If you're a Christian who's disobedient, you're gonna be a pain in the neck even to the world...
Jonah 2King James Version (KJV)
2 Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,
2 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.
3 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.
4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.
7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.
10 And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
Jonah 2
V 1–7: PROPHET’S PRAYER: Sometimes God puts His rebellious people in a place where they have to pray to Him to be set free and to get to know Him better. So it is that Jonah prays to God from the belly of the fish. His prayer acknowledges God’s dealings with him, the fact that he cannot help himself, his own despair, his remembering God, and God’s promise to answer prayer prayed towards His temple. He also recalls, in his prayer, ‘You heard my voice.’ V 8–9: PENITENT’S PRIORITIES: Jonah shows that he knows he cannot trust idols, but that his sacrifice must be directed to God alone and with thanksgiving. Also, there must be a sincerity to pay what has been vowed and an acknowledgement to ‘pay what has been offered to the Lord’. These are the priorities of a penitent man or woman. Jonah acknowledges that only God can bring about salvation. V 10: PUZZLING PROVISION: God answers Jonah’s prayer by the provision of dry land, in the right place and at the right time, when the fish vomits him out. No doubt Jonah is more than a little puzzled to find himself there! Although he is still at least 600 miles from Nineveh, God has put him back en route. God is sovereign in circumstances and in timing, all of which He can plan and co-ordinate so easily.
King James Study Bible Notes:
- Ex. 20:7: In vain reflects the Hebrew term that is written in the absence of a distinct vowel sound. It means “emptiness, vanity.” It is used in Scripture to describe vain works (Ps. 127:2),...
- Num. 30:1–16: Vows were often uttered in times of crisis: Genesis 28:20–22; Numbers 21:2;Judges 11:30, 31; 1 Samuel 1:11; 14:24;Jonah 1:16; 2:9; Acts 18:18; 21:23; 23:12–14. But when the crisis...
- Psalm 31: This psalm is uniquely composed of two rounds of lament (vv. 1–6, 9–18) and praise (vv. 7, 8, 19–24). The description of David’s plight is so vivid (see especially vv.9–13),...
- Introduction to the Book of Jonah: Jonah is unique in that the entire prophecy is written in the third person. The fact that the prophecy ends with the prophet in discouragement and under God’s...
- Jon. 2:1–9: Jonah’s prayer is poetic in form and has three movements, each beginning with a rehearsal of the prophet’s impossible situation, and each culminating in an expression of his faith in...
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Sermons | Jonah |
If you're a Christian who's disobedient, you're gonna be a pain in the neck even to the world...
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- 1055 God, grace and mercy of: The qualities of God’s character by which HE shows HIMSELF compassionate, accepting, and generous to sinful human beings, shielding them from HIS wrath, forgiving them, and bestowing on them HIS righteousness so that they can live and grow in faith and obedience. Grace and mercy are particularly expressed through God’s covenant with HIS chosen people and through Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the cross.
- 1065 God, holiness of: The moral excellence of God that unifies HIS attributes and is expressed through HIS actions, setting HIM apart from all others. Believers are called to be holy as God is holy.
- 1165 God, uniqueness of: No-one and nothing is comparable to the triune God in HIS nature or comparable to HIM in HIS character and activity.
- 4045 chaos: A state of complete disorder or confusion. The first stage of creation where, having brought something out of nothing, God had not yet brought order to the universe. This primeval chaos, often symbolised by surging waters, threatens to disrupt God’s order at any time. God sometimes allows a return to chaos as judgment.
- 4227 deep, the: Unfathomed waters, sometimes seen as existing under the earth, held back by God’s power. The term is also used of deep seas, and in metaphorical contexts.
- 4257 pit
- 4504 roots: The source and foundation of a tree or plant, anchoring it to the soil, usually found beneath the surface of the ground. Scripture contains literal, metaphorical and figurative references to roots.
- 5014 heart, human: A vital bodily organ. The word also refers to anything that is central or essential, such as the inner life of a person.
- 5157 head: The position of the head often expresses an attitude or emotion. Figuratively head may mean “chief”, “first” or “top”.
- 5185 stomach: As well as the physical stomach, the term is used in association with God’s judgment or in a figurative sense.
- 5230 beggars: People in great need who appeal for help, both from others and from God.
- 5288 dead, the: Human beings who have died. Scripture provides illustrations of the manner in which the dead are to be buried, as well as explaining the doctrines of resurrection and judgment.
- 5300 drowning
- 5418 monotony: The sameness that arises through dull and wearisome routines, and which cause individuals to feel bored. Scripture often portrays monotony as a cause of sin, in that individuals, in seeking excitement, often fall into sinful practices.
- 5559 stress: A state of personal anxiety, strain or tension resulting from the pressures of human life. Scripture indicates a number of causes and means of dealing with stress.
- 5567 suffering, emotional aspects of: Suffering gives rise to inner distress, on account of a sense of injustice, frustration, loss or anger. Christ HIMSELF provides an example of such suffering to believers.
- 5741 vows: Promises made to God, usually in the context of worship or religious practice. There was no requirement on any Israelite to make vows, but once made, they were binding and had to be kept
- 5864 futility: All human life and human systems are ultimately useless without God, because death comes to all. God wants to deliver people from their futile ways.
- 5979 waste: The misuse and squandering of resources. God condemns the waste of resources which HE provides, especially spiritual provisions such as grace and opportunity. Sometimes extravagance in God’s service is mistaken for waste.
- 6112 banishment: A form of punishment in which the guilty party is expelled from a region and forbidden to return. An important example is the banishment of Adam and Eve from Eden as a result of their disobedience to God.
- 6634 deliverance: God frequently rescues people from danger, suffering and sin, often through human agency.
- 6688 mercy, demonstration of God’s: God demonstrates HIS mercy in HIS various dealings with HIS people.
- 6738 rescue: Deliverance from people or forces that are overwhelming. It implies a liberator with strength and wisdom to ensure true freedom. God’s physical rescue of the Israelites points to the spiritual deliverance obtained by Jesus Christ.
- 7963 song: In Scripture, songs express praise, thanksgiving, joy, victory and love. They also express sadness and derision and can be used to teach and warn. In heaven believers will sing a new song to God.
- 8224 dependence: Reliance upon God or upon others. Dependence on God for help with spiritual and physical needs arises out of an awareness of human helplessness, though dependence may be wrongly directed. People may look to others for encouragement and support, but over-dependence is not commended.
- 8251 faithfulness, to God: The proper response to God by his covenant people; seen in a steadfast commitment which reflects God’s own faithfulness to the covenant. Encouraged in all believers, it is especially important in leaders.
- 8404 commands, in OT: The OT sets out the commands of God to his people Israel, indicating both their extent and their importance.
- 8405 commands, in NT: The NT sets out the commands of God and JESUS Christ for the church.
- 8609 prayer, as praise and thanksgiving: Prayer embraces praising God for who HE is, thanking HIM for what HE has already done, and looking forward with joy to what HE has promised to do in the future.
- 8610 prayer, as asking God: God wants HIS people to turn to HIM in prayer, individually and corporately, in times of need or crisis, and to bring requests to HIM as a Father.
- 8614 prayer, answers to: God has promised to answer prayer for personal or corporate needs and for the needs of others.
- 8640 calling upon God: Asking God to act, in dependence upon HIM and out of a sense of sometimes desperate need.
- 8670 remembering: The process of recalling the past, especially the presence and activity of God in the history of HIS people. Remembering God’s work in the past can lead to praise and rejoicing, and to hope for the future. God HIMSELF remembers.
- 8676 thanksgiving: The offering of thanks, especially for gifts received. Scripture emphasises the importance of giving thanks to God for all his gifts and works, both as an expression of our dependence upon him and gratitude to him.
- 8713 discouragement: A sense of unhappiness arising from a loss of confidence in one’s own abilities, in the reliability of God or in the power of the gospel. Discouragement can occur in the Christian life, especially when there is resistance to the gospel or in instances of personal failure. Scripture provides reassurance for those who experience discouragement.
- 8748 false religion: The worship of anything that is not God, including any form of religion that fails to do justice to the glory and majesty of God. Scripture criticises both the practices and the beliefs of false religions.
- 9311 resurrection, of Jesus Christ: The resurrection of Jesus Christ is of central importance to the NT. It affirms the divinity of Jesus Christ, marks the words and deeds of HIS ministry with God’s seal of approval and opens the way to the future resurrection of believers.
- 9540 Sheol: A Hebrew term used to refer to the grave, the pit or the tomb. Some older translations have the term incorrectly translated as “hell”.
Encyclopedia of The Bible:
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