Chapter 1: God's Calling

Bible Reading:

Jonah Chapter 1 (whole chapter)

The theme of this conference is “Whom shall I send?”  

The term "send" carries the sense of commissioning and dispatching—being appointed and sent forth. “Whom shall I send?” is the voice of the God in heaven calling to every saint, His own people. In delivering this message, we will take the Book of Jonah as our background. The first chapter of Jonah speaks of God's Calling.

I. A Perishing World Awaiting Salvation — The Wickedness of Nineveh

 The first chapter of the Book of Jonah records that Jonah was commissioned to go to Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire at that time. Yet Jonah disobeyed and fled toward Tarshish. Assyria had once been a great empire, lasting for roughly three centuries (900–607 B.C.). Its population was vast; even those who “could not discern their right hand from their left” numbered more than one hundred twenty thousand (Jon. 4:11). From this, we may infer that the total population of that great city was likely around one million.

Because the wickedness of Nineveh had risen up before the Lord, He sent Jonah to that great city. The God we worship is indeed a God of love, yet He is also a God of righteousness. Concerning sin, He must execute judgment. Yet out of His love for the world, He desires that all should repent and be saved, and that none should perish. For this reason, God called Jonah to go to Nineveh and proclaim repentance to its people.

1. God’s Judgment upon Sin

       Concerning God’s judgment upon sin, the Old Testament repeatedly shows us that God never compromises with evil; judgment is unavoidable. In the days of Noah, when the Lord saw that humanity—whom He had created—was filled with violence upon the earth, and that every intention of their thoughts was evil, The Bible records: “The Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was grieved.” Because the holy God cannot tolerate sin, He resolved to destroy that generation with the flood.

         God does not tolerate sin for the world; neither does He overlook the sin of a single city. Consider the days of Abraham: The Bible records that the people of Sodom were exceedingly wicked before the Lord, and not even ten righteous persons could be found within it. The God who is righteous, holy, and jealous therefore destroyed that city with brimstone and fire.

         Now there was yet another city—Nineveh—greater than the cities of old. The Lord executes judgment upon the sins of the world, and He likewise judges the sins of a city; He also judges the sins of each individual. Therefore, before judgment would fall, He called Jonah and commissioned him to go and rescue, to restore the sinful great city of Nineveh.

   
   

2. The Present World Awaits Salvation

         From the generations in which God judged sin, we clearly see why God calls man: because the perishing world awaits salvation. This world—our present dwelling place—was created by God and is precious to Him. Yet it is marked by a fearful condition: day by day it moves toward the path of destruction. This world, heading toward ruin, is in urgent need of deliverance. For this reason, God calls people from heaven.

         When we look at the present age, the condition of human life—its moral decline and corruption—truly mirrors that of ancient times. Each day the newspapers report criminal acts from every corner of the world, seemingly without end. It is as though sin has become common, even fashionable. As the Bible declares: “There is none righteous, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. All have turned aside” (Rom. 3:10–12). In the sight of God, all have sinned and fall short of His glory. Such sin God cannot leave unjudged.

         Praise the Lord! While we were still weak, Christ came to earth in the fullness of time, taking on flesh, and accomplished redemption upon the cross, bearing the sins of all humanity. This glad tidings—already accomplished—must be proclaimed. We are to declare that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Therefore today, to the world, we preach the gospel of Christ’s redemption; and to Christians who have grown cold, withdrawn, or fallen, we proclaim that the Lord still calls people. He calls them to save a perishing world and to restore a declining church. Even now the Lord stretches out His saving hand toward the world, desiring to show grace to all. This is the backdrop of God’s call to humanity.

II. God's Calling -- the word of the Lord came to Jonah

The opening verse of the Book of Jonah states plainly: “The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai” (Jon. 1:1). This reveals that God calls man. The very day you and I believed in the Lord Jesus and received His grace was the day we received God’s call. It was because His call came to us that we repented, confessed our sins, were born again, saved, and baptized into Christ. From the moment God called us, we have borne a sacred commission: to go forth and proclaim the gospel everywhere, making disciples of all nations and baptizing them into His name.

This commission does not refer to forsaking all things in order to serve the Lord full‑time. Those who serve the Lord full‑time are individuals whom the Lord calls in a particular way, setting them apart to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. But for the general Christian who has received grace and salvation, the moment he believes and accepts the Lord, the Lord calls him to follow Him throughout his entire life until the journey’s end. Thus, a student may continue studying while being used by the Lord; a teacher may continue teaching while being used by the Lord; even those engaged in business may carry out their work while being used by the Lord. In other words, the Lord calls every Christian—each and every one—to rise up and serve Him.

Yet let us ask ourselves: How many times in a week have we been used by the Lord? In a month? In a year? How many believers have we visited? How many souls have we sought to rescue? Today the Lord’s call is coming to you, just as the word of the Lord came to Jonah in former days. Will you obey and respond to the Lord’s call? Are you able to submit to the Lord whom you serve?

1. God Does Not Send Angels to Save a Perishing World

   We must understand that after Jesus Christ accomplished redemption, He said to His disciples before ascending to heaven: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). From this we see that the Lord chooses to use human beings to continue His saving work; He does not send angels.

   Indeed, it is not easy to preach the gospel to our classmates, and it is even more difficult to share the gospel with middle‑aged and elderly people. The more materially advanced our twentieth‑century civilization becomes, the more hardened the human heart seems to be, and the more reluctant people are to receive the gospel.

   Many Christians have likely imagined that if one day the Lord were to send angels to appear in the sky—gliding through the air like airplanes—and proclaim to humanity: “O people, do not continue in your drunken, dreamlike living; you must repent and believe in Jesus,” surely the world, hearing the voice of angels, would repent and turn to God. Yet God does not act in this way. During the era of redemption, God does not send angels directly to save people; He sends angels only to announce good news. When Jesus was born, the angel was sent by God to bring a message to the shepherds in Bethlehem: “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11). At times, when the Lord’s servants were imprisoned, angels were sent to comfort and deliver them (Acts 23:11; 27:23). For are not all angels ministering spirits, sent forth to serve those who will inherit salvation? (Heb. 1:14).

   
   

2. God Sends Man to Save a Perishing World

   From this we see that in God’s eternal ordinance, He has appointed man to proclaim the gospel, visit and care for others, and serve the Lord. In this present age, God sends you and me to save a world that is perishing. Consider the days of Noah: the world was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. When God beheld such a scene, His heart was grieved. Before He determined to destroy all living creatures by the flood, He first sought out a righteous man named Noah. God commanded him to build an ark so that the stream of life would not cease in that generation. Knowing the lovingkindness of God, Noah obeyed the command of the Lord. He preached while building the ark, and he preached for one hundred and twenty years.

   Oh, how I admire Noah’s perseverance! He preached righteousness for one hundred and twenty years, yet the people remained utterly unmoved. If you and I were to preach for one or two years without anyone believing in Jesus, our legs would grow weary and our hands would lose strength. If we preached for five or ten years with no fruit, our hearts would already be discouraged. If we preached for twenty years without a single convert, we would surely be exhausted and ready to give up. But Noah remained steadfast and faithful, without the slightest hint of slackness. He preached for one hundred and twenty years. This is the faithful servant whom God Himself commends.

   
   

3. God Called Jonah

   Since God has ordained that He will not use angels to save a perishing world, but will instead use human beings, He therefore sent Jonah to save the great city of Nineveh. The opening chapter of the Book of Jonah records plainly: “The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it’.” From this we see that whenever God calls a person and entrusts him with a commission, He always begins by speaking to that person and giving him His charge.

   
   

4. God Calls People to Serve Him Today

   Dear brothers and sisters, today God still calls, and all who have been saved must rise and be used by the Lord. In the Old Testament, the Lord spoke directly to people; His word came to the prophet Jonah, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it.” In our present age, the Lord uses the message proclaimed from the pulpit and the voice of the Holy Spirit—His inward stirring—to call people to respond to Him and to rise up and let Him use them.

III. Man’s Escape — Going Down to Joppa and Fleeing to Tarshish

When God called Jonah, Jonah failed to appreciate the honor and instead fled. Little did he realize that if God desires to use us, we ought to come kneeling and crawling to serve Him. Yet man choose to escape God’s call. Scripture records: “But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3).

1. Reject God's Call

   When the word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it,” Jonah instead rose up and fled to Tarshish. This clearly shows that Jonah rejected the Lord’s call. The Lord wanted Jonah to go east to Nineveh, but Jonah went west to Tarshish. Likewise, many Christians today respond in the same way. When the Lord calls, saying, “Brother, arise and visit,” or “Sister, arise and serve,” they not only refuse to visit or serve, but even neglect to attend meetings, choosing instead to sit at home watching television. God moves their hearts to love the Lord, yet they turn to love the world. For the nature of man is to refuse God’s call.

   
   

2. Flee From God

   Not only so, but because Jonah sought to flee to Tarshish, “he paid the fare and went aboard, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). “Paid the fare” means he bought a ticket—spiritually speaking, it signifies paying a price. How true this is of many Christians today. Attending meetings costs nothing, yet they are unwilling to come. Prayer and Bible reading require no money, yet they refuse to pray or read. Even special gatherings require not a single cent, yet they will not attend. In contrast, watching movies requires payment, and they are willing to pay. Sinning often costs money, and they are willing to spend it. But when it comes to loving the Lord and freely receiving His grace, they are unwilling. All this reveals the true nature of man: he would rather fall, pay the wages of sin, and indulge in wrongdoing than freely receive the Lord’s boundless grace.

   
   

3. Turning One's Back on God

   Nineveh lay in the east, the place of sunrise. Tarshish lay in the west, the place of sunset. The Lord wanted Jonah to go east, but Jonah went west. East and west are opposite directions—spiritually, this signifies turning one’s back on God. It shows that Jonah was unwilling to walk in the Lord’s way, unwilling to follow God’s will, but instead followed his own will and fled far away.

IV. God’s Discipline — In the Belly of the Fish

Since Jonah rejected God’s call, he boarded a ship to flee to Tarshish. Brothers and sisters, when a person turns his back on God, how does God deal with him? How does God bring him back? From the Book of Jonah we see that God stretches out His hand of discipline. Concerning God’s discipline, we must highlight several key points. May the Lord use these as a warning to us, lest we repeat the same mistake. In truth, when a person refuses God’s call and is unwilling to respond to Him, it is simply because his spiritual eyes have not been opened—he has not seen the preciousness of the Lord nor the glory of serving Him. Now let us look at the four steps of God’s discipline toward Jonah:

1. God’s Restraining Hand

   When God disciplines a person, He does not immediately strike him down; rather, He first stretches out His hand to restrain him. Scripture records that while Jonah was on his way to Tarshish by ship, “the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.” (Jonah 1:4). Clearly, this violent storm was no accident—it arose by the command of the Lord. It reveals the restraining hand of God, indicating that Jonah must not continue on to Tarshish.

   Dear brothers and sisters, remember this: whenever we turn our backs on God, flee from Him, and insist on walking our own way, the Lord’s first step is to stretch out His hand to restrain us. In our experience, for example, suppose there is a youth meeting on Saturday. You avoid attending and instead go to watch a movie. Yet as you arrive at the theater’s ticket counter, you unexpectedly meet a familiar Christian who greets you, “Brother, where are you going?” At that moment you must understand—this is God restraining you from turning your back to Him. Or perhaps your spiritual life has recently grown dull. You have no interest in prayer, and Bible reading no longer attracts you. Then the Lord sends a believer to visit you, to pray with you, and to draw you back from your coldness.

   “There was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.” This shows that if you continue stubbornly in your own way, the ship will indeed be destroyed. In other words, this act of restraint carries a danger to life. If the ship breaks, everyone on board would drown in the sea. On the other hand, it also tells us that God’s restraining hand can at times be exceedingly severe.

   
   

2. Man Still Refuses to Turn Back

   At that moment, in order to preserve their lives, the people on board threw the cargo into the sea so the ship would not be weighed down. “But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down and was fast asleep” (Jonah 1:5). This shows us that when Jonah boarded the ship, he did not stay on deck to breathe fresh air or admire the vast ocean. Instead, he went down into the lowest part of the ship. Going “down into the lowest part” signifies moving farther away from God, for the deck is closest to the heavens, while the lowest hold is farthest from them. This illustrates that anyone who tries to flee from the Lord is like Jonah descending into the ship’s lowest place. A ship has many levels, and Jonah went down to the very bottom. Spiritually, this speaks of a downward fall—declining step by step, level by level, until reaching the lowest point.

   Jonah then “lay down and was fast asleep” in the lowest hold. This signifies a spirit that has grown numb. Many Christians, having run from the Lord’s calling, lose their spiritual sensitivity: Bible reading no longer brings light, prayer no longer touches God’s presence, gatherings no longer stir interest, and their condition becomes scarcely different from those who do not believe.

   Dear brothers and sisters, how often, when God tries to stop us, we respond just like Jonah—not only refusing to turn back, but even going further away from Him. Many who were unwilling to attend this special conference are much like Jonah, lying down and sleeping in the ship’s hold. “Lying down fast asleep” not only reveals a spirit that has grown numb, but also shows a stubborn refusal to yield. Even as the ship was tossed violently by the raging storm, Jonah remained indifferent—hands folded, pretending not to hear, lying there asleep, unwilling to humble himself before God and confess his sin.

   
   

3. Giving Oneself Up in Despair

   The storm grew fierce and the ship was on the verge of breaking apart, the sailors were terrified, and everyone on board cried out to his own god. They then said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. The people questioned him: “Tell us, who has brought this disaster upon us? What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? To what people do you belong?” Jonah confessed, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” The men became greatly afraid and said to Jonah, “What should we do to you so that the sea may become calm?” At this moment Jonah finally understood that the raging storm was the result of his disobedience. So he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea, then the sea will become calm for you.” (Jonah 1:12). The sailors had no choice but to throw Jonah into the sea, and indeed, the violent storm immediately subsided.

   When the ship was being battered by the fierce storm and raging waves to the point of nearly sinking, Jonah already knew that he was the one who had brought this calamity. Discouraged and despair, he assumed that God had rejected him and no longer cared for him, so he thought it would be better simply to die. This reveals a condition of utter stubbornness—an unwillingness to turn back, preferring to give himself up, abandon hope, and destroy his own spiritual future.

   Today, many Christians fall into the same self‑defeating attitude as Jonah. Some serve in the church, but after a brother offends them with a single remark, or a sister’s attitude stirs up anger, or they encounter some discouraging setback, they stop serving. They think, “I’ll just attend meetings and be an ordinary believer.” Once, they loved the Lord and pursued ministry; now they neither serve nor seek Him. Oh, we must remember this well—do not, like Jonah, lightly give yourself up, abandon hope, and destroy your own spiritual future. Little do we realize that no one can escape the hand of God. Jeremiah 23:23–24 records: “Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord, “And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?”

   
   

4. God's Discipline

   Now let us consider: when Jonah was thrown into the sea, was everything finished? Was his self‑despair the end of the story? Oh, the hand of God is never so simple that a person can easily escape it. Brothers and sisters, from the very day we were saved, God has held you and me firmly in His hand. The Father’s hand is greater than all things; not only can no one snatch us out of His hand, but no one can escape His mighty grasp. David wrote in the Psalms: “You (God) have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, You are there” (Psalm 139:5–8).

   Truly, when the men on the ship threw Jonah into the sea, the storm immediately became calm. This reflects a spiritual principle: whenever sin is cast out, peace enters in. Yet there is an even deeper spiritual meaning we must grasp. Outwardly it was the sailors who threw Jonah into the sea, but behind the scene it was the disciplining hand of God coming upon him.

   Dear brothers and sisters, when God calls us, we must not run away. And even if we do run, His persistent love will first reach out with a restraining hand to remind us to turn back. If we still refuse to return, He is compelled to stretch out His hand of discipline—sometimes light, sometimes heavy.

   There was a sister who grew up in a Christian home. From childhood she attended Sunday school; after she grew older, she joined the youth fellowship. She had once expressed her desire to dedicate herself to the Lord and even served in Sunday school. But after marriage, her heart toward the Lord gradually cooled and drifted away. Although other sisters tried to fellowship with her, she still refused to turn back. Later she discovered that her young son had a problem with his lungs. Soon after, she herself fell ill and had to undergo surgery. Only then did she awaken and realize that this was God’s discipline. “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” (Hebrews 12:6). God’s love surpasses all human understanding; His discipline is to bring His own people back to Him.

   
   

5. God's Hidden Protective Love

   Hallelujah! God truly is a God of lovingkindness. For “His anger is but for a moment, but His favor is for life” (Psalm 30:5). Consider this: when Jonah was lifted up and thrown into the sea, Scripture deliberately records, “the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17).

   If Jonah had been cast into the sea without that great fish prepared by God, he would surely have perished—either drowned in the depths or torn apart by sharks. Years ago, in Keelung Harbor, fishermen brought back a huge shark. When they cut it open, they found a human leg still wearing a shoe inside its stomach. Whether the person had already been digested or had merely been bitten apart, no one could determine. This shows that if the Lord had not prepared the great fish to swallow Jonah, Jonah would have died long before. And notice: the fish arrived neither too early nor too late. One minute earlier or later, it would have missed Jonah. Oh! This is God’s hidden, protective love—deep, high, and beyond human knowing.

   Brothers and sisters, you may have forgotten the Lord, but the Lord has never forgotten you. You may be far from Him, but He draws near to you. You may reject Him, but His eyes remain fixed on you. You may not want Him, but He desires to win you back. For the Lord has a hidden love—unchanging, unwavering—preserving you and me at every moment, in every place, through every circumstance. It was not that Jonah possessed anything admirable, nor that he had any virtue worth God’s attention. It was simply that the Lord loved him without cause. No wonder the poet wrote: Lord, when I think of myself, truly there is nothing in me to compare; What do I have that is better than others? What makes me more noble than anyone else, That You should look upon me with favor and delight? I can only marvel in wonder!

   Therefore, Jonah being swallowed in the belly of the great fish clearly reveals both the disciplining hand of God’s love and the hidden, protective care of God. Thank the Lord! If it were not for His hidden, preserving love today, none of us could stand firm, nor could any of us continue following or serving Him.

   May the Lord, through today’s message, open our eyes to hear the call that echoes from heaven: “Whom shall I send?” God is searching for Christians—who can be used by Him? When the Lord found Jonah, He called Jonah. But Jonah fled from God’s calling, and God had no choice but to stretch out His hand of discipline to bring him back, and His hidden hand of love to preserve him.

   Today the Lord is calling you. Will you run away like Jonah? Or will you submit to the One who is your Lord in all things? The hymn says:

   Can you? Then beloved,

   Christ just waits for you;

   Listen for His orders,

   Glad His will to do;

   Then when soldiers muster

   At the set of sun,

   And your name is mentioned,

   Christ will say, “Well done.”

   (Hymn "Can you be obedient" by Margaret E Barber)

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