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Joshua 7:24-26
And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor…

2 Samuel 21:8,9
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: …

and the.

Psalm 89:9
Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

Psalm 93:3,4
The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves…

Psalm 107:29
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

ceased.

and cast him into the sea,
The act of casting Jonah into the sea is significant both symbolically and literally. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the sea often represented chaos and danger. By throwing Jonah into the sea, the sailors are symbolically returning him to the chaos from which he fled. This action also prefigures the concept of substitutionary atonement, where Jonah's sacrifice leads to the salvation of the sailors, paralleling the sacrifice of Christ for humanity's salvation.

and the raging sea grew calm.
The immediate calming of the sea upon Jonah's entry into the water demonstrates God's control over nature and His response to Jonah's act of submission. This miraculous event serves as a testament to God's power and mercy, affirming His sovereignty. It also draws a parallel to the New Testament account of Jesus calming the storm in the Gospels, showcasing a typology of Christ's authority over creation. The calming of the sea leads the sailors to fear the Lord and offer sacrifices, indicating a transformation in their understanding of the divine.

– The sailors have moved from frantic self-help to reluctant obedience. Jonah himself had told them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea” (Jonah 1:12).

– Key observations:

• The initiative comes from Jonah’s confession of guilt; the sailors respond when they finally see no other option (compareJoshua 7:19–26, where sin in the camp must be dealt with decisively).

• Their action shows the weight of personal accountability. Jonah’s disobedience affected everyone on board (Proverbs 13:20).

• They act in fear and respect for the LORD, not in anger (Jonah 1:14). Their reverence echoesPsalm 111:10—“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”—even among Gentile sailors.

• This moment foreshadows the greater “sign of Jonah” that Jesus cites inMatthew 12:40. One man will be given over for the salvation of many.

– A dramatic picture of substitution: Jonah goes into the depths so others may live.

•Isaiah 53:4–5 reminds us that salvation often involves an innocent substitute bearing the penalty of others.

• While Jonah is not sinless, his surrender prefigures Christ’s willing sacrifice (John 10:17–18).

• The sea in Scripture frequently represents chaos and judgment (Psalm 69:1–2;Revelation 13:1). Jonah’s plunge shows God’s judgment directed at the source of rebellion.

• The sailors’ hands become instruments of God’s will, underscoring that even reluctant people can serve divine purposes (Proverbs 16:9).

• The moment also underlines the necessity of decisive action against sin (Romans 6:23). Partial measures—throwing cargo overboard (Jonah 1:5)—had failed; only complete surrender of the guilty party calms the storm.

– Instant confirmation that God accepted the sacrifice.

•Psalm 65:7 says God “stills the roaring of the seas.” Here He does so the second Jonah hits the water, proving His absolute sovereignty.

• The sudden calm parallels Jesus’ rebuke of the wind and waves inMark 4:39; both storms cease at God’s command, highlighting divine authority over creation.

• Notice the order: obedience precedes peace. Once Jonah is where God wants him, the sea returns to rest, illustratingPhilippians 4:7—peace follows submission to God.

• The sailors witness a tangible miracle, leading them to offer a sacrifice and vows to the LORD (Jonah 1:16), mirroring the disciples’ awe inMatthew 8:27—“What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”

• God’s mercy surfaces in the calm: He spares the sailors, and He will soon rescue Jonah with a great fish (Jonah 1:17), demonstrating that judgment and mercy often arrive together.

Jonah 1:15 shows how God orchestrates events to confront sin, protect the innocent, and reveal His power. The sailors’ act of throwing Jonah overboard reflects reluctant yet necessary obedience; Jonah’s descent into the sea prefigures substitutionary sacrifice; and the immediate calm confirms God’s sovereignty and mercy. Together these moments call us to trust God’s commands, deal decisively with rebellion, and rest in the peace that follows wholehearted submission to Him.

"At whose burden

The angered ocean foams."

SHAKESPEARE:Ant. and Cleop.