Fear and Loathing in Nineveh pt2

I would like to read you Aesop's fable about the Stag and the Lion. A Stag was chased by the hounds, and took refuge in a cave, where he hoped to be safe from his pursuers. Unfortunately the cave contained a Lion, to whom he fell an easy prey. "Unhappy that I am," he cried, "I am saved from the power of the dogs only to fall into the clutches of a Lion." Out of the frying-pan into the fire. We’ve become familiar with this saying, right? It’s become a popular idiom to explain situations from going from bad to worse. As we explore our series In Jonah, last week we talked about the action and consequence of running from God. Today we are going to look at Jonah’s situation of being trapped in the belly of a whale, and discuss if Jonah found himself in a similar situation as the stag, going out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Read Jonah 2:1-10

Jonah 2:1–10 ESV

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

Observations: So here are a couple things to note as we read the text

Unpleasant situation: Two weeks ago we studied Jonah fleeing from the presence of God. The main point of the message was for us to understand our disobedience to God will likely affect the people around us as much as ourselves. Jonah’s disobedience to God put the sailors in immediate danger. Jonah realized this and had the men throw him overboard, where he would eventually be swallowed by a large fish. I guess Jonah needed a bigger boat

Many have speculated what kind of fish this could have been. Some have suggested a shark, since it’s metabolic rate is so slow organisms which have been swallowed whole have been known to survive. Some think it’s some now extinct species. While some believe it could be undiscovered.

The purpose: What was the purpose of Jonah being swallowed by the fish? For many years of my life, I assumed that God provided the fish to swallow Jonah because of Jonah’s disobedience. I thought the fish was meant to punish Jonah, however our outlook may change once we take a deeper look at what Jonah was saying. In verses 3 and 4 Jonah talks about being cast into the deep, into the heart of the seas. The flood waters surrounded him, and the waves and billows passed over him. In verse 5 he talks about the waters closed in to take his life, and deep surrounded him, he talks about seaweeds engulfing his head. This description omits another one of my preconceived notions , I had always assumed Jonah was swallowed by the fish as soon as he hit the water. I know we have some fishermen in the crowd today. I always pictured Jonah being swallowed like a bass or a trout hit a top water lure. However after listening to this description it seems Jonah sank into the waters, it seems he sank clear to the ocean floor. Jonah would have very well drowned if the fish had not swallowed him. So the fish was not meant to serve as a punishment, as much as it was meant to save Jonah’s life.

Out of the fire, into the frying pan. We should view the story of Jonah as an inverted or opposite version of Aesop's fable. Rather than being about going from a bad situation to one that is worse. Jonah went from a horrible situation, to one that is simply bad, or unpleasant in comparison. Was the situation of Jonah being swallowed by a fish a good situation? No. However, compared to the alternative, it was much better, the alternative was death. Sometimes, God will use bad situations to spare us from one that is worse. God may put us into the frying pan, to get us out of the fire. I’ve heard story of a person who had a traffic accident when commuting to work, in the moment they experienced frustration because they were going to be late, only to later be thankful, because they worked in the World Trade Center, and avoided what could have been a lethal situation.(Illustration on the movie “Signs” his son, poison gas, asthma)

Sometimes the trials we experience in life might be to help us, or to prevent us from being in a position where something is worse. Sometimes God can put it in the frying pan to take us out of the fire. When we endure trials, the book of James says we will endure trials of many kinds. Perhaps, we should view those moments in a “into the frying pan out of the fire moments.” So how do we do this? How do we take this mindset and apply them to the trials we may be experiencing?

Discernment: We must have discernment as Jonah had discernment. Jonah knew his situation to be a trial, he also knew he was spared something more harsh. When experiencing trials, we must have the discernment that God may be using this trial, to help us avoid something worse.

However this will be really difficult to do at the moment. If you are struggling with some difficult trail in your life, you may not have the strength to be able to stand back and ask yourself “how can God possibly use this for good.” Do not be ashamed if that is the case. However instead perhaps think about previous trials and hardships you’ve endured, ones that don’t quite hurt as much anymore. Once you think back to these trails it may be easier to see how God may have used that experience to shape you into who you are today. Let discernment of trials past set the tone in how we deal with trials today.

Prayer Jonah prayed, and he prayed a lot! Jonah was dying it seems, when his life was fading he prayed to the lord. We must always pray in our trials, whether these trials are a result of living in a world fallen to sin, or whether this trial is being used by God to prevent something worse, both cases require the same action on our part. Prayer, we must pray during our trail, and remember the Lord's deliverance, pray in all types of trials.

Surrender: Jonah realized that he could not get himself out of this situation without fully surrendering to what God wanted him to do. Jonah tells God that he will sacrifice to him, and what he has vowed he will pay. We, like Jonah, cannot hope to get ourselves out of trails without surrender. We must surrender to Christ only through the power of Christ do we have the means to escape the trials of this world.

Reflection: As we enter our time of invitation I just encourage us to reflect upon the trials we endure. Realize that perhaps God uses this trial to take us out of the fire, by putting us into the frying pan. However, no matter God’s purpose in enduring trials, our actions must always be the same. We must discern and realize this trial may have a purpose, we must pray continually, and we must surrender to Christ. Only Jesus offers ultimate deliverance through trials.