The truth implied is universal in its application.  God’s message neglected is withdrawn.  Conscience stops if continually unheeded.  The Gospel may still sound in a man’s ears, but have long ceased to reach farther.  There comes a time when men shall wish wasted opportunities back, and find that they can no more return than last summer’s heat.  There may be a wish for the prophet in time of distress, which means no real desire for God’s word, but only for relief from calamity.  There may be a sort of seeking for the word, which seeks in the wrong places and in the wrong ways, and without abandoning sins.  Such quest is vain.  But if, driven by need and sorrow, a poor soul, feeling the thirst after the living God, cries from ever so distant a land of bondage, the cry will be answered.  But let us not forget that our Lord has told us to take heed how we hear, on the very ground that ’to him that hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away.’

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JONAH

GUILTY SILENCE AND ITS REWARD

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2.  Arise, go to Nineveh, that great, city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me. 3.  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish:  so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 4.  But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 5.  Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them.  But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. 6.  So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. 7.  And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us.  So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. 8.  Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? 9.  And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. 10.  Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this?  For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. 11.  Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. 12.  And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall