The answer is: Cast lots

Jonah 1:7 - An ancient method to supposedly find out the mind of a god - in this case the true God directed the lot to fall upon Jonah.

Imagine a group of sailors tossing around ideas while the ship is virtually shaking apart in a storm! This was no ordinary tempest; it was a divine wake-up call, and the bustling crew was desperate to figure out why trouble had found them. Cast lots was the method they resorted to, akin to an ancient form of dice rolling or flipping a coin. This wasn't something peculiar just to this story; cultures worldwide have used similar practices to discern the will of higher powers, making it a fascinating intersection of faith and fortune!

What’s intriguing here is the symbol of lots falling on Jonah: it wasn’t mere luck but a revelation of a deeper truth! The chaos of the storm represented not just a physical struggle but also an existential clash between responsibility and defiance. Jonah, the reluctant prophet, tries to escape a calling, showing us that one cannot easily outrun their purpose.

This moment firmly establishes a theme echoed throughout scripture—the recognition of sin and its communal impact. It’s no coincidence that the anxious sailors invoked their own gods and practices; when divine structures shake, everyone is affected, prompting communal accountability. Left with no other option, they confront lotus-fateful Jonah, steering their fate toward redemption—or so they believe, as they cast him into the depths, which brings about an unexpected turn into mercy and repentance that we find echoed time and again in biblical narratives. Jonah’s story becomes a universal lesson in divine encounter and human response!