to conquer Israel. So walking across the city while crying, “Nineveh will be overthrown” was a frightening thought. And, as the prophet later revealed, he worried that God would spare the city if the people repented (Jonah 4:2). Jonah wanted them destroyed for what they had done to his people. His reasons for fleeing seemed right in his own eyes. But God was not deterred.

There’s no justification for rebellion. God desires our obedience. He has reasons for asking us to take a specific action, and His purposes are always good.