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Daily Devotions

Jonah

Jonah 
Day 
Day 4

"Then the mariners were afraid"

Text: Jonah 1:5

SAILING THE HIGH SEAS IN ANCIENT DAYS

Sailing in ships in ancient days was a dangerous endeavor. The ancient mariners did not have equipment to help them to do the following things:

1. To anticipate storms.

2. To navigate effectively.

3. To weather stormy seas.

4. They only had experience and raw courage when they faced severe storms!

AN UNEXPECTED SEVERE STORM

How would the ancient mariners cope if a sudden storm were to arise?

“Then the mariners were afraid;
and every man cried out to his god,
and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea,
to lighten the load.
But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship,
had lain down, and was fast asleep.”
Jonah 1:5

1. “The mariners were afraid”

a) They did everything they could to avert danger.
b) They lightened the ship by throwing away even their cargo.
c) But the storm persisted and they realized that they needed “divine intervention”.

2. “Every man cried out to his god”

a) Sailors were drawn from different countries.
b) Some may have been “press-ganged” into serving on board ship.
c) Each man’s ethnic origin would lead the individual to cry out to the deity he worshipped.
d) But all the prayer efforts seemed to have yielded no fruit.
e) The ship was still being in danger of being “broken up”.

3. “Jonah”

a) The captain of the ship must have asked for an account of all on board ship.
b) Every man was supposed to pray to his god without exception.
c) Jonah was found in the lowest part of the ship!
d) He was not praying at all. He was fast asleep!
e) He must have been totally exhausted to sleep through such a storm.