I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land

 Jonah 1:7-16

They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”

He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this, the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.

Why?

Jonah thought he would die to escape the mission of the Lord, so he asked them to put him into the sea. 

The cast lots are under the control of the Lord.

When Jonah told the sailor all of them love the life of each man, but they have no way to choose, so pray to the Lord "Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man." And it is worked, the sea is calm down, so they fear the Lord, they offer a sacrifice to the Lord.

--------

神用外邦人教訓以色列人。神也用異教的方法來指引他僕人的道路，神用抽籤也能叫神的僕人知道誰是神，約拿的信仰還不如外邦人。我們是否如約拿一樣，太小看神，以為神是慈愛，忽略神的權能，以為沒有關係。外邦人是否質疑你不是基督徒嗎？我太小看神的證話語。

外邦人也不願輕看一個人的生命，不犧牲一個人的生命，怕得罪神不敢將神的僕人約拿丟入海中。約拿卻寧可不顧尼尼微城人的生命。

外邦人如此敬畏神，獻祭，稱耶和華的名，相反的約拿，神的僕人卻不禱告，不悔改。不願在外邦人前低頭。後想要一死了之，也沒有悔改。很像猶大、掃羅。約拿看不起外邦人，認為他們不配認識神，現在外邦人信神更多。約拿是猶太人的縮影。基督徒是否對神無動於衷?

--------

How?

Who can escape from the command of the Lord? No one, Fear the Lord is the only choice and is the best one.