The Defiance of Jonah

Yet how often is the “whale”, really fish mentioned in stories and how much of the focus of the narrative placed on the fish. It is a wonder how we focus so much on the fish when it only shows up in 3 verses out of 48.

Jonah remains for three days and three nights and yet we still have no indication of his repentance. He is there in the fish. There is almost a complete defiance to God. He is not yet wanting to take on the commission from the Lord

In contrast, what do we read about the fish? It is given a command and it obeys. He was appointed to swallow up Jonah and so swallow up Jonah it did. Up to this point we have seen nature obey God, creation obey God, pagans obey God, but the man who God specifically called does not.

At this point the reader must be utterly outraged by his behavior. He ran, he slept at the bottom of a boat, he was thrown off of that boat into the waters, he is sitting in a fish, and still he does not call on the name of the Lord. What do we do with such a person? <Patience with others?> Do we just let go of him and find someone else? Interesting in this Minor prophet’s writing, he is the only named person in this book. We only know him.

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (1) The “Appointed” Fish (1:17)

This verse, which begins chap. 2 in Hebrew, is perhaps the most famous verse in the Book of Jonah. Rimmer ironically says: “This is the first of 2 verses which ‘ruin’ the narrative. If this verse and 2:10 were removed, then the prophecy would be plausible for modern readers.” It probably is true but tragic that many point to this verse as their “reason” for not believing God’s Word. This miracle is singled out, even though it is simply one of several in the book (see p. 215 in the Introduction).

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (1) The “Appointed” Fish (1:17)

Conservative scholars throughout the years have spent a great deal of energy and time describing types of large fish that might have been capable of swallowing a human. But all we know for sure is that it was a “large fish.” The word translated “fish,” dag, is the general Hebrew word for any aquatic creature (cf. Gen 9:2; Num 11:22; 1 Kgs 4:33; Ps 8:8). The LXX uses kētos, which means a “huge sea-fish.” The KJV causes some misunderstanding, for in Matt 12:40, which quotes Jonah 1:17 (from the LXX), it translates the word as “whale.”

Intro

The Bible is full of miracles. The very beginning of the Bible describes the greatest miracle of all time. The creation of everything. Theologians describe it being ex nihilo. out of nothing. God simply spoke and it came into being. That in itself ought to bring us great pause. What is nothing? Well, as soon as you try and describe it, you get quickly into danger in describing something. But nothing is nothing. And God spoke into nothing, and out of nothing everything came.

And then we have the miracle of the flood, but not just that, but all of the animals gathering together to Noah and going into a boat. The miracle when God confuses the language. We have other miracles too though, like men being raised from the dead, sea’s being split into two, men thrown into fire and not burning.

This morning if I told you that

They fascinate us and show us the power of God. And this morning we read of a miracle. It is probably one of the most spectacular events recorded in the Scriptures, I’m sure the most spectacular event in the life of Jonah. But it is also a miracle that does cause some people to discredit the Bible. It is even a story that is divisive for Christians as well.

There are some believers who will say that part of the Bible must not be true, because it is beyond their imagination. Which is a little inconsistent if you ask me.

If you can believe that God can become incarnate, born of a virgin and to die and rise again, performing many miracles throughout his lifetime, why not this?

Trying to marshal evidence to confirm this Scripture may in fact result in the denigration of the miracle. Searching for historical incidents when people and large animals were swallowed and later recovered from sea creatures shows a posture of defensiveness that is unnecessary, counterproductive, and violates the nature of the biblical account. As D. Stuart says, “A miracle is a divine act beyond human replication or explanation.” New American Commentary

D. Alexander and others have observed: “The author’s portrayal of this most peculiar event is very low key; it has certainly not been included in order to heighten the dramatic quality of the narrative. This being so, why should the author have invented it, if it did not really happen?”New American Commentary

But it serves a purpose as we see.

It continues to the story. A book called Jonah, wouldn’t be much of a story now would it if it ended here.

This miracle is used by God to humble Jonah and to, ultimately, bring about the consummation of his plan. The redemption of the Ninevites. Which really makes this a miracle that is for the benefit of the Ninevites and Jonah.

I am sure that each one of us has had a person in our lives, at one point or another, where you sincerely were seeking to help them. And you would offer them sound wisdom. but no matter what, they continue to disregard your wisdom.

Some may be thinking of their friends, others might be thinking of your own children. You want what is best for them and you instruct them and they just disobey. And so what do you do?

Respond with grace and love and not be upset with them.

You should treat them as you would want to be treated

Patient with them.

And we see this at the extremes with Jonah.

And so, as we continue looking through the book, Jonah finds himself in a new belly. He was in the belly of the ship, running from God. But now he is in the belly of a great fish.

Body

Jonah 1:17 LEB

And Yahweh provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah 1:17

This verse, which begins chap. 2 in Hebrew, is perhaps the most famous verse in the Book of Jonah. Rimmer ironically says: “This is the first of 2 verses which ‘ruin’ the narrative. If this verse and 2:10 were removed, then the prophecy would be plausible for modern readers.” It probably is true but tragic that many point to this verse as their “reason” for not believing God’s Word. This miracle is singled out, even though it is simply one of several in the book (see p. 215 in the Introduction).

The first reference to the great beast is found in vs 17. The second reference is in 2:1 and the third, and last, is found in 2:10.

Yet how often is the “whale”, really fish mentioned in stories and how much of the focus of the narrative placed on the fish. It is a wonder how we focus so much on the fish when it only shows up in 3 verses out of 48.

How did we get whale in the first place? Well, we look around today and we think, what is big enough for a man to fit inside it? Also, the KJV had a improper translation that was later corrected in the NKJV “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (1) The “Appointed” Fish (1:17)

Conservative scholars throughout the years have spent a great deal of energy and time describing types of large fish that might have been capable of swallowing a human. But all we know for sure is that it was a “large fish.” The word translated “fish,” dag, is the general Hebrew word for any aquatic creature (cf. ; ; ; ). The LXX uses kētos, which means a “huge sea-fish.” The KJV causes some misunderstanding, for in , which quotes (from the LXX), it translates the word as “whale.”

Jonah remains for three days and three nights in the belly of a whale. Can you imagine that!

John MacArthur Sermon Archive Jonah: The World’s Greatest Fish Story

You know, it would have been enough to just get rid of Jonah. I mean, why go to all this trouble? I don’t know what efforts in one sense God had to go to create this kind of fish, big enough so that a man could float around in its stomach. We don’t know any details about it except we do know that there is a word in Hebrew for whale and that’s not the word used here. So this is not some kind of a warm-blooded mammal; this is some kind of fish, cold and wet, unimaginable, indescribable—a three-day stay inside a fish, cramped in clammy darkness, suffocating stench, gastric acids of the fish eating away at his skin, constant motion of the fish, changing pressure of the ocean depths, absolutely nauseating. It is a miraculous thing that he is in the fish, that the fish was prepared for him. It’s a miraculous thing that he survives in the fish.

Jonah remains for three days and three nights and yet we still have no indication of his repentance. He is there in the fish. There is almost a complete defiance to God. He is not yet wanting to take on the commission from the Lord

John MacArthur Sermon Archive Jonah: The World’s Greatest Fish Story

You know, it would have been enough to just get rid of Jonah. I mean, why go to all this trouble? I don’t know what efforts in one sense God had to go to create this kind of fish, big enough so that a man could float around in its stomach. We don’t know any details about it except we do know that there is a word in Hebrew for whale and that’s not the word used here. So this is not some kind of a warm-blooded mammal; this is some kind of fish, cold and wet, unimaginable, indescribable—a three-day stay inside a fish, cramped in clammy darkness, suffocating stench, gastric acids of the fish eating away at his skin, constant motion of the fish, changing pressure of the ocean depths, absolutely nauseating. It is a miraculous thing that he is in the fish, that the fish was prepared for him. It’s a miraculous thing that he survives in the fish. Don’t ask me about the breathing part; I don’t know about that.

But that is where we find him. We are tempted to stay with the seamen and continue on with their story. Perhaps, one of them will make their way to Nineveh and he will be used by God to save the city. Maybe they will become such great missionaries that their ancestors will become the great apostle Paul. We want to rejoice with them and see them worship God, and who cares about Jonah. That prophet of God really is a shameful example, but these seamen have much higher prospects.

But the story is not about them. And so we come to poor Jonah. He still does not quite get it. We see he is defiant. Resistant to God. Three days in a great fish and yet we still have no indication of his repentance. He is there in the fish. There is almost a complete defiance to God. He is not yet wanting to take on the commission from the Lord.

Jonah remains for three days and three nights and yet we still have no indication of his repentance. He is there in the fish. There is almost a complete defiance to God. He is not yet wanting to take on the commission from the Lord

and yet we still have no indication of his repentance. He is there in the fish. There is almost a complete defiance to God. He is not yet wanting to take on the commission from the Lord

I do not know about you, but if I were to spend just one minute in a fish, do you know what the very first thing I would do is. I mean, just imagine with me you are on a boat, you fall off of said boat, and then you are eaten by a giant fish, unharmed. What would you do?

I would hope that you would pray in addition to wriggling. But what does the text say. He was there for three days and three nights.

In contrast, what do we read about the fish? It is given a command and it obeys. He was appointed to swallow up Jonah and so swallow up Jonah it did. That had to have been uncomfortable. I hate having something stuck in my throat, and this giant fish has a grown man inside him.

uGH..But anywyas, up to this point we have seen nature obey God, pagans obey God, creation obey God, but the man who God specifically called does not.

At this point the reader must be utterly outraged by his behavior. He ran, he slept at the bottom of a boat, he was thrown off of that boat into the waters, he is sitting in a fish, and still he does not call on the name of the Lord.

What do we do with such a person? Do we just let go of him and find someone else? Interesting in this Minor prophet’s writing, he is the only named person in this book. We only know him.

God uses the most unlikely individuals people in His purposes.

And so we are seeing an attribute of God that brings us peace. He is patient with Jonah and his ridiculous schemes to run from God. One can only speculate as to what would’ve eaten him had he still been on land. But God is patient with him, in the midst of his rebellion and resistance to God’s plan.

And we are all like Jonah. Is it not a comfort to know that God is patient with you. He does not immediately take your breath. He provides us with second, third, fourth, 100 factorial. And not only that, but our God is a God who forgives. I want you to know this morning, that if you have been defiant like Jonah, running from Him. You need to stop running and submit yourself to God. A God who is gracious and abounding in love.

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (1) The “Appointed” Fish (1:17)

This verse, which begins chap. 2 in Hebrew, is perhaps the most famous verse in the Book of Jonah. Rimmer ironically says: “This is the first of 2 verses which ‘ruin’ the narrative. If this verse and 2:10 were removed, then the prophecy would be plausible for modern readers.” It probably is true but tragic that many point to this verse as their “reason” for not believing God’s Word. This miracle is singled out, even though it is simply one of several in the book (see p. 215 in the Introduction).

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (1) The “Appointed” Fish (1:17)

Conservative scholars throughout the years have spent a great deal of energy and time describing types of large fish that might have been capable of swallowing a human. But all we know for sure is that it was a “large fish.” The word translated “fish,” dag, is the general Hebrew word for any aquatic creature (cf. ; ; ; ). The LXX uses kētos, which means a “huge sea-fish.” The KJV causes some misunderstanding, for in , which quotes (from the LXX), it translates the word as “whale.”

And so just as God had appointed a storm to thwart the plans of Jonah, He also sends a great fish. And lest there be any confusion, it is made clear that the great fish was ordained by God and not merely by chance.

In fact, nothing in this book really is left to chance. What we are seeing is the sovereignty of God over all things. His plans will not be resisted and we are seeing throughout that His plan is good. It was through the storm that the seamen were saved and it was through a great fish that Jonah is saved from the waters. And later on, we will read of how God will use Jonah’s message to bring the people of Nineveh to repentance.

But it is at this point in the story where many people have trouble with taking the text literally. But don’t you think that it is odd that God has already done miraculous things, but it is the great fish that drops them over the edge. God has spoken in an fashion that Jonah can clearly and arti

NIV, NRSV: provided

KJV: Lord had prepared

Accurate translation is “ordained” or “appointed”

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (1) The “Appointed” Fish (1:17)

The word is used four times in the Book of Jonah and always points to the Lord’s power to accomplish his will. Here it shows his sovereignty over the creatures of the sea; in 4:6 it shows his power over plants; in 4:7 it shows his power over crawling creatures; and in 4:8 it shows his power over the wind. While God indeed may have prepared a special “fish” for Jonah, the text only indicates that God summoned the fish, common or special, to be at that place at the exact moment of need.

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (1) The “Appointed” Fish (1:17)

Trying to marshal evidence to confirm this Scripture may in fact result in the denigration of the miracle. Searching for historical incidents when people and large animals were swallowed and later recovered from sea creatures shows a posture of defensiveness that is unnecessary, counterproductive, and violates the nature of the biblical account. As D. Stuart says, “A miracle is a divine act beyond human replication or explanation.”

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (1) The “Appointed” Fish (1:17)

D. Alexander and others have observed: “The author’s portrayal of this most peculiar event is very low key; it has certainly not been included in order to heighten the dramatic quality of the narrative. This being so, why should the author have invented it, if it did not really happen?”

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah (1) The “Appointed” Fish (1:17)

During Jonah’s time in the fish he may have reflected on God’s dominance over every force in the world. Jonah had to learn that God’s purpose was serious and that his concerns as well as his power went far beyond the shores of Palestine.

Conclusion

So far in the story, we are seeing that we do not really want to be anything like Jonah. Nothing like the main character we read of.

God is patient.

God is gracious

God uses the most unlikely individuals people in His purposes.