Jonah 1:1-3

1 Now the word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ² Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. ³ But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah.

The book of Jonah tells us that Jonah ran from the presence of the Lord. He set off for Tarshish away from the presence of the Lord. There is another mention of one who similarly departed from God. Cain went out of the presence of Jehovah and dwelt in the land of Nod.

Genesis 4:13-24

13 And Cain said unto Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me. 15 And Jehovah said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him. 16 And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. 

We know that no one can run from the presence of God (Psalm 139:7). We even established that Jonah knew that, but yet it says he ran from the presence of God. We cannot run from God because he is everywhere and anywhere. He made everything and so we cannot hide anywhere from him.

All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. John 1:3

However, he has given us a choice, and he does not ever force us. In the beginning, when God made man, he gave him a choice to either listen to God’s guidance or choose his own way. Every day we have a choice to follow God or not. Jonah chose to depart from God, and so did Cain. Jonah chose his own way over God’s. He did not want to obey God’s command, so he decided to do his own thing and head to Tarshish. When we read on, we see what this choice resulted in, Jonah in the belly of the fish, which he describes as the belly of Sheol (hell) Jonah 2:2.

Cain chose to depart from God and do his own thing, and the result was not good either. The Bible speaks of his ancestor Lamech who was worst than Cain. He had multiple wives, he slew men for no reason and he boasted about it.

Genesis 4:23-24

²³ And Lamech said unto his wives:

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech:
For ^[i]I have slain a man ^[j]for wounding me,
And a young man for bruising me:
²⁴ If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

So even though we know that God sees us always, we cannot hide from him. However, we can choose to depart from him, which comes with consequences.

O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10:23

So, beware, if you choose to depart from God, our ways may land us in the belly of Sheol.

And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” – Exodus 33:14