PRAYER FROM THE BELLY OF A FISH (1)*

Jonah 2

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    There are some Bible stories that are well-known to almost everyone.

1.      Noah and the ark

2.      Jacob wrestles with an angel

3.      Moses frees Israel from Egypt

4.      David and Goliath

5.      Jesus on the cross of Calvary

 

B.      Jonah and the “whale” is another story that most individuals know very well.

1.      However, we often only know the “headlines” about the stories.

2.      We often never really studied the details.

a.      Question #1:  How many know that Jonah prayed while he was in the fish’s belly? (See Jonah 2:1)

 

Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly.

 

b.      Question #2:  How many have studied the details of that prayer?

 

C.     This is our assignment for this lesson:  “Prayer from the Belly of a Fish.”

1.      As I was thinking about this story, another title came to mind:  “The Prayer of a Lost Prophet.”

2.      Two New Testament verses also came to mind (I John 1:9; Acts 8:22).

 

D.    Background of Jonah:

1.      Jonah is first mentioned in II Kings 14:25b.

 

…which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher.

 

a.      He was the son of Amittai.

b.      He was from Gath-hepher, a town in the northern kingdom of Israel.

 

 

c.       He prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II (786 B.C. – 746 B.C.).

2.      He was a prophet of God.

a.      It was one of the three anointed positions in Israel:  prophet, priest, and king.

b.      Prophets were inspired with a message from God.

c.       Prophets were also called seers, men of God, and servants of God.

d.      Prophets were spokesmen of God.

1)      They revealed the past, the present, and the future.

2)      Some of them performed miracles (Ex., Elijah and Elisha).

 

I.                   JONAH’S TRANSGRESSION

 

A.    In Jonah 1:1-2, God called Jonah to go to Nineveh and cry against it.

 

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

 

B.      Jonah’s refusal (Jonah 1:3)

 

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish:  so he paid the fair thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

 

1.      Notice the opening word, “But.”  This is a contraction of contrast. 

a.      Jonah 1:1-2 reveals to us what God desired.

b.      But, in contrast to that, Jonah did something else.  He transgressed the will of God.  John tells us that transgression is sin (I John 3:4).

 

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law:  for sin is the transgression of the law.

 

c.       LESSON:  A simple definition of sin is:  “Doing something other than what God has authorized to be done.”

d.      Jonah’s sin can be called rebellion.

2.      Why did Jonah refuse to accept this assignment?

a.      First, the Ninevites were extremely evil individuals.  They were bitter enemies of the Jews.

b.      Second, Jonah knew the character of God.  If the Ninevites repented, God would pour out his mercy upon them.  Jonah did not want them forgiven.  He wanted them punished because of their wickedness.

3.      He wanted “to flee unto Tarshish.”  This is believed to be Spain.  This was in a completely opposite direction than where he was supposed to go.

 

 

4.      Notice Jonah 1:3 tells us that he was fleeing “from the presence of the Lord.”

a.      This is an interesting statement because we know that it cannot be done from the perspective of a person removing himself from God’s sight (See Heb. 4:13).

 

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight:  but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

 

b.      Two thoughts:

1)      Places of services are places where the presence of the Lord is.  When we refuse to do the service God has asked us to do, we flee from His presence. 

2)      The presence of the Lord was in the land of Israel.  Leaving the land in rebellion to God was leaving the presence of the Lord.

c.       QUESTION:  Have you, like Jonah, ever fled from the presence of the Lord?  Have you refused to do the service He has called you to do?  Have you ever been in rebellion to God?  Have you ever sinned because you refused to do what God authorized to be done?

5.      Jonah’s mindset toward his rebellion is very interesting.  There seems to have been no blow to his conscience in forsaking his duty (See Jonah 1:5b).

 

…But Jonah was gone down into the side of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep

 

II.                GOD’S WRATH

 

A.    God is never pleased when His children refuse to obey His will. 

1.      He was certainly not pleased with His prophet.

2.      Three actions taken against Jonah:

a.      A storm on the sea (Jonah 1:4, 12)

 

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken…And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you:  for I know that for my sake this great tempest is come upon you.

 

b.      He was cast into the sea (Jonah 1:15; 2:3).

 

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

 

c.       He was swallowed by a great fish the Lord had prepared for him (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.

 

B.      The effects of God’s wrath on Jonah.

1.      It waked him up (Jonah 1:6).

 

So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper?  arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

 

2.      It caused him to take responsibility for his actions (Jonah 1:12b).

 

…for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

3.      It caused him to pray (Jonah 2:1, 7)

 

Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly…When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord:  and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

 

4.      It caused him to remember God’s mercy and give thanks for it (Jonah 2:8-9a).

 

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving…

 

5.      It caused him to commit to his duty (Jonah 2:9b).

 

..I will pay that that I have vowed.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    So far we have seen Jonah in rebellion to God. 

LESSON:  Anyone, even a prophet, can commit sin.

 

B.      We have also seen that sin is not something God accepts.  Instead, His wrath is poured out against sin and iniquity.

 

C.     As we close, here is an interesting thought.  At this moment, Jonah now stands in need of the very thing that he did not want the Ninevites to have, the mercy of God.