The Presence of the Lord

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before Me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah 1:1-3

God’s Word breaks into Jonah’s life clearly and urgently: “Arise, go.” The Lord, who speaks creation into being—who says, “Let light shine out of darkness”—commands Jonah to proclaim judgment against Nineveh (2 Corinthians 4:6). Yet, instead of rising in obedience, Jonah rises to flee. Rather than heading east to Nineveh, he boards a ship bound for Tarshish, far to the west. Jonah imagines that by travelling west instead of east, he might evade the command of God. In truth, Jonah seeks to escape “the presence of the Lord” (vs. 3).

This passage places the breathtaking reach of God’s love on full display. Nineveh was a violent, pagan city—an enemy to Israel—yet God sent Jonah with a word of warning so that the Ninevites might repent. In fact, Jonah runs precisely because he knows the character of the Lord, that He is “a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Jonah 4:2; Exodus 34:6). While Jonah hates the Ninevites and desires their destruction, the Lord clearly demonstrates that He delights in showing mercy not only to His covenant people, but also to their enemies, foreshadowing the gospel’s spread to all nations (Matthew 28:18–20).

If we are honest, Jonah’s response is uncomfortably familiar. His reaction to God’s command exposes something we know to be true of ourselves. Our love often proves a paltry thing, both our love for God and our love for others. Christ makes clear that our love for Him and our obedience to Him are inextricably linked— “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). But when God calls us into hard obedience—perhaps to forgive someone who has wronged us, to confess addiction, or to extend compassion to those we find difficult—how do we respond? Do we rise and obey in faith, or do we, like Jonah, quietly run the other way, convincing ourselves that avoidance or delay is safer than obedience? To be sure, we may not buy passage across the sea, but we attempt to avoid the Lord’s commands in quieter ways. When God calls us to forgive, speak truth, or sacrifice for another, we often instinctively seek the temporary refuge of distraction, busyness, or pride.

And yet, the hope of this passage lies not in Jonah’s faithfulness, but in God’s. The Lord does not abandon His rebellious, runaway prophet, nor does He abandon Nineveh. His love pursues! In Christ, we see this love magnified: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). What comfort that even when we resist, God’s steadfast love remains, drawing us back by His discipline and grace to His presence (Hebrews 12:10). Praise be to God that His presence, far from being something to escape, proves our joy and life (Psalm 16:11). And He will always bring us home.

May you rest in the presence of the Lord until the day when our faith becomes sight and you dwell forever in His presence with joy. Peace be with you. Amen.