Jon 1:7 | KingComments | STEP | Jonah is awakened. Would he have fulfilled the captain’s call and prayed to God? Or would his conscience have spoken in the remembrance of the LORD, from Whom he is fleeing? It is not mentioned. In any case, he still does not tell what is going on. Jonah is silent for as long as he can, although he knows why the ship is in distress. If people are ashamed, but their own will is still active because it has not yet been judged, a lot of chastisement is needed to bring someone back on the right path. The sailors see so many unusual things in the storm that they attach the right meaning to it. It is a storm that is the fault of one of those present on the ship. For Jonah, the storm is a catastrophe coming from the LORD ( ). For the heathen sailors it is a message of some divine justice (cf. ). Special events often lead to a call to the conscience. God wants all kinds of national or personal disasters to have that effect (cf. ). But nobody on the ship wonders: ‘Am I the cause?’ It must be someone else. To find out they cast lots. The casting of lots is often done in the Old Testament ( ; ). It also happens one more time in the New Testament before the Holy Spirit is poured out ( ). After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we do not hear that the church uses it. That would also be contrary to the way in which God now reveals His will. We have the complete Word of God and His Spirit Who guides into all the truth ( ). After the lot has fallen upon Jonah, it is not possible to remain silent any longer ( ).

‏ Jonah 1:7

And the Lot Fell on Jonah

Jonah is awakened. Would he have fulfilled the captain’s call and prayed to God? Or would his conscience have spoken in the remembrance of the LORD, from Whom he is fleeing? It is not mentioned. In any case, he still does not tell what is going on. Jonah is silent for as long as he can, although he knows why the ship is in distress. If people are ashamed, but their own will is still active because it has not yet been judged, a lot of chastisement is needed to bring someone back on the right path.

The sailors see so many unusual things in the storm that they attach the right meaning to it. It is a storm that is the fault of one of those present on the ship. For Jonah, the storm is a catastrophe coming from the LORD (Amos 3:6b). For the heathen sailors it is a message of some divine justice (cf. Acts 28:4).

Special events often lead to a call to the conscience. God wants all kinds of national or personal disasters to have that effect (cf. Isa 26:9). But nobody on the ship wonders: ‘Am I the cause?’ It must be someone else. To find out they cast lots.

The casting of lots is often done in the Old Testament (Jos 7:16 ; Jos 15:1; 1Sam 14:36-42). It also happens one more time in the New Testament before the Holy Spirit is poured out (Acts 1:26). After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we do not hear that the church uses it. That would also be contrary to the way in which God now reveals His will. We have the complete Word of God and His Spirit Who guides into all the truth (Jn 16:13).

After the lot has fallen upon Jonah, it is not possible to remain silent any longer (Pro 16:33).