The Way of the Transgressor is Hard
Transgression is a terrible thing. God’s Mercy is Greater than how terrible Transgression is when we repent.
“…the way of transgressors is hard.” Proverbs 13:15
I’d like to add that the way of everyone around the transgressor is hard as well
A transgressor adds difficulty to the life of everyone around them.
Jonah is a perfect picture of a transgressor
He did not care about Ninevah city or the people of Ninevah. In fact, he hated them.
He did not care about the storm, the ship, or the people riding in the ship with him; rather than praying, he chose to be thrown into the storm.
Rather than repenting, he was swallowed by a fish
It was not until three days and three nights had elapsed, he finally relented and repented.
I suspect that Jonah was even a trouble in the belly of the fish.
The fish vomitted him out. I imagine the fish felt better.
The challenge in trying to help the transgressor is that you can’t save them from the trouble when it’s from God.
Sadly, the transgressor is often not willing to do what it takes to help themselves.
Don’t be like Jonah.
I pray you don’t find yourself riding in the boat with Jonah.
If you realize you are Jonah, Repent. God is merciful and will help you return to where you need to be faster than you can imagine.
One morning, I had an impression of Jonah in the early moments of the day while I meditated and sipped on my coffee, listening to the book of Jonah. Ten times I listened to this prophetic book. It's a short book and easy to consume and dissect in a short time. From this time of study and thought, I preached a message entitled, "I want to be like Jonah. Jonah knew the mercy of God. This mercy did not motivate him to ministry, and this mercy did not press him into evangelism. God sent him to the people he hated. The Lord spoke to Jonah, "ARISE AND GO UNTO NINEVAH." God called him to go to Ninevah. He lived 500 miles from Ninevah. Over a three-week journey.Rather than going 500 miles to Ninevah, he went 450 Miles in the opposite direction to Joppah and set sail to go another 750 miles. If he had reached his destination, he would have been 1200 miles away from Ninevah.The storm came, and when the lot fell on him, his response was not to repent. He seemed to conclude I would rather die than repent and obey God. However, God had a plan for hard-headed, hearted, stubborn Jonah. When the fish Swallowed Jonah, that fish for three days and three nights was shuttling him towards Ninevah. Why do I say that?
Even while Jonah was in the Belly of the Fish, that fish took him toward the place God intended for him to be.
At least 1,000 miles that fish would swim. While Jonah refused to repent. When he finally repented, and that fish vomited him on dry land, near the very place God had sent him. The fish took him.
From the home of Jonah was five hundred miles, from Joppa it would have been a thousand miles. That is fifty days if one traveled twenty miles a day.
I propose that Jonah got there faster even though he decided to go in the wrong direction.
Even when he was still unrepentant, God moved him toward God's purpose.
Selah