Sermon Tone Analysis

We talked a lot about God’s compassion last week and we also witnessed Jonah’s confession to the sailors and repentance by sacrificing himself to the sea.

Today we will focus on what being separated from God feels like, as well looking for God in a hopeless situation and experiencing God’s salvation/deliverance.

Keep in mind up to this point Jonah has not prayed to God yet or it does not seem like he has.

He has confessed to the sailors about him being the cause of the storm, and he even sacrificed himself to be thrown overboard to calm the storm and save the sailors, but he has yet to pray.

What is salvation?

SALVATION Examines the biblical concept of salvation as it develops from the sense of physical rescue in the present life (e.g., deliverance from danger or crisis) to the idea of spiritual rescue often associated with the afterlife (e.g., forgiveness from sins, eternal life).

This development in the concept of salvation corresponds with changes in beliefs regarding life after death: As views about the afterlife became more optimistic, the understanding of salvation expanded beyond the present world to include hopes for divine deliverance and even resurrection in the world to come.

In the Bible, salvation usually comes from God, Jesus, or an agent of God.

2:1-2 God’s Deliverance Described.

Some times when God removes our hope we see Him more clearly.

That sounds kinda funny.

When we are hopeless - we become hopeful - it doesn’t even sound right.

And that is exactly where Jonah is when he begins chapter two in prayer to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish.

Although for some - it may be hard to understand that when we are hopeless that is when we should be able to see the blessings of God.

Perhaps, this is hard to do - especially when we are the cause of the hopeless situation like Jonah was.

Similar to Jonah, we can be intentionally disobedient to God, and in essence our actions reflect a lack of faith.

And just like we saw in the last chapter Jonah’s apparent lack of faith, has been turned around, and as chapter one came to a close we witnessed Jonah’s faith resurface.

What is interesting about Jonah 2, the entire passage is all about Jonah being able to see God’s deliverance every step of the way.

This chapter also highlight’s Jonah’s remembrance of Scripture - the Psalms.

Here in verse two we read that Jonah called out of [his] distress, and cried for help from the depth of Sheol - Depth literally means “Belly” and Sheol literally means “Abode of the dead”.

This phrase is describing that Jonah’s place in the fishes belly is like being face to face with death - a hopeless situation.

Jonah strengthen himself by recalling that God answered and heard him by showing him the same mercy He wanted Jonah to preach to Nineveh.

God rescued him from the stormy seas by way of the fishes belly.

Psalm 18:5

Even though Jonah, like the psalmist, is in a fearful situation, Jonah acknowledged God’s mercy from saving him from the sea.

Jonah knew he was in a tough spot but remembered what the scripture says about God.

Psalm 18:4-6

1 Samuel 30:6

Like David, Jonah found his strength in Yahweh - the character and power of Yahweh.

2:3-7 Testimony of God’s Deliverance.

Jonah tells us about how God delivered him.

But first Jonah explains that God was the one that cast [him] into the deep, into the heart of the seas.

God caused Jonah to endure being engulfed by the current - literal meaning of engulfed is surrounded.

And God commissioned breakers and billows to pass over him.

The cross reference Psalm 69:1 parallels what Jonah is experiencing.

Psalm 69:1

Like Jonah, the psalmist understood God is the one in control of the seas.

Psalm 42:7

Jonah clearly understands that he is being disciplined by God - perhaps discipline is an understatement - regardless he is certain that his actions are the cause to his being expelled from Your [God’s] sight.

How the tables have turned.

In the last chapter Jonah made it clear that he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh.

Now he realizes and admits God has thrown him from His presence into the dangers of the sea.

But this doesn’t stop Jonah from returning back to God with expectant hope.

Jonah says, Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.

What does Jonah mean when he says, “I will look again toward Your holy temple”?

Jonah is confidently praying with hope to worship at the holy temple in Jerusalem again [like he did before his disobedience].

The holy temple was the appointed place to worship, and Jonah is faithfully looking forward to give thanks to Yahweh for his deliverance at the temple.

Jonah now paints a picture to what appears to be a description of hopelessness.

He was encompassed by water to the point of death.

He was surround by the great deep, and weeds were wrapped around his head.

He descended to the roots of the mountains.

I would have been in a complete panic.

Picture what he is describing.

You are in the middle of the ocean, many feet down below the surface.

It is completely dark the deeper you go.

You can’t breathe.

You have sea weed wrapped around your face, or at least it may feel like it.

You are probably fighting to swim up to the surface, but instead of moving closer to it you are sinking further down to the bottom.

feelings of hopelessness, fear and panic.

Jonah says, The earth with its bars was around me forever.

He feels like he is in a water prison with bars around him so that he can not escape - and worse than that - he appears to be completely cut off from God.

Lamentations 3:54

Psalm 116:3

Isaiah 38:10

But we all know that God does not cut off those that are faithful to Him.

Although, Jonah implies that he was far removed from Yahweh and in the face of death.

But God delivered him and brought up his [Jonah’s] life from the pit.

Yahweh delivered Jonah from the pit of the sea by way of the fish.

While Jonah was fainting away [in the depths of sea], when all appeared to be hopeless, Jonah remembered the Lord, and his prayer came to Yahweh - just like Nineveh’s wickedness came up before Yahweh.

God see’s and hears all.

Doesn’t this seem almost impossible.

Jonah is conscience while he is in the sea being thrown around and even while inside the fish- he understands what is happening, and although it is more than scary he remained concrete in his faith that God would deliver him.

Job 33:28

Psalm 16:10

2:8-9 Praise for God’s Deliverance.

And then he declares his covenant loyalty to God for it.

He doesn’t take this lightly.

He is not like the pagans who regard vain idols and forsake their faithfulness to Yahweh.

Psalm 31:6

Vain means empty - lifeless, and powerless.

Why is this important to know?

Jonah declares that it is foolish to place faith in empty idols because it shows God that you departing from Him and His compassion and mercy - covenant disloyalty.

Leaving Him or choosing idols over Him results in the loss of His covenant blessings.

It means abandoning confidence in God, and the loss of His security.

Just as God’s deliverance of the sailors in chapter one caused them to sacrifice and make a vow, Jonah’s deliverance from the sea encourages him - will sacrifice to Yahweh, with a voice of thanksgiving which he has vowed to pay.

What is a vow?

It is continual - marriage.

Jonah will honor what he has said he will do sacrifice and give thanks to Yahweh continually - this shows covenant loyalty to God.

Jonah declares Salvation is from the Lord.

Salvation - both physical and spiritual deliverance is from God.

It was Yahweh who saved the sailors in chapter 1, and Yahweh who saves Jonah in chapter 2.

Psalm 3:8

2:10 Restored to Land.

Jonah chapter 1:17 picks up right here - Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

- God delivers Jonah from the storm, sea, from the fish and places him back on dry land in Israel.

This is something that the sailors could not do - getting the boat to dry land.

God has navigated the entire situation, providing deliverance for the sailors, and Jonah.

What about Nineveh?

Application

Through prayer Jonah describes God’s  compassionate and merciful salvation which he recalled from the Scriptures - the result is hope.