Spending Time in the Whale

Scripture Reference: Jonah 1-2

Most of us know, or at least have heard Jonah's story. Just to recap: God tells Jonah to go to a city - Ninevah - to warn them to stop their wicked ways. Jonah is rebellious and chooses not to go. Instead, he pays for fare on a boat headed to Tarshish - the whole opposite direction. Silly Jonah, he thinks he can hide from God.

Because of Jonah's disobedience, God sends a violent storm to rage the sea. The tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew, the Minnow would be lost.

The other men on board the boat began to pray to their own gods and also toss items overboard to lighten the load. All this while Jonah slept.

Finally, the men told Jonah to pray to his God to see if He would save them from the storm. Jonah knew already that the storm was a result of his failure to follow instructions. He told the men - in so many words - I brought this upon you. If you get rid of me, the storm will stop. Throw me into the ocean.


The men are afraid of the ramifications of throwing an "innocent" man overboard and ask for forgiveness in advance - then heeded Jonah's words. And immediately the storm stops.


The text continues then to explain that God had prepared a "big fish" - we assume whale - to swallow Jonah, where he sat for 3 days and 3 nights. While inside the fish, Jonah prayed with all his soul. Jonah 2:7 (NKJ) says, "When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple." He'd reached his bottom place.


Not much lower can you go than the belly of a whale. In fact, Jonah refers to the fish as Sheol. The word is capitalized as if the fish has a name. Sheol is a Hebrew word that means "abode of the dead." Jonah felt dead and that this place for the dead had swallowed him whole.


Have you ever been in that place? In the place where the world, or life, or perhaps death, had swallowed you whole? What did you do while you were there? Some of us choose to sit and stew in it. Some of us ignore it and think it will go away on its own. Some of us mask it. And some of us, do as Jonah did and cry out to the Lord to save us. And when Jonah did, God commanded the whale to spit Jonah out on the dry land.


Now, I've spent way more time talking about Jonah than I'd intended. But it was necessary so that I can make my actual point - which is about the whale.


It's important to note that God sent the whale. Let's get that. God sent the whale. Jonah was disobedient and disrespectful. He tried to run from his calling and from God's clear instructions. And then the storms came - which God had commanded. And Jonah asked to be thrown into the water to save the others from the wrath that belonged only to him. Perhaps it was this one act of sacrifice that proved to God that Jonah deserved another chance. But Jonah did not know that he'd been spared. All he knew was - NOW I have fallen into hell. I have been swallowed up by a big fish.


Jonah did not know that the whale was a gift. He did not know that being in the depths of hell was going to turn out to save his life.


How many 'depths of hell' situations have you encountered already in your life and have lived to tell about it? There is a common statement that says 'without the test, there would be no testimony.'


I feel the need to say again, God sent the whale.


Jonah had done the complete opposite of what he'd been called to do. And still God sent him the whale. And when Jonah had come to his sense, God commanded the whale to deposit Jonah onto dry land - not back into the sea or some other harsh place, but onto dry land. It is important to note, that after Jonah was back in a safe place (Chapter 3) God gave him the exact same instructions again. God did not deviate from His call on Jonah's life. Jonah did.

It is also important to note, that God did not deposit Jonah into Ninevah. Jonah3:3 tells us that "Jonah arose and went to Ninevah," not that he was already there. He still had to walk out his calling.

What does your whale look like?

Maybe it's your job. You're flipping burgers and you hate it. But when you were told to finish school, you dropped out anyway because "after school" was more fun. Now you have to spend some time in the whale.

Maybe it's your marriage. The love is gone. You're at your wits end. But when you were told, "This is not the one for you, you got married anyway." Now you have to spend some time in the whale.

There are countless other examples, but you get the point.

As with Jonah, only you can determine how much time you will spend in the whale. We must remember to pray. We must remember as Jonah says, "Salvation is of the Lord." And we must remember that no matter how dark, or dreary, or scary the whale might seem - it might have been sent to save us.

And when we are deposited back onto dry land, and we get our instructions again, that it's important to follow them - with heart and purpose and determination - in a way that will pleasing to the Lord.

Now, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."