Perhaps this isn't just an idea that runs through the younger mind. Have you ever had those days...? We all do. Sometimes it seems like it would be easier if we could run away from pandemics and politics, deals and deadlines, and vaccines and vacuuming. Reflectively, though most of us, if we were to be really honest have good lives that we would quickly miss. We would regret not being able to engage with friends and family who cherish us and are cherished by us. So running away...well maybe that isn't the best option for you right now...unless you are running from the Lord or the law...
"Ride Like The Wind" spent 4 weeks at #2 and catapulted the self-titled, debut album by Christopher Cross (no relation...of which I'm aware...) all the way to the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1981, beating out Pink Floyd's The Wall, Billy Joel's Glass Houses, Frank Sinatra's Trilogy: Past, Present, Future, and Barbara Streisand's Guilty. Not too shabby for a debut artist! The album was also one of the first albums to be recorded by 3M's Digital Recording Systems. It features Michael McDonald (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "What A Fool Believes" (The Doobie Brothers), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Minute By Minute" (The Doobie Brothers)) and is dedicated to the memory of Lowell George (former band member of Little Feat) who died in 1979. "Ride Like The Wind" was the first released from Christopher Cross, the album, and Christopher Cross, the artist.
"Ride Like the Wind," tells the story of a criminal who is attempting to get to Mexico. (No extradition treaty in 1979). Harkening back to the great songs of the 50s and 60s (think Marty Robbins' western songs) that told similar stories, "Ride Like The Wind" continues the vein of romanticizing the "bad guy's" getaway to Mexico to live a new life. We never hear if he makes it or not, but the story and the song are reminiscent of another person who ran away to get a different life than the one that was planned for him.
"I've got such a long way to go, to make it to the border of Tarshish. So I'll ride like the wind, ride like the wind..." Doesn't have quite the same ring to it does it?
We hope you are enjoying our travelogue of the Bible. We have attempted to highlight stories that perhaps you haven't heard in a while or maybe have never heard. In fact, Jonah has also been the topic of a previous Tuesday's Musical Note. (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I Ran (So Far Away)" (Flock Of Seagulls))
Today's Scripture is the story from the Old Testament with which most have a familiarity. It is the metanarrative of the reluctant prophet Jonah. As we dig in, we quickly see that Jonah's life is much more than just a good fish story.
Jonah is one of the first prophets of Israel/Judah that we encounter. His contemporaries include the prophets, Amos and Hosea, whose adventures we will soon chronicle.
The first encounter with Jonah in the Bible is not from the book that bears his name. The commentary following the Scripture does a good job of setting the stage for the book that does bear the name Jonah, as well as displaying the contentiousness of his character. 2 Kings 14:23-27 NASB/AMP/KJV, Historical Background to Jonah - November 21, 2012, by Jeremy Myers from gracecommentary.com
Interestingly enough, the Bible doesn't really commit to much about Jonah's prophecies as it does for most of the other prophets, but the Scripture surrounding this prophet emotes more about his travel and frustration. If you have 9 minutes, our friends at The Bible Project have a great video overview of Jonah's "woe is me" life. "Jonah" from The Bible Project
"It is the night my body's weak
I'm on the run no time to sleepI've got to ride, ride like the wind to be free again..."
Based on this background, one can surmise why Jonah's story is so popular. It is OUR OWN STORY! In many ways, we can relate to Jonah from our desire to be accepted by those around us (kings and other prophets) to our hesitancy to see our enemies redeemed. Our sin nature causes the flight away from God and His directives, and if we were to be very honest, that very same nature prompts our frustration with God when He does what He says He is going to do...with our help...without our help...or in spite of our help. Being inside a large water animal is a euphemism for us being swallowed up by our own pride and selfishness.
While Jonah's story provides a mirror into our own lives, it also serves as a prophecy of Jesus. To whom did Jesus minister the most? Those that the Jewish religious leaders disdained. Jonah ran because he did not want to prophesy to the Ninevites whom he disliked vehemently. How long was Jesus in the tomb before His glorious resurrection? 3 days, just like Jonah was in the big fish, whale, or even Leviathan ("leviathan" from biblegateway.com NASB search). Jesus even eludes to Jonah when He tells of the burial He will have after His crucifixion...The Gospel of Jesus according to the tax collector Matthew, chapter 12, verses 38-42 NASB/AMP/KJV.
So what is the accomplishment of Jonah's life? The Ninevites of Jonah's time repented (even the cows!) Thus staying the hand of the Assyrians from the Northern Kingdom for around 100 years. (Isn't interesting what can happen to a repentant nation in 100 years...or maybe 20.) Jonah's disposition is an example to us to be grateful for what God does and how we get the opportunity to serve in His plans. Ultimately, Jonah proves that no matter what it is that God is asking of us, we need to ride like the wind straight to Him.
Da, da, da, da, dat, dat, dat, da...
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by serving You,
randy
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