THE
MYSTERY OF JONAH
Some
men don’t believe Jesus went to hell and suffered after He died on the cross.
Jesus made absolutely certain no one would ever question that when he gave the
Pharisees one sign of who He was and what He would do. He took the sign prophet
Jonah and put Himself in his place.
For
three days and nights the Son of Man would be in the heart of the earth in the
very same way Jonah was in the belly of that whale. If you think Jesus went to
paradise when He died on the cross, read Jonah chapter two. Jesus said only one
sign shall be given concerning this; the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Jesus:
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered,
saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but
the sign of the prophet Jonas: 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. Matthew 12:38 - 40
Jonah:
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. (Jonah 1:17)
Jesus:
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ,
that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. Acts 2:31
Jonah:
Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's
belly, 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. (Jonah
2:1 - 2)
Jesus:
Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up
Christ again from the dead.) (Romans 10:7)
Jonah:
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. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward
thy holy temple. The waters compassed me
about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were
wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth
with her bars was about me for ever: (Jonah
2:3 – 6a)
Jesus:
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death:
because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. (Acts 2:24)
Jonah:
Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD
my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer
came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities
forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of
thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. And the LORD spake
unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. (Jonah 2:6b – 10)
Now
we understand the mystery of that great fish swallowing up that prophet Jonah.
Interestingly, the very first sermon Jesus taught when He rose from the dead
went directly back to Jonah….
Jesus:
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to
believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered
these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the
prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as
though he would have gone further But they constrained him, saying, Abide with
us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry
with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and
blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they
knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did
not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he
opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to
Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told
what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of
bread.
And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst
of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and
affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them,
Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands
and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not
flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them
his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered,
he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a
broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake
unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which
were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms,
concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand
the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved
Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I
send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem,
until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24)
Jonah and Jesus.
Selah.
