• Disobedience & Hypocrisy
• Repetition in the storm scene
• Hypocrisy
• Disobedience & Hypocrisy
• Repentance
• How to Repent

Disobedience & Hypocrisy

Too long, please open your Bible Jonah 1:4-17

Repetition in the storm scene

The author of Jonah uses repetition within the narrative to make us ponder on the plot line. The repetition should make us compare/contrast Jonah and the sailors.

Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy is defined in the New Oxford American Dictionary as “the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform”. Going by this definition, Jonah is a hypocrite because he confidently says he fears God, but we see the following inversions in the story:

• The wind and sea respond to God (v4)
• The ship is animated - contemplated breaking up. (v4)
• The sailors recognize the spiritual source of the storm (v5)
• The sailors call on Jonah to pray. (v6)
• The sailors recognize the gravity of disobeying God (v10)
• The sailors are the ones who pray (v14)

Every character in the story seems to be alive and responding to God, except God’s prophet who “fears” him.

Disobedience & Hypocrisy

It is important to first note that before Jonah was a hypocrite, he was first disobedient. When we ignore or reject God’s word, we take a step towards hypocrisy.

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? Luke 6:46

We must understand that willfully rejecting God’s commands in itself is hypocrisy. It is a misalignment between what we profess and what we truly believe.

Scripture shows us how disobedience can affect our hearts.

Too long, please open your Bible James 1: 22-27

When we consistently put ourselves against God’s counsel, what happens is that we bring deceit on our hearts and make it harder for us to truly discern our spiritual state. When we ignore conviction, we drift into self-deception.

This was the case for Jonah, who could not spot the irony in admitting God’s sovereignty and refusing to submit to God in the same breath. Self-deception affects our sense of judgement, and blinds us from seeing our true state.

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. Luke 6: 41-42

Zechariah uses slightly different vocabulary to refer to the effect of rejecting God’s word

“But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. “They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 7: 11-12

We find the same sentiment in Hebrews

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3: 12-13

For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Hebrews 3: 16-19

This relationship between hardening and disobedience explains God’s promise in Ezekiel.

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. Ezekiel 36:25-27

Repentance

Just as sin hardens, repentance softens and restores the heart to obey God.

Too long, please open your Bible 1 John 1: 5-10

How to Repent

Using Psalm 51 as an example, we can adopt the RETURN framework.

R – Recognize Your Sin (Psalm 51:1-3)

David acknowledges his sin before God: "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me." (v.3). True repentance begins with an honest recognition of sin.

E – Express Sincere Sorrow (Psalm 51:4-5)

David grieves over his sin: "Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight." (v.4). Remember that repentance is not just about guilt but godly sorrow

Too long, please open your Bible 2 Corinthians 5: 8-11

T – Turn to God for Cleansing (Psalm 51:6-9)

David pleads: "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (v.7)

U – Uphold a Changed Heart (Psalm 51:10-12)

David prays: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." (v.10) Repentance is not just about avoiding punishment—it’s about transformation. Seek God’s help to live differently moving forward.

R – Restore Your Relationship with God (Psalm 51:13-15)

David desires restored joy: "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation." (v.12). True repentance restores intimacy with God.

N – Never Return to the Same Sin (Psalm 51:16-19)

David commits to obedience: "Then I will teach transgressors Your ways." (v.13). Repentance includes forsaking sin and leading others to righteousness.