“Confession”
Take me up. —Jonah 1:12
Read Jonah 1:7-12
In your thoughts, place yourself on the deck of the ship lurching out of control, at the mercy of the wind and the waves. The crew around you is desperate and feels hopeless. One passenger re-mains sleeping in the hull of the ship and is aroused by the captain and hauled up to the deck. There he is confronted with a moving scene: All the sailors are on their knees in agony, calling upon their personal gods. Does this man, Jonah, also begin to call upon the name of the Lord?
We do not read anything in the Bible about Jonah praying on the boat during the storm. Besides, how could he? Twice he had fled away from the face of the Lord. No one can seek God’s face up-rightly when they are living in sin. This sin must first be con-fessed before God.
Meanwhile, back on the ship, the storm is not letting up, but intensifying in ferocity. At their wit’s end, the crew comes to the conclusion that the wrath of the gods is directed upon one of them. They draw lots and Jonah is singled out. The deserter must now give an account of himself. When he reveals to them that the God of heaven is punishing him, the crew’s dismay increases. And then Jonah presents himself as an offering in order to save the crew of the ship.
What are the consequences of sin not being confessed?