Jonah 1:14-17 - JONAH BECOMES FISH FOOD

Jonah 1:14-17

JONAH BECOMES FISH FOOD

Jonah 1:14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.

Susie: The crew’s attempt to row to the nearest shore had failed, and they saw that there was no other alternative than to do what Jonah had told them, to cast him into the sea.

Susan: They entreated the Lord, Jonah’s God, not to visit punishment upon them for causing Jonah’s death. They fell upon God’s benevolent nature.

Susie: Their words indicate that they believed this was what God wanted, that He was doing as He pleased by causing the storm and having them throw Jonah overboard.

Jonah 1:15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

Susie: As soon as Jonah hit the water, God caused the sea to be calm once more.

Susan: The sailors saw the veracity of the sovereignty of God. They had seen the consequences of Jonah’s disobedience.

Susie: Both the storm and the timing of its ceasing proved to these pagan men that Jonah’s God had complete power over nature. They saw God’s sovereignty, His might, and His grace in sparing their lives. Another group of men in a boat were witnesses to the power of God over the sea:

Matthew 8:23–27 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Susie: The disciples were familiar with the prophet Jonah and should have recognized that Jesus was confirming His deity by calming the sea. After all, the pagan sailors on the ship with Jonah recognized the power of God immediately!

Jonah 1:16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.

Susan: The sailors were experiencing complete, abject terror. There are no words to describe the paralyzing fear of being extinguished by and almighty, all-powerful God.

Susie: Jonah may have taught them more about God than what is recorded here. The men knew that offering a sacrifice and making vows to the Lord were the proper responses to thank Him for sparing them. We are not told what kind of sacrifice they made. I suppose they had animals on board.

Susan: These pagan, Gentile men followed proper protocol for showing an attitude of gratitude.

Susie: The Bible does not tell us what their vows were, but I am confident they were careful to fulfill them!

Jonah 1:17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Susie: The Lord was already preparing this fish long before Jonah was thrown into the sea.

Susan: A fish that large probably had to be growing even before Jonah was born! I wonder if the Lord hand fed the fish? Perhaps the fish was friends with God like Flipper the dolphin.

Susie: At any rate, God orchestrated the circumstances that would produce a fish large enough to swallow a man whole.

Susan: Seriously . . . that kind of meal could not go down easily.

Susie: And most man-eaters, like sharks, have plenty of teeth and chew their food. God miraculously provided a gargantuan fish and miraculously caused it to swallow Jonah without chewing. Then there is the miracle of Jonah not being harmed by the fish’s gastric juices.

Susan: Yuck, yuck, yuck!

Susie: I know. GROSS! Wait until the next chapter. But this was not just a “fish tale.”

Susan: Jesus identified Jonah’s story not as fiction, fable, or parable, but as fact.

Susie: He used Jonah’s sojourn inside the fish as an illustration of the time He would spend in the tomb.

Matt. 12:40 (VOICE) Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish, as the Son of Man will spend three days and three nights in the belly of the earth.

QUESTIONS

1.        What did the sailors beg of God?

2.        What happened when the crew threw Jonah overboard?

3.        What was Jesus showing the disciples when He calmed the storm?

4.        What reaction did the sailors have when God calmed the sea as Jonah hit the water?

5.        How did the disciples react in a similar situation?

6.        How did the Lord rescue Jonah from drowning? Do you think Jonah recognized this as God’s provision in that moment? Why or why not?