Category: Jonah

Sunday, November 19, 2023

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40 KJV).

Let us consider one of the most misunderstood and most ridiculed accounts presented in the Holy Bible….

According to The Oxford English Dictionary—widely regarded as the authority on the English language—the primary definition of “fish” is “a limbless cold-blooded vertebrate animal with gills and fins living wholly in water.” Yet, under the same entry, we read: “used in names of invertebrate animals living wholly in water, e.g. cuttlefish, shellfish, jellyfish.” “Fish” is a broad term for all creatures confined to water, including the aquatic animal that swallowed Jonah (Jonah 1:17; Jonah 2:1; Jonah 2:10). Nonetheless, in today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ said it was a “whale.” Why?

We normally think of a whale as a warm-blooded mammal that breathes air, has hair, and feeds its young with milk. This is not a fish in the strictest sense, but, generally, a whale is a fish because it lives in water (the Old English “fisc” applies to animals living exclusively in water). Jonah 1:17 qualifies it as a “great fish.” Before we throw a tantrum when the Bible utilizes “great fish” and “whale” interchangeably, we need to have another English lesson. “Whale” can be used in the sense of “a whale of a…,” as in an extremely good example of a particular thing. For example, a “whale of a tale” can be used to describe a preposterous, make-believe story (which is what [ignorant] Bible ridiculers consider Jonah’s Book!). “Whale” might also be employed as “have a whale of a time”—enjoying yourself very much. This data can be found in The Oxford English Dictionary, provided someone truly desires to learn the truth. Neither Jonah 1:17, nor Jonah 2:1, nor Jonah 2:10, nor Matthew 12:40 is in error.

“Whale” means “enormous, big”—and the creature that swallowed Jonah was massive. The adjective is equivalent to “great” in “great fish” of Jonah 1:17. In fact, it has been suggested Jonah’s animal might have been one of the “great whales” (sea monsters, mammoth marine beasts) God created in Genesis 1:21. However, the scoffers are not interested in reasoning and thoughtful discussion….

Saturday, November 18, 2023

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40 KJV).

Let us consider one of the most misunderstood and most ridiculed accounts presented in the Holy Bible….

According to basic scientific data, a whale is a warm-blooded marine mammal whereas a fish is a non-mammal that is usually cold-blooded. Seizing upon this “enlightenment” as grounds for their position of unbelief, critics of the Scriptures have incessantly carped we do not have the “perfect” Word of God because Jonah on four occasions classifies the creature as a “fish” (see Jonah 1:17, Jonah 2:1, and Jonah 2:10) but Jesus taught it was a “whale” (today’s Scripture). To them, this is an outright contradiction. Is it really?

It is no secret a great many people have thoroughly (!) delighted (!) in their proud (!!) skepticism as touching Jonah, laughing heartily at the expense of sound Bible doctrine. Yet, they would have better spent their time actually professing Bible and linguistical ignorance (“I do not know!”) and doing some research instead of exhibiting Bible and linguistical ignorance (“let me show you I do not know!”). We Bible believers need not be intimidated or apostate, cowering at the feet of so-called “intellectuals” who are infatuated with self, self, self. Using a renewed mind, we arm ourselves with a simple, logical, sound defense rooted in faith.

Taking an English dictionary, we notice “fish” has for one of its definitions: “(loosely) any of various other aquatic animals.” In other words, “fish” is a general or broad term for any type of animal that lives in the water. It is a less precise term, granted, and awkward when compared to the scientific classification system of naming lifeforms, but “fish” can include any and all types of marine animals. In fact, a whale is defined as a “marine mammal” and… horrors!!!… the dictionary says a whale has a “fishlike body.” It just gives us chills, friends. Whales and fish, while quite different, have similarities. Even lexicographers admit it.

Hence, how unfair and hypocritical we are if we protest God using the same phraseology we do….

Friday, November 17, 2023

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40 KJV).

Let us consider one of the most misunderstood and most ridiculed accounts presented in the Holy Bible….

To quote one of my university geology professors from long ago, “We know more about the Moon than we do our own oceans!” Nearly three-quarters of Earth’s surface is water, and these areas and their contents are still largely unfamiliar to us. Oceans tend to be deep and dark, with the immense pressure at those depths making exploration even more difficult. It is impossible to imagine what strange lifeforms of all sizes are down there right now—or were down there and have since gone extinct (died off entirely).

Consider the Mariana Trench, in the western Pacific Ocean (east of the Philippines and southeast of Japan). In one place (known as Challenger Deep), this underwater canyon is actually deeper than Mount Everest is high! In the case of the Mediterranean Sea (on which Jonah’s ship floated—notice it launched from Joppa, Israel [Jonah 1:3]), there are similar underwater trenches or canyons. The lowest point of the Mediterranean is called Calypso Deep, south of Greece and in the Hellenic Trench, with a maximum depth of some 3 miles (5 kilometers)! What kind of organism could have possibly lurked in the Mediterranean Sea to swallow the Prophet?

As touching the precise identity of the creature with which Jonah interacted, there has been a great deal of dialog and derision. The whole matter can be summed up as this. On four occasions, the Book of Jonah reports it was a “fish” (read it twice in Jonah 1:17, once in Jonah 2:1, and once in Jonah 2:10). However, some have stumbled over the Lord Jesus’ remark in today’s Scripture because He calls it a “whale.” It is thus complained these are not exactly the same animal. Surely, they say, Jonah or Jesus was mistaken. Is there any way to resolve this alleged discrepancy? Again, we must do some study, make an effort to allow ourselves to be taught, and be thankful for the resulting enlightenment….

Thursday, November 16, 2023

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40 KJV).

Let us consider one of the most misunderstood and most ridiculed accounts presented in the Holy Bible….

Getting back to the little Book of Jonah yet again: “[1:17] Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights…. [2:1] Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly,…. [2:10] And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”

A simple, straightforward reading of the last verse of Jonah chapter 1 and all of chapter 2, leads us to the obvious conclusion. Jonah was physically dead for those three days and three nights. That fish’s belly was Jonah’s vaulted crypt! In like manner, so was the Lord Jesus Christ actually physically deceased and literally buried in a cave for three days and three nights (today’s Scripture; cf. Matthew 27:59,60; Mark 15:45,46; Luke 23:52,53; John 19:40-42). As in the case of Christ’s inground interment, Jonah’s physical body was in the fish’s belly but his soul and spirit were elsewhere.

Following that period of three days and three nights, God brought Jonah back to life (just like Christ). Jonah’s soul and spirit were reunited with his physical body, after which he prayed (chapter 2 was spoken in hindsight—notice the past and past perfect tenses of the verbs in verses 2-7). At the close of chapter 2, the three days and three nights having expired, the LORD commanded the fish to vomit (yuck!) Jonah onto the coast. Read chapters 3 and 4 to learn what the Prophet did with his new life. Suffice it to say, that rebel was truly converted or transformed for God’s glory!

Having clarified whether Jonah was alive or dead in the fish’s belly (he was dead!), we can now turn our attention to the heated debate over whether the creature was a “fish” (Jonah 1:17; Jonah 2:1,10) or a “whale” (today’s Scripture). As always, the controversy can be settled only if we use our renewed mind….

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40 KJV).

Let us consider one of the most misunderstood and most ridiculed accounts presented in the Holy Bible….

Read a portion of Jonah’s prayer in chapter 2: “[1] 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….”

Jonah cried “out of the belly of hell” (verse 2). God has “brought up [Jonah’s] life from corruption” (verse 6). This sounds like someone dying and living again, does it not? In fact, it corresponds to Christ’s own death and resurrection in today’s Scripture! According to Luke 16:19-31, Hell was in two compartments in time past: believers’ souls were confined to Abraham’s bosom and comfort, whereas unsaved souls were enclosed in flames and torment. Jesus’ soul and the believing thief’s soul went to the comfort side when they died—a place also known as “paradise” in Luke 23:43, whose occupants have since relocated to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2,4). The point is, Jonah died and went to “hell” (paradise side), perfectly matching Jesus in “hell” (paradise side; see Psalm 16:10 and Acts 2:22-31).

When Jonah died and lived again, he was really serving as a type (preview, picture, foreshadow) of Jesus dying and living again….

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40 KJV).

Let us consider one of the most misunderstood and most ridiculed accounts presented in the Holy Bible….

It has been repeatedly assumed Jonah lived in the fish’s (or whale’s) belly for three days and three nights. However, see the Bible for yourself: “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17 simply states Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Scripture does not read, “And Jonah lived / was alive in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

At this point, perhaps a simple illustration will suffice. If I claim someone was “in the grave for 20 years,” am I implying he or she has lived in that tomb for 20 years? No one exercising a little common sense would misunderstand my words. Likewise, although Jonah was in the creature’s stomach all three days and three nights, he was not necessarily living for the entire duration. People have made an assumption regarding the Bible—and it is a wrong one (just another example of silly presumptions about Scripture!). Two lines of proof can be offered Jonah actually died with respect to this strange sea creature (whose identity we will discuss later).

Firstly, in today’s Scripture, the Lord Jesus pointed to Jonah’s experience and connected it to His own death. Did not the Lord stay dead for three days and three nights? In keeping with the analogy, Jonah would have also perished. Remember, study Jonah chapter 1. The Prophet was tossed overboard in the Mediterranean Sea. Either he drowned before the creature swallowed him, or he died shortly after he entered the animal’s stomach. The point is, Jonah was dead in the creature’s belly.

Secondly, if you read Jonah’s prayer in chapter 2, the Prophet himself alludes to his decease. This part of the discussion will take some analysis, so we must carefully walk through it….

Sunday, November 12, 2023

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40 KJV).

Let us consider one of the most misunderstood and most ridiculed accounts presented in the Holy Bible….

As a trained geologist (holding a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Earth science), I am quite familiar with the tendency of Bible haters and Bible skeptics to resort to exalting and clinging to whatever “empirical data” that can be uncovered to justify distancing themselves from the “superstitions of religious tradition.” Except on rare occasions, though, the Holy Bible has not actually been given a fair hearing. As a simple illustration, I remember the confession of an honest atheist long ago: having never really read the Bible, he frequently argued with Christians about it! Another example is how people grow up “in church” hearing all sorts of ridiculous and wrong assumptions about Scripture. By the time they become adults, they are on a hostile “crusade” to publicize why they are no longer “church members!”

One of my university science professors (familiar with Scripture) complained to me how “science could not explain” the Bible’s miracles; therefore, he did not believe those miracles actually occurred. Instead, he contended, there was a natural cause for each alleged “miracle”—in effect, nothing miraculous really happened. While that sounds convincing on the surface, he surely knew how science has limitations. We scientists have such a poor understanding of how the laws of nature operate. Even what little we know is subject to change, as scientific ideas are revised or discarded through repeated observation and experimentation. Any scientist could live 500,000 lifetimes and still not fully comprehend or describe the phenomena on our tiny planet—not to mention all the events on all celestial bodies (whose total number exceeds all the grains of sand on every beach of Earth)! When someone boldly declares “science has disproven the Bible,” I can personally assure you this is wishful thinking. You need not worry about them or their overconfidence in the frail human mind or the faulty lab equipment!

With that said, let us get back to Jonah, the whale/fish, and the contempt regarding it….