First published in 1981, this book has been through many reprints and continues to search consciences with its lessons drawn from the life of Jonah. This extract is taken from the first chapter.

Three inestimable privileges: Service, a Sense of Destiny, and Spiritual Fellowship. These form the background to the life of Jonah when we meet him in the opening verses of this book. This Jonah, to whom the Word of God now comes, is a man rich in spiritual blessings. His past life reads like a rare pedigree. But when we come upon him now, despite all his past privileges and usefulness, he is a man who slips, stumbles, and falls. The first lesson we learn is not so much the wonder of the privileges we may enjoy, but rather this solemn truth: No past privilege, nor all past privileges together; no past obedience, nor fruitfulness in service, can ever substitute for present obedience to the Word of God. Great blessings only bring present fruitfulness when they are met with continuing obedience.

When we first encounter Jonah, therefore, he is no longer the man he once was. The reasons will eventually unravel themselves as we read through his biography. But before we do so, we must recognise the practical importance, and indeed urgency, of directing these questions to ourselves: Am I living with only the memories of obedience in my life? Am I substituting my past spiritual record for the pressing responsibility of present submission to the will of God?

If is possible for men to say to Christ: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not do many mighty works in your name?’, but , through failure fully and wholeheartedly to serve him to the end, hear these words: ‘I never knew you; depart from me’ (Matt 7:22-23). Past privileges and blessings serve then only to magnify the shame of our disobedience. How much we need to take to heart that it is one thing to begin another to continue, and yet another to finish the course.

Chapter 1, pages 7-8

This is just a slim book but with Sinclair Ferguson’s practical and very readable writing style it still has much that will challenge and instruct the reader.

Man Overboard! The Story of Jonah by Sinclair Ferguson, published by the Banner of Truth.