Jonah’s experience, in the belly of the fish, was documented for the benefit and instruction of the after-church of Jesus Christ. The prophet recorded how he felt, thought and cried in the throes of his affliction and how the Lord heard him. Jonah also reveals ‘my soul fainted within me’. This is strange language to the ears of many of us. What does it mean when a man’s soul faints within him? Would you know what to do if it happened to you?

In the belly of the great fish, in the midst of his trouble, Jonah prayed. Prayer is a cry to God from a needy soul. True prayer is a privilege of grace inspired by the Holy Ghost. Jonah had likely abandoned prayer while fleeing the presence of the Lord. Now, in his moment of need, he returned humbly and penitently to seek mercy at the throne of grace. In this we see the faithfulness of the Lord and His wisdom in dealing with His wayward people.

Jonah was loved of God. He was one of the Lord’s elect who looked forward in faith to the coming of Christ. He was loved before he disobeyed. He was loved while being disobedient. He was loved following his disobedience. When the Lord loves someone He loves with everlasting, unchangeable, unconditional affection. God’s love manifests itself in kindness, care and constant protection. Jonah was cared for by the Lord in his sin and when he was being disciplined for his sin. 

It is clear from the actions and conversation of the sailors this was no ordinary storm. Perhaps it was strangely localised or held them in one spot or by some other means instilled a supernatural fear in them. They discerned the hand of judgment upon them and decided to cast lots and make inquiry of the divine being ‘that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us’. On the verge of death and the edge of hell their desire was to find someone to blame. God in control Again, the overruling hand of God is seen. Proverbs tells us, ‘The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD’. The use of the lot or any…

Jonah was a prophet of God in Israel around eight hundred years before the coming of Christ. He is thought to be amongst the earliest of the named writers whose prophecies we have in our Bible. Jonah is called God’s prophet in 2 Kings 14:25-27. He prophesied the successful recovery of occupied land by King Jeroboam, the son of Joash. Most of what is known of Jonah comes from the book that bears his name. It tells of his calling to preach to the heathen city of Nineveh and his reluctance to do so.

With the Lord Jesus Christ comes all good things. Our Saviour told His disciples, ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you’. What are ‘these things’? All temporal things that are good and necessary for our earthly life. All the blessings of salvation; a hatred of sin, forgiveness of sin, and peace with God. All the blessings of spiritual life; union with Christ, the love of God, the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. All the blessings of heaven and eternal glory.