Jonah and the whale

I'd like to talk to you about the story of Jonah. You all know the children's version. Jonah didn't go to Ninevah; he got thrown overboard, big fish ate him, big fish spit him up, Jonah went to Ninevah, the people repented, God didn't destroy them..............

I'd like to look at a couple of things that I've always overlooked before......

First off, Jonah didn't confess right away that he was the problem on the ship. When he did confess, he didn't make it right! He really didn't!!! He could have jumped overboard himself, right? Couldn't he? That doesn't seem to be something that he could NOT do. It was a storm, the ship was tossing and turning in the waves. I would imagine that they were trying not to get washed overboard. I could imagine that. Even if it wasn't quite like that, I would just think that he could have jumped overboard and God would have stopped the storm then. Instead, he INSISTED that they THROW him overboard. Curious.

Then, at the end of Jonah, chapter 1, it says that he spent 3 days and 3 nights in the fish!
Jonah 1:17 (NIV) "Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights."


Imagine this.........you're in your bathroom. Put 3 inches of cold water and 3 quarts of salt in your bathtub. Next to your tub are 3 dead fish. Now, turn off the light, shut the door and sit in the bathtub for 3 days and nights. That's 72 hours! Sit there. Nothing to drink, nothing to eat, no light. You cannot get out. Three days and nights!!!!!!! Long time. What do you do at the END of that time? Are you feeling sorry for yourself? Are you thinking of your family, those you miss? Are you thinking about dying? Starving to death, dehydration?

Here is what Jonah did.........Jonah 2 (New International Version)
Jonah 2
Jonah's Prayer 1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.

9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD."

He PRAYED and he THANKED God for saving him!!!! In between verse 1 and verse 9, he described sinking into the sea, drowning and he thanked God for saving him from the drowning! Then, after 3 days he thanked God for saving him from drowning! Is he starving and dehydrated and thanking God for saving him from drowning.

2 He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave [a] I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.
4 I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'
5 The engulfing waters threatened me, [b] the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God.
7 "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.
8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD."
10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

"I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised. The Lord liveth and blessed be the rock and may the Lord of my salvation be exalted." (an old chorus we used to sing) "All God's promises are yes and amen, all God's promises are true. All God's promises are yes and amen, JESUS, I'll keep running back to you!" (an old chorus we used to sing)

I WILL call upon the LORD and praise him for my salvation!!!!!!!!!! I lived through this year!!! I am alive! With my family, my friends, my church, my home, my work! I PRAISE HIM!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU LORD!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!