JONAH AND THE WHALE IS A CUTE BIBLICAL STORY, BUT ITS ACTUALLY NOT FUNNY. DON’T BE A JONAH
JONAH AND THE WHALE IS A CUTE BIBLICAL STORY, BUT ITS ACTUALLY NOT FUNNY. DON’T BE A JONAH
As children we heard the story of Jonah. We all know how he was thrown overboard and the whale swallowed him.But what’s lost in the drama is how he got there to begin with. The Lord spoke to Jonah and told him to go and preach to the wayward town of Nineveh. God told Him to go tell the people, that the devastation of the Lord was at hand and that they needed to repent and turn from their wicked ways.
But in truth he hated THEM and wasn’t interested in helping. Nineveh was a big city and the people there were Assyians and very different people and Jonah had no interest in saving any of them from the wrath of God. So, he went and bought a ticket to the town of Tarshish instead . And that’s what puts him on the boat in the middle of the storm.
It’s Jonah’s hatred for the Assyrian of Nineveh, not fate, not chance nor circumstance, that puts him in the middle of the storm. And Hate is what has put America in the middle of this storm once again .Not fate , not chance , America has had countless chances to turn her back on the hatred and racism that has been a part of the American fabric from the day the first slave stepped foot on it’s shores.
Getting back to the story, the frightened men on the boat found Jonah sleeping below deck totally unaware of the turmoil he was causing. Realizing he was the source of their troubles they questioned him thoroughly and concluded he was not serving the God he claims to follow. So in an effort to calm the Sea‘s and survive the storm, they tossed Jonah overboard and ridded themselves of the person who was causing their problem.
When people have reached a realization that you don’t serve the God you claim.They will cast you aside as part of the problem and not part of the solution.
“Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17 NIV
Finding himself in the deepest depths of danger and despair. Lost at sea in the belly of a whale, He prayed.
“From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’”Jonah 2:1-4 NIV
And God in is graciousness did, and the whale spit him out and he washed up on the shore. Jonah was saved from the chaos and drama that he brought upon himself.
At times God will put you in a situation were calling out to him is the only answer. He can rescue us from the deepest depths of our despair. No matter how dire or the fact that it was our own shortcomings that caused our problems to begin with. God is still the answer.
“Next, GOD spoke to Jonah a second time: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.”” Jonah 3:1-2 MSG
Jonah preaches a powerful word from God. That reaches the king of Nineveh and the whole city calls out to God and repents. And the lord did not bring the wrath of destruction that he used Jonah to warn them of.
I wish that was were the story ended but, of course it’s not.
“He prayed to the Lord, “Jonah was furious. He lost his temper. He yelled at GOD, “ GOD! I knew it—when I was back home, I knew this was going to happen! That’s why I ran off to Tarshish! I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness!
“So, GOD, if you won’t kill them, kill me! I’m better off dead!” GOD said, “What do you have to be angry about?” But Jonah just left. He went out of the city to the east and sat down in a sulk. He put together a makeshift shelter of leafy branches and sat there in the shade to see what would happen to the city.”
Jonah 4:1-5 MSG
Jonah the same guy who was thrown into the sea , facing certain death in the belly of a whale. Crying out in need of a miracle, who then washed up on the sea shore repenting to God. Would now rather die, then see the God he loves show his generous and compassionate love towards those people he hates. And that in a nutshell is America, a country that has been blessed beyond measure and still refuses to let go of it’s hatred and racism.
Don’t be a Jonah,