Sermon Tone Analysis

in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Captured off Knight’s Key, Florida, in 1912, this whale is forty-five feet long, has a mouth thirty-eight inches wide, and weighs thirty thousand pounds.

A fish in its stomach at the time it was captured, weighed about fifteen hundred pounds.

In February 1891 the crew of the whaling ship Star of the East sighted a large sperm whale off the Falkland Islands.

They harpooned the whale and in its death throes it swallowed a man named James Bartley.

A day and a half later his shipmates, who thought he had drowned—found him unconscious in the whale’s belly.

Bartley lived to tell about it and his story was published in the newspapers.

Describing his sensations as he slid into the innermost part of the whale, he said he could breathe easily, but the heat was unbearable.

His whole appearance was changed by the ordeal, for his neck, face, and hands, which had been exposed to the whale’s gastric juices, were permanently bleached to a livid whiteness.

This story gives us an idea of what Jonah experienced when he was imprisoned in the “great fish.”

From desperation to deliverance… this is the road to glory

Jonah’s Punishment

This was a punishment God appointed.

LORD - Yahweh - Creator

Gen 1.1 “1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Matt 8.27 “27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?””

1 Chron 16.33 “33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.”

Nah 1.5 “5 The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it.”

Appointed = NIV - Provided!!

alloted to him for this purpose

Created this fish for this time

this great beast in all the sea was there right then

Jon 4.6-8 = appointed a plant | appointed a worm | appointed a scorching east wind

Heb 9.27 “27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,”

Rom 5.6 “6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

This was a punishment of his own choosing.

when we chose disobedience we chose discipline

Look to the nation of Israel

Look to family life

Look to the word of God

Isaiah 65:12 “12 I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in.””

Gal 6.8 “8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

Gen 50.20 “20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Josh 24.15 “15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.””

John 10:17–18 “17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.

I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.

This charge I have received from my Father.””

Luke 4:16–21 “16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.

And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.

17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him.

He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.

And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.””

1 Timothy 2:3–4 “3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Jonah’s Prayer

This prayer was made out of deep distress.

Why did it take Jonah so long to pray?

Why does it take us so long to pray?

It took the belly of a fish to break him!!

What does it take to break you?

Imagine the horror of this

pain a picture with the language...

belly of sheol - down to hell

cast into deep / heart of sea / flood surrounds / waves and billows

driven from sight / waters closed over / take my life / deep surrounded

weeds wrapped my head / root of the mountains / bars closed / into the pit

Have you ever experienced a deep distress like this?

A marriage that is dissolving

A sudden death in the family

A baby is miscarried

A child is living prodigally

A emotional and physical bondage of substance abuse

A realization of a dream dying

Sometimes the belly of a fish may be the best place to be!!

This prayer was couched in hope.

Look at Jonahs prayer

I called | He answered… I cried | You heard

YET… I shall look upon your holy temple

YET… you brought up my life from the pit

Ps 61 “To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

Of David. 1 Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; 2 from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, 3 for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

4 Let me dwell in your tent forever!

Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!

Selah 5 For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6 Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations!

7 May he be enthroned forever before God; appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!

8 So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.”

Ps 94.9 “9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear?

He who formed the eye, does he not see?”

The darkest day in history is where we find our hope!!

Jonah = knew God would hear him when he cried out

Jesus = knew that the Father would hear him when he cried out

Jesus said = Father forgive them

Matthew 12:40 “40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Jonah’s Promise

This verse is key in Jonah.

Salvation belongs to the LORD

Jonah is called to proclaim this truth to Nineveh

Jonah has proved this truth to the Sailors

Jonah has lived this truth in this chapter

This concept is key in scripture.

Salvation belongs to the LORD

This is the theme of the entire Bible

God promises salvation to Adam

God preserves Noah

God’s promise to Abraham