In the story of Jonah, we see God’s sovereignty at work, with God exercising control over nature. Here’s what God does:
- He sends a wind [Jonah 1:4]
- He calms the sea [Jonah 1:15]
- He provides a fish to shallow Jonah [Jonah 1:17]
- He commands the fish to deposit Jonah on dry land [Jonah 2:10]
- He makes a vine grow to give shade to Jonah [Jonah 4:6]
- He causes a worm to chew the vine and kill it [Jonah 4:7]
Furthermore, God’s sovereignty allows him to show mercy towards the people of Nineveh and not destroy them as he had originally planned.
However, God does not exercise control over Jonah, allowing him to do what he wants, when he chooses,and how pleases. Jonah has free will — and God does not interfere with that even though Jonah’s choices cause him a lot of grief.
God gives Jonah the freedom to mess up — or to do what is right. That’s how God rolls.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
