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1 Samuel 12:21
And turn ye not aside: forthen should ye go after vainthings, which cannot profit nor deliver; for theyare vain.

2 Kings 17:15
And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen thatwere round about them,concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.

Psalm 31:6
I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.

forsake His loving devotion
The term "loving devotion" is translated from the Hebrew word "hesed," which encompasses God's steadfast love, mercy, and faithfulness. This covenantal love is a central theme in the Old Testament, particularly in God's relationship with Israel. By clinging to idols, individuals abandon the true source of love and faithfulness. This concept is mirrored inHosea 6:6, where God desires mercy (hesed) rather than sacrifice, emphasizing a relationship over ritual. The forsaking of God's loving devotion is not just a personal loss but a communal one, as it breaks the covenant relationship established with God. In the New Testament, this idea is expanded through the person of Jesus Christ, who embodies God's hesed, offering a new covenant through His sacrifice, as seen in passages likeJohn 3:16 andRomans 5:8.

• The verb “cling” pictures an intentional, persistent grip. Scripture shows we are always holding fast to something. Joshua urged Israel, “But you are to hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day” (Joshua 23:8).

• Clinging reveals the direction of the heart. Jesus warned, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

• Jonah, praying from the fish, contrasts his new dependence on the LORD with people who tenaciously grab something else. The issue is not lack of capacity to cling, but choosing the right object of devotion.

• “Worthless” shows idols cannot deliver, guide, or save.Psalm 115:4–8 describes them as silver and gold that “have mouths, but cannot speak… Those who make them become like them.”

• Jeremiah echoed the same charge: “They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves” (Jeremiah 2:5). Idolatry devalues the worshiper.

• Idols today may be material success, reputation, pleasure, or even religiosity. John’s closing words still ring true: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

• To “forsake” is to abandon, turn away, or let go. The prodigal outcome of idolatry is always separation from God’s blessing. Jeremiah lamented, “All who forsake You will be put to shame” (Jeremiah 17:13).

• Jonah knew this firsthand—he had tried to flee from the LORD (Jonah 1:3). His prayer recognizes that running from God’s presence is self-inflicted loss.

• The New Testament echoes the danger: “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God” (Hebrews 12:15).

• “Loving devotion” (ḥesed) highlights God’s covenant love, steadfast mercy, and loyal kindness. When God revealed His name He said He is “abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6).

• This love is the anchor of every deliverance: “Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed” (Lamentations 3:22).

• Jonah realizes the tragedy: anyone clutching idols forfeits the very grace that could save them. Paul later declared the same gospel truth—“God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

• We all cling to something; the wise cling to the LORD.

• Idols—ancient or modern—are empty and drag the heart into emptiness.

• Turning to idols means turning away from the fountain of God’s grace.

• God’s loving devotion is steadfast, generous, and available; it is only lost when deliberately rejected.

•Jonah 2:8 calls each reader to loosen every rival grip and hold fast to the Lord who alone offers unfailing love.

Forsake their own mercy--i.e., forfeit their own share of the covenant grace. InPsalm 37:28 it is said that Jehovah does not forsake hischasidim; they, however, by forsaking Jehovah (Himself called Israel'smercy,Psalm 144:2, margin) and His law (Psalm 89:30) can forfeit theirchesed or covenant privilege.