Jonah was the prophet who did not want to be a prophet. The Bible does not give all the reasons for Jonah’s reluctance, but it does record his complaint against God in Jonah 4. Jonah was afraid for his own reputation. He feared that since he had stated the prophecy in unconditional terms, as God had instructed, he could be considered a false prophet if God showed mercy and his prophecy did not come to pass.
There are many people today to whom God has given the last message of warning and mercy to give to the world who are like Jonah. Instead of going east they go west. Instead of taking the message to everyone whom the Lord places in their pathway of influence, they are simply engaging in worldly business—not doing anything illegal (it was not illegal for Jonah to travel to Tarshish), but not getting the message out.
If you are one of those people, are you going to awake before it is too late? The ship’s captain said to Jonah, “What do you mean sleeping. Get up” (Jonah 1:6)! This wake-up call needs to be given to many who are asleep today. Will you hear the wake-up call before it is too late? Read the mission letter in this magazine for a suggestion what you could do.
“Not one in a hundred among us is doing anything beyond engaging in common, worldly enterprises. We are not half awake to the worth of the souls for whom Christ died.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 148.
Remember, there are people that you can reach who cannot be reached by others. This is especially true of many “timid” women who think that all the evangelism can be done by their husbands or sons or male relatives. Notice what God said women can do.
“Women as well as men can engage in the work of hiding the truth where it can work out and be made manifest. They can take their place in the work at this crisis, and the Lord will work through them. If they are imbued with a sense of their duty, and labor under the influence of the Spirit of God, they will have just the self-possession required for this time. The Saviour will reflect upon these self-sacrificing women the light of His countenance, and this will give them a power that will exceed that of men. They can do in families a work that men cannot do, a work that reaches the inner life. They can come close to the hearts of those whom men cannot reach. Their work is needed. Discreet and humble women can do a good work in explaining the truth to the people in their homes. The word of God thus explained will do its leavening work, and through its influence whole families will be converted.” Ibid., vol. 9, 128, 129.