Lyle's Blog

Jesus told us that Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights (Matthew 3:20) This dispels the idea that the story of Jonah is a parable or an allegory except to those who deny the resurrection of Christ. But to us who need a savior, a buffer to the one true God, Jonah’s story is the plain simple truth.

The Ninevites worshiped Ishtar and Dagan the “fish” god. I think it’s interesting that God got the people’s attention by having a great fish spew Jonah onto the beach. Spectacularly Jonah was suddenly someone to be reckoned with. Surely he was sent from one of their gods; there was no previous time that a god had spoken. So listen up Nineveh.

What is especially interesting to me is that Jonah went down into the sides of the ship during a terrifying storm and went fast asleep. This is exactly what Christ did when the storm was about to destroy his disciple’s boat. Apparently, Jonah knew what Christ knew; it was God who controlled the storm. The disciples knew of the power of God. They read the Torah over and over again. But the Jews suffered from the same thing followers of Christ suffer from today, unbelief.

Jonah knew God, what God was like, and not just God’s control of creation. But God was kind, compassionate, and not willing that any should perish. God is so unlike us, even those who prophesy.

Like Jonah, concerned about the well-being of the gourd, we fret over the most minor of things, the bad drivers on the road, impatient with the inconvenient simpletons who just aren’t as smart as we are, and look with disgust at those who struggle with sin.

I haven’t forgotten I was a wretched sinner and except for the grace of God, I would still be in bondage to this world and its empty future.

There are eight billion people on this planet, eight billion who need to meet their needs at the foot of the cross. They just need someone who will empty themselves of self and focus on eternity. I pray that would be me.