Jonah, a message for us.
The story of Jonah has a special message for me and for this site. If a recalcitrant, fish gut smelly, lazy fellow; spat out by God with a questionable attitude and simple message with boring delivery can have an impact on Ninevah then there is hope for me and us. A couple of points as you hear my discussion;- there is no obvious historic evidence to identify where Jonah was spat out by the fish. Yet if it was at the edge of the Meditternean Sea he had an almost 2 week journey inland and there is;-
- No record of that journey in his recount.
- No details of how he managed – smelling of fish guts and penniless – to convince a carravan to take him.
- Or – if he went home to freshen up – no details of his continual prayers and struggle with God.
- Why did the Ninevites build a statue relating to Jonah and the fish without knowing a connection?
- How did a stranger, after only a journey halfway into a city with a brief, repetitive message about doom (and no mention of God) strike an impact right through to the King?
Answer to all above, I don’t know how it was done and it actually doesn’t matter how the fish did it, but I am totally convinced Jonah was spat out in sight of the city and that story reached the King along with his message. God works wonders.
Hope for me.
God Bless