A great fish

The Lord appointed a great fish and had it swallow Jonah. Although Jonah (a human) was rebelling against God, the fish (an animal) was obediently following God. This is a thought-provoking passage. Jonah was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights. “Three days and three nights” does not mean 72 hours, but a total of three days. We do not know whether this fish was a whale or simply a great fish. Inside the fish’s stomach, Jonah prayed. Opinions differ as to whether this prayer was offered after a resurrection from death, or whether it was offered in the agony of being near death. If we interpret the biblical text literally, it is better to think that Jonah died once and then, after being raised, offered this prayer. The author thinks as so.

Jonah’s experience

As we trace Jonah’s prayer, let us confirm what he experienced. (1) Jonah was thrown into the sea. He understood that he was thrown in not by the sailors, but by God. It says, “For You threw me into the deep, into the heart of the seas.” (2) Next, he suffered as he was tossed about by the storm and great waves in the open sea. As it says, “And the current flowed around me. All Your breakers and waves passed over me.” (3) Furthermore, he sank to the bottom of the sea, reaching the place where seaweed wrapped around his head. At this point, he died physically. “The earth with its bars” refers to Sheol (the place where the souls of the dead go). Similar expressions are used in Job 38:17, Isaiah 38:10, Psalm 9:13, 107:18, and so on. Death means “the separation of the body and the soul.” From this point on, Jonah’s soul was in Sheol, and his body was in the fish’s stomach. (4) It was then he cried out to the Lord “from the stomach of Sheol.” What he said was: “I have been cast out of Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.” In other words, he was asking to be given another chance, saying that this time he would faithfully carry out his mission. (5) That prayer was heard. Just as it says, “But You have brought up my life from the pit, Lord my God,” he was raised (ref. Ps. 16:10). His soul was joined again to his body that was in the fish. (6) Having been raised, he praised the Lord in the fish’s stomach and reaffirmed what had happened to him. That is the prayer in verses 2-9. (7) When he finished praying, by the Lord’s command the fish vomited Jonah up onto dry land. Having come to know the Lord’s power and grace, Jonah worshiped the Lord and became a man who faithfully kept his vows to the Lord. Have you experienced the Lord’s grace, and for it, giving thanks and worshipping the Lord? Our God is the One who is able to raise us up from any failure.