Christ in Jonah -- The Peace of God

Almost any child who has been to Sunday School can tell you the story of Jonah, the prophet that God sent to preach repentance to the evil Assyrians in Nineveh.  Jonah, being a proper Jew, did not want to defile himself by going into the city of Nineveh, even though God had sent him there.  Instead, Jonah went in the opposite direction, away from Nineveh.  Because of his disobedience, God caused a great storm to endanger the boat on which Jonah was sailing.  When crew members discovered Jonah sleeping below deck, they blamed him for the storm and threw him overboard.  Jonah was then swallowed by a great fish where he languished for three days until the fish vomited him up onto the shore.  There Jonah repented from his disobedience and went to Nineveh, preaching as he went.  All the people in Nineveh listened to what he had to say and turned to God and believed Him.  As a result of their obedience, God spared Nineveh from destruction.  Rather than being happy for God’s compassion on those “foreign” people, Jonah sulked.  He allowed His pride in his Jewish heritage to blind him to the fact that God loves all people, even those who were of a different background, nation, and lineage.  The book of Jonah ends with a picture of a very angry, bitter man.  He had reluctantly obeyed God, but we are not shown that he ever developed a heart of compassion and brotherly love for anyone except for his own people.

We can see a lot of parallels between Jonah and Jesus Christ.  Remember what I wrote in a previous blog, when we are given a “type” of Christ, the “type” always falls short of the Real Thing.  So, for all the parallels between Jonah and Christ, there are also many, many differences.  Today we will examine some of the parallels, and at the same time, mention some of the differences.  I’m sure there are more, so, as I always say, I hope you will read the book for yourself and see what God reveals to you.

• Jonah’s name means “dove,” and we all know that the dove is a symbol of peace.  Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)

• Both were from the area of Galilee.

He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Dead Sea, in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher (5 miles from Galilee). (2 Kings 14:25)

They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” (John 7:52)

• God sent Jonah to preach repentance to a Gentile city; Jesus came to bring repentance to all the nations.  Jonah first disobeyed, then went reluctantly because he had been punished; Jesus came willingly because of His great love for us.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:18-19)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16)

• Both Jonah and Jesus slept on a boat during a storm.  The crews of each boat woke the sleeping prophet and looked to him to calm the storm:  Jonah was thrown overboard, but Jesus rebuked the storm.

Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish. . .”  “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” (Jonah 1:4-6, 12)

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. (Matthew 8:23-26)

• Jonah told the sailors what needed to be done to calm the sea (throw him overboard), but the sailors thought they knew better.  Rather than obeying Jonah, they tried to save themselves by their own strength and knowledge of the sea.  Jesus paid the price for our stormy, sin-filled lives, but we often try to save ourselves through our own good works and our own “wisdom” and philosophies.

Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. (Jonah 1:13)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

• The sailors who “sacrificed” Jonah knew that he was innocent; those who sent Jesus Christ to the cross knew He was innocent.

Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” (Jonah 1:14)

Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” (Luke 23:4)

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” (Matthew 27:3-4)

• When Jonah was swallowed by the great fish he spent three days in its belly.  This is a picture of Jesus Christ in the tomb for three days.  Some theologians believe Jonah actually died when the fish swallowed him and was resurrected on the third day, just as Christ actually died on the cross, was buried, and was resurrected on the third day.  However, the second chapter of Jonah tells us that he prayed from the belly of the fish.  It really doesn’t matter, since, remember, the story of Jonah is only a picture of what was to come in Christ.  It is not intended be identical.

Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:40 -- note that this was Jesus speaking of His own burial and resurrection, likening it to Jonah’s experience.)

• After Jonah was released from the belly of the great fish, he went to Nineveh preaching that the city would be destroyed in 40 days unless the people repented.  After Jesus Christ’s resurrection, He taught His followers for 40 days before He ascended to Heaven.

Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4)

After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)

• Jonah taught that God’s judgment would be severe, but that God would be merciful if they repented.  Jesus taught the same thing, that sin brings judgment, but salvation is a gift from God.

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:10)

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:17-18)

After all the parallels we have seen between Jonah and Christ, I think it is very sad to see the end of the book, when Jonah pouts about the salvation of Nineveh.  God still had work to do in Jonah’s heart, and I like to think that eventually Jonah came around to see that God’s love is big enough for all people.  We aren’t told as much, but I like a happy ending.  But the happy ending we can all glean from this story is that God does not use perfect people to tell His story.  He works with flawed people to achieve His purpose.  He used a reluctant, unloving Jonah; He used an impulsive, denying Peter; He used a brutal Saul of Tarsus (Paul); He wants to use you and me.  God doesn’t use perfect people, but He calls people to perfection through the redemption of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

My prayer for you and for me this week comes from Jonah’s prayer.  I hope you will join me in a renewed commitment to follow God down whatever path He leads with praise in our mouths, sacrificing whatever time, whatever friendship, whatever cost it takes to be obedient to Him and to Him alone:

But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ (Jonah 2:9)

All scripture is from the New International Version.