Jonah 2:7-10

A Strange Place for Thanksgiving

Strange places, dark places can serve as reminders of our need to be thankful! (CIT)

Let’s leave here today being thankful no matter what place we are in! (MOS)

#1 - PRAYER IN A STRANGE PLACE (7)

-fainted/ebbing - failure, declining, deterioration, waning, sinking

Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster’s collegiate thesaurus 1996 : n. pag. Print.

#2 - PRAISE IN A STRANGE PLACE (8-9)

-(8) The Actions of the Ungodly

-(9) The Actions of the Godly

-shouts/voice n. — the sound made by the vibration of vocal folds modified by the resonance of the vocal tract.

-thanksgiving (religious) n. — (a song) offering thanks for God’s (past or present) deeds in Jonah’s life; often accompanied by sacrifice. (see Jack Hayford’s explanation below)

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. -Hebrews 13:15

Why is praising God a sacrifice? The word “sacrifice” (Greek, “thusia”) comes from the root thuo, a verb meaning “to kill or slaughter for a purpose.” Praise often requires that we “kill” our pride, fear, or sloth—anything that threatens to diminish or interfere with our worship of the Lord.

We also discover here the basis of all our praise: the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by Him, in Him, with Him, to Him, and for Him that we offer our sacrifice of praise to God. Praise will never be hindered when we keep its focus on Him, the Founder and Completer of our salvation.

Paul reminds us to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). Jesus’ cross, His blood, His love gift of life and forgiveness to us remind us to keep offering continual praise as a living sacrifice before the Lord! (Pastor Jack Hayford)

“I will make good...” - I will complete, I will honor my vow!

#3 - POWER IN A STRANGE PLACE (10)

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

The New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. Print.

- “commanded” - give orders

- to vomit v. — to eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth.

Jonah had a lot stuff on him; he had the smell of being inside the belly of a great fish...