OMNISCIENT OMNIPOTENT OMNIPRESENT

When I first read this familiar bible story, what immediately stood out was verse 2, “for their wickedness has come up before me.” My question was, if God is all knowing, how could their wickedness “just come” before him?”  I mean he’s Omniscient, so nothing is getting passed him…right? The very definition of Omnipresent it to be everywhere so how could this be? The Holy Spirit then directed me to the story of Cain and Abel in the book of Genesis when God asked Cain “What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground”, ^{Gen. 4:10 (KJV).}  Another verse in Genesis is when God asked Adam, “Where art thou” ^{Gen 3:9 (KJV).}  I thought to myself, why is God asking where they are when He is Omnipresent, literally everywhere at the same time?

God doesn’t question us or make statements because he is misinformed or ill advised. God questions us as a part of our development.  In the case of Jonah, God tells Jonah that judgment is on Nineveh because of their wickedness and instructs him to go there and what does Jonah do?   He does what most children do when instructed to do something, Jonah disobeyed.  Being children of the heavenly Father, we don’t always listen, and Jonah was no different. Jonah got instructions to do one thing and he fled and rebelled God. The bible reveals that Jonah fled because he knew that “God is slow to anger and abounding in love” ^{(Jon 4:2).}  Love is something that God gives to all of us and something that we all should be grateful for. God displays his love, grace and mercy towards Jonah throughout his entire journey. Also, from the beginning of the story, God laid out lessons of compassion for Jonah yet compassion is something Jonah did not want to see extended to others.  

In verse 1, it also says, Jonah “paid the fare and went down into the ship to go with them to Tarshish away from the presence of the Lord.” There’s a price we pay when we rebel and turn away from the presence of the Lord  and that is why it is so important to stay the course he has already laid out for us.  God is Omnipotent, he has unlimited power and therefore there is nothing He can't do. By staying on His course there are limitless opportunities that await us but we must be obedient and not run from what he is trying to do in us and for us.