Jonah & The Whale
Stop Running From God!
Jonah 1-2
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
”Jonah 1:1-3 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/jon.1.1-3.NKJ
The overarching message of Jonah and the giant fish is that God’s grace, mercy, and love extend to everyone—even our worst enemies. It serves as a challenge against prejudice, showing that we cannot outrun God's call or dictate who is worthy of forgiveness.
The narrative can be broken down into these core spiritual and moral themes.
Universal Mercy is seen as God commands the prophet Jonah to preach repentance to Nineveh, the capital of Israel's brutal and hated enemy (the Assyrians). Jonah initially flees because he knows God is merciful and fears God will forgive them. Ultimately, the Ninevites repent, and God spares them. The story underscores that God's compassion is for all humanity, not just a select few.
Jonah attempts to flee his divine mission by boarding a ship and running in the opposite direction. The storm and the giant fish show that we cannot escape God's will. The "whale" (referred to in the Bible simply as a "great fish) acts as both a rescue to save Jonah from drowning and a tool of redirection.
We believers cannot out run God. He has a divine plan for our individual lives and He does not back track from His plans and purposes for our lives.
Running from one’s mission is likely to place him or her in the darkness of the belly of a giant fish until repentance is achieved. That can come in many ways, Job was tested beyond on belief until God achieved what He set out to do.
Then, just like Jonah, he or she can expect to be spat out and told to complete the mission given.
The book ends abruptly with Jonah angry that God spared his enemies. God rebukes Jonah's selfishness, contrasting Jonah's lack of concern for people with God's deep care for all individuals. It holds up a mirror to the reader, asking if we are okay with God loving the people we dislike or He wants to connect them with.
In the New Testament, Jesus uses the "sign of Jonah" to parallel His own death, burial, and resurrection, with Jonah's three days in the fish symbolizing the darkness of the tomb and subsequent rebirth.
At times, we believers, when we refuse to accept God’s plans, must literally die to our own plans and purposes so that we can be resurrected into God’s. My beloved, there’s no middle ground, we either serve God or mammon (MATHEW 6:24).
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
I Corinthians 6:15-20 NKJV
My beloved, when we rebel against God’s plans and purpose, we hand ourselves over to the harlot.
As a body, we are the bride of Christ (REVELATION 21:2), and rebellion against God’s plans and purposes is joining with the devil.
Jesus died for you, that you might receive the ultimate promise of life everlasting. But now He wants to use you, like Jonah, to send His message where He assigned you. Surely, that is the least you can do for our Lord and Master. His plan for you is not too big or purposeful for you, for it is not you, but Christ in you that does it (GALATIONS 2:20).
Some of you may yet not know your calling, therefore, do just as “These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for youryour journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.”
Matthew 10:5-10 NKJV
Stop running from your call and receive it as a wonderful gift, then the blessings shall pile up for you in heaven and the peace of God shall be upon you, and it shall guard your heart and mind through Christ (PHILIPPIANS 4:7).
All glory be to God forever and ever! Amen.
Please share to our brothers and sisters all around the world.
