4 Lessons from Jonah and the Great Fish

I think most of us remember hearing the story of Jonah and the whale when we were kids. As adults, we’ve had time to learn that the Hebrew word used is not whale, but great fish. Perhaps our minds can’t consider a fish that large so we naturally let it go to whale. As children, we likely didn’t understand the entire meaning of this story or that Jonah was actually running away from God. Did they even tell us that in our Sunday school lessons?

Jonah opens with God speaking to Jonah, who was one of the Old Testament prophets. Jonah 1:1-3 ESV, Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Ammitai, saying, “Arise, go to Ninevah, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Here are the notes I have written within the wide margins of my Bible concerning this—Jonah hates that God loves His enemies. He didn’t want to go to Nineveh, so he ran from  God. Jonah didn’t want to go deal with the Ninevites. They were evil and not worth his or God’s time or forgiveness. Jonah was angry.

4 Lessons From Jonah and the Great Fish @DDuPreeWilliams #faith #GodofSecondChances Share on X

LESSON 1

We Can Run from God, but We Cannot OUTRUN Him

 In the Scripture I use above, I left out part of verse three. It tells us that Jonah went down to Joppa, he went down into the ship, and later, he goes down into the sea. Somehow, it seems fitting that running from God always takes us down. Have you found this to be true in your own life or in the life of someone you know? For sure, I’ve seen in within my own family. But wait . . . the story doesn’t end here.

 LESSON 2

Sometimes God Uses a Storm to Turn Us Around

Jonah 1:4 ESV But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea.

As children, I doubt many of us would have seen this storm other than something terrifying. But God used that storm to deal with Jonah and his disobedience. As we read further, verse 17 tells us, And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah.

This is a great lesson in knowing that God always sees the future. Yours and mine. Not only does He see it, but when we belong to Him, He orders our steps and the things that happen to us. Yes, we have free will. But God has the power to intervene and change our situation. This is a prime example. Some translations say, rather than appointed, the LORD had prepared that great fish.

 The storm was so fierce that Jonah could have drowned. But God. In this case, God sent that fish to swallow Jonah and save his life. Perhaps the best verse to relate to this situation comes from Romans 8:28 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. I doubt that Jonah thought anything good would come from his being thrown into the sea and then swallowed by a giant fish, but that fish saved his life.

Maybe one day I’ll write about the huge storm that ripped through our lives. Just know that God was the driving force in every single moment.

LESSON 3

Repentance Begins When We Turn Our Hearts Back to God

 Jonah 2:1-2, 10 ESV, Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish saying “I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me” . . . vs. 10, And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

 Jonah was powerless to do anything to save himself. He had only one place to go, to the God who loved him in spite of his actions. Jonah knew his only hope lay in God’s hands. Some other key verses relating to this—1 John 1:9 ESV, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Psalm 51:17b ESV, A Broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

 LESSON 4

God is the God of Second Chances

 We see God’s call to Jonah repeated in Jonah 3:1 ESV, Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time . . . Because Jonah came to God with a repentant heart, he was able to go and tell the people of Ninevah that God was going to destroy them and their city if they didn’t repent.

Because Jonah was able to warn them, the people did repent. They turned from their evil ways and back to God. Jonah 3:10 ESV, When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

 One of my favorite verses that relates to this is from Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV, The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

 Have you ever been given a second chance by God? How about a third or more? I’m so thankful that God loves us enough to forgive our foolish ways. Indeed, Great is Thy Faithfulness!

 Blessings, y’all!

Can’t you just hear Jonah singing this in the Throne Room, at the feet of Abba Father? So many saints we will get to meet one day. To God be the Glory!!!