Jonah, Whale Vomit, and Repentance

 

OK.  So here we have Jonah, running from God, sailing on the sea.  God stirs up a horrific storm.

The sailors determine that it is Jonah, who God is mad at, and they chuck Jonah overboard.

Along swims a divinely appointed 'great fish", and swallows up Jonah thus saving him from sure death in the raging sea.  (I always thought the fish was the punishment, not the life preserver!)

Then, shockingly, said great fish, blows chunks, spewing Jonah on the shore.

Think about this a minute.  Tell me that this wasn't a disgusting display.  The 8 year old boy in me is wide-eyed with wonder. 

Can you see him on the beach?  What must he have been covered with?  What was it like in the belly of the great fish?  I can't help but laugh myself silly, at the thought of this beach scene.

So then, Jonah, realizing that it is foolish to run from God, marches into Nineveh, and tells them that God is not happy with them.  (Was he still covered in fish goo?)  In fact, God is so unhappy, he is going to unleash the whole Sodom & Gomorrah thing, if they don't repent.

What is surprising to me, is that the King, and the whole city, did believe Jonah's proclamation, and repented.

Even more interesting, Jesus referred to this historical event as the sign of Jonah:

Matthew 12:38-41 - 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here."

There is a lot to mediate on here:

• it's foolish to run from God.
• God has a sense of humor. (a great fish barfing Jonah on the beach)
• God's sovereignty will not be thwarted.
• A whole city repents.  How did that happen?  Did God cause this to occur?  If so, why not now?  Why would God hide his face from us?  Will God give us a second chance, or are we headed downhill to the final days.
• It is interesting that Christ points back to this, and calls this a sign.  Surely he was referring to his death, and resurrection. 

Little did Jonah realize that his life would be used by the Messiah, many thousands of years later, as a sign to disbelieving scribes and Pharisees. 

So, the question is, will we heed Jonah's advice to repent, or will we stand to hear the condemnation of Nineveh's inhabitants some day?

I know, I know, post-modern American hates that word repent.  But let me ask you this:  do you believe in God?  Do you believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, the incarnate Son of God?

Do you know what the first words, from Jesus' mouth, were when he started his public ministry?

Matthew 4:17 - From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Dear friend, it matters not what our culture thinks of this word repent.  As believers of Jesus Christ, it is something that he has called us all to do.  Unmistakably!

Why not ask God to speak to you about this story, and this repentance that he speaks of?  Perhaps God will use the story of Jonah to shine his face upon you.

Can't hurt to ask, right?  No one will know.  What have you to risk?  Please ask him today.