Biblical Readings, Question 1

After reading all four of the assigned readings this week, I realized how many different views could be demonstrated throughout the Bible. Jonah 1:1- 2:10 displayed the use of both free will and determinism.  

            During the few verses assigned in the book of Jonah, we learn that the Lord tells Jonah to travel to Ninvevah to preach, because "its wickedness has come up before me." Jonah decided to make his own decision to go to Tarshis despite God's orders. Jonah decided to run away from God, which caused God to put Jonah and the rest of the people on his ship through terrible storms, to the point that the rest of the people on the ship knew that someone’s God was causing the problem they were having at sea. The crew prayed to their Gods, but the storms kept on getting worse and then they remembered Jonah was fleeing form God and they told him to ask for the storms to stop, but Jonah refused. The crews tossed Jonah overboard because the storms were becoming too much too handle. When Jonah was tossed into the sea where a fish then swallowed him. While in the belly of the fish Jonah had to make a decision to either die or obey God. 

            During this story we learn that God gave Jonah a choice to go to Ninevah, and another choice of whether to die or follow Gods orders. Free will is expressed tremendously throughout this story and specifically during these times, however there are also examples of determinism. Jonah makes his own decisions, but God puts him through rough storms, which make the crew toss him over board, and makes sure that a fish swallows Jonah as well. God paved the way for all of these events to happen. Therefore God allowed for Jonah to make his own decisions, but God had his own way of making sure that Jonah stayed on the path set for him and to ultimately follow God’s orders.

            Overall this story shows great examples of Free will and Determinism and is great for explaining how we may have the ability to make our own decisions, such as to follow God and travel to Ninevah or to flee from God.  Ultimately we may have the option to make our own decisions, but no matter what decisions we make in our lives, God already knows what he wants for us to do and will find a way to make sure that it happens, even if that means making us go through rough times or through rough storms as shown in the story of Jonah.