This chapter records Jonah praising God for saving him from death by drowning in the sea. God’s method was to use a great fish as a life preserver. But God’s methods are not man’s methods, and the Christian believer needs to learn to expect the unexpected when walking with the LORD Jesus Christ.
Verses 1-2 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, 2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
Notice that there is no record of Jonah praying during the storm, and that the shipmaster or captain was disgusted at Jonah’s lack of religious fervor at a time of peril. It appears that Jonah was stubborn and that he had to be in dire straights and facing death before he was willing to repent and submit to the LORD and seek Him. The Hebrew word translated as “hell” is “shaowl” and it means sheol, the underworld, the grave or the pit. It was considered the abode of the dead and a place of no return to which the wicked were sent for punishment. Jonah compares the insides of this fish to this place of exile. Jonah had to be aware that his rebellion separated him from God, and that should he die, he would be separated eternally from God in Hell because of his unrepentant sin and rebellion. But God heard his cries because God is omnipresent or everywhere, and He was right there with Jonah in the fish, and therefore Jonah knew that God had saved him because He had heard his cry.
Application: It is the rare converted Christian believer who does not pass through times of spiritual dryness and who does not stubbornly resist the leading of the Holy Ghost/Spirit. Like Jonah, believers can be stubborn and refuse to follow the leading of the LORD. So sometimes the only way God can get the believer’s attention is to allow him/her to fall into trouble so that the believer will cry out to Him and once again listen to His commandments and follow His leading. This “walking in the Spirit” is what is necessary for the Christian believer to remain in the will of God and to have peace in his/her life. If Jonah had just been obedient to the will of God and traveled to Nineveh and preached in the streets, he would have avoided all the turmoil that he went through as recorded in this book.
Verses 3-4 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
Here Jonah gives a description of drowning. This would have been a fearful experience, yet apparently Jonah looked again towards the Temple. This did not mean that while being tossed around in the sea Jonah faced east or west towards Jerusalem like Arabs face Mecca when praying to their god. It means that Jonah’s faith revived. Even though He knew his current life and death situation was because of his disobedience and sin, his faith let him believe he would be saved and once again see the physical Temple or worship place of God. But should he die, he had faith to believe he would see the heavenly Temple of God.
Application: In dire circumstances, the Christian believer must maintain his/her faith in the LORD who is merciful, forgiving, and faithful. No matter how defeated, frightened, or depressed a believer may become, focusing on the promises of God and on His grace and mercy in the past will keep the believer from giving into despair. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2
Verse 5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
This verse is a frightening description of hopelessness and helplessness. There was nothing Jonah could do in his own power. His only hope was in the LORD. He was trapped in a jail of seaweed that was reaching for him and wrapping around him like a nightmare and over which he had no control.
Verse 6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
In the natural, there was no escape and physical death was certain. But God intervened.
Verse 7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
Jonah repented and his prayer rose up to Heaven. When his soul (mind, will, and emotions) failed him, and he could no longer make decisions and control his life in whatever manner he chose, and when he was desperate and on the verge of giving up, he repented and called out to the LORD for help. He could not go to the physical Temple in Jerusalem and offer sacrifices for his sins, but he knew that God was in His Temple in Heaven and that his prayers or cries would be heard in and by the only holy Temple there is, the one not made with mankind’s hand. “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true: but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:” Hebrews 9:24 “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Corinthians 5:1
Verses 8-9 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
The Hebrew word translated as “vanities” is “shav” and it means emptiness, vanity, falsehood, lying, and worthlessness. Jonah is saying that there is no point standing on one’s own principles or actions which are empty and worthless, but that help and mercy comes from the LORD. Therefore Jonah makes a promise to God in return for His help because he knows for certain that salvation is of the LORD, not only his own salvation, but also the salvation of the people of Nineveh. Jonah will offer sacrifices of praise coupled with true thanksgiving.
Application: The “tithe” offered in most churches is a sacrifice. Other physical forms of sacrifice can be possessions such as land, crops, vehicles and so forth. Giving time to the LORD is a sacrifice. But the sacrifice that God seems to enjoy the most is when His people praise Him and offer prayers of gratefulness or thanksgiving. Why? Because God can miraculously provide physical things such as money and possessions, but true praise and thanksgiving comes voluntarily from the hearts of His people. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Hebrews 13:15
Verse 10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. (Jonah 2)
The miracle here is not the vomiting fish, but the dry land. The prophet Jonah was being a “pain” throughout this historical event and so the fish was probably glad to get rid of him. But in order for Jonah to be placed on dry land, the fish would have to have beached itself. Sick whales often beach themselves and so it appears that this fish was sick of Jonah. Regardless, Jonah went from drowning in water to walking on dry land.
Application: When Christian believers feel they are “going down” due to life’s difficulties, God will provide a place of safety and lift them up in time and set them on dry land to continue the journey through this physical life on Earth. Look for the victory over the circumstances.