Jonah 2:8 KJV
“They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.”
Initially opposed to the mercy and grace God wanted to show Nineveh, Jonah turned his back on the Creator of the universe and tried to flee “from the presence of the LORD” (Jon 1:3 KJV)! However, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy” (Psa 103:8 KJV). Instead of letting Jonah head to the destruction of his own life, God showed him mercy and gave him another chance to reconsider his ways. Right from inside what Jonah would describe as “the belly of hell” (Jon 2:2 KJV), the LORD heard his cry. Hallelujah!
Jonah experienced the grace and mercy of God in an amazing way and also discovered that he could actually not successfully flee from the presence of God. Oh, how could he!? Earlier in history, David knew better and said to the LORD, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there” (Psa 139:7-8 NKJV). Jonah proved true what David had said centuries earlier: no one can escape the face (the literal Hebrew word translated as ‘the presence’) of the LORD.
Having learned his lessons, Jonah’s perspective of God changed—the right side up—in many ways! Part of what his renewed mind saw is in our text of reference: “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” Hallelujah! To “observe” here connotes being strongly taken over by “lying vanities,” that is, “false, useless, and worthless idols” (Jon 2:8 AMPC). Jonah understood that those overtaken other things “forsake their own mercy [from God].” That implies that God’s mercies are ever flowing towards mankind, but some are forsaking it to their disadvantage! Beloved, never be deceived by lying vanities.
Pst. Emmanuel