1:5 水手便懼怕,各人哀求自己的神。他們將船上的貨物拋在海中,為要使船輕些。約拿已下到底艙,躺臥沉睡。
1:6 船主到他那裡對他說:「你這沉睡的人哪,為何這樣呢?起來,求告你的神,或者神顧念我們,使我們不致滅亡。」
All the sailors were afraid and each cried
out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay
down and fell into a deep sleep.
The captain went to him and said, “How can
you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that
we will not perish.”
***********
約拿書的作者將約拿描寫得十分可愛!他是一心一意要違背上帝的命令,他也清楚上帝的命令是甚麼,就是故意不遵守,與上帝唱反調。雖然他知道後果是甚麼,就是不害怕,就是任憑它發生。
這和一般人迎吉避凶的作法是不相同的,他就是不給上帝面子。同樣,上帝也是不給他面子。也因此他所搭的船會有遇到暴風雨。而他也心意已決,管它甚麼暴風雨,反正死了上帝就不會派他去尼尼微城。
你有像約拿這樣嗎?不要再硬心了,是上帝的旨意必定會成就,不管你如何抗拒,上帝一定會讓你屈服,如同約拿後來屈服了!