What The Bible Says
Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
If all you see in Jonah chapter two is a description of a man in a fish's belly, I would like to introduce you to our Lord Jesus Christ who tasted death so you don't have to. So to if you scoff that Jesus called it a whale and Jonah a fish (Matt 12:40, Jonah 2:1). Likewise when you suppose the “belly of hell” is to harsh for Jonah's figurative poetry. All believers should kick over the seat of the scornful and take a fresh new read of Jonah chapter two. It portrays a three day journey that the King of glory took in your stead. It is where the King of righteousness went so you do not have to. It is where the Sun of righteousness went after saying “Why hast thou forsaken me!”
When Jesus died his soul went to hell (Acts2:27, Psalm16:10), his spirit went to the Father (Luke23:46), and his body went to the tomb (Mark15:46)1. Jesus said that the Son of Man's three days and three nights in the heart of the earth would be as Jonah's time in the whale's belly (Matt12:40). Consequently Jonah chapter two is more about Jesus than Jonah, and is all the more precious from that perspective. Notice his plight, recite his prayer, and capture the premise, the Holy One would not see corruption (Psalm49:9, Acts2:31,13:35, Jonah2:6). Peter preached it “...Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death.” Paul too, “... But he whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known therefore men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts2:24-27,13:37-39). “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John11:26)
An Essay for week #2Jan 12, 2020
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1 If you have a KJB Nicodemus helped with Jesus' burial and brought 100 lbs. of myrrh and aloes (John 19:39); but ecumenical modernist translators sold off 25 lbs of those spices to pay for their copyright registration!