This post is Day 7 in a series of studies about “Jonah”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Jonah – Day 7

God is still the Lord of creation, and uses His creation in His way to fulfill His plans and purposes, in His perfect timing. It must have been very unpleasant for Jonah to be swallowed by this sea creature. But it had the effect God wanted, Jonah repented and prayed.

Jonah 1:15-17

Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.
At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to Him.
Now the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah.

The Thought

How difficult do you think it was for those men to do what Jonah suggested? Maybe they thought that everyone was probably going to die anyway, so it was worth a try! What a shock it must have been to the sailors when what Jonah had said actually happened! And it happened immediately! There was no waiting and watching, and praying, but that calm sea sent those men to make vows to the Lord themselves!

Verse 17 gives us such a simple sentence, and yet it is says so much. Now the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah….

God did not want Jonah to die, because He still had His plans to fulfill and Jonah was a part of God’s plans, so He rescued this reluctant rebellious prophet.

Do you think this was a real fish, a whale as portrayed in children’s stories, or a supernatural being; maybe an angel? Was the miracle the fact that the fish was there, at the right moment, or that it swallowed Jonah whole, or that Jonah survived 3 days??? Maybe there were several miracles?

God is still the Lord of creation, and He uses His creation in His way to fulfill His plans and purposes, in His perfect timing. It must have been very unpleasant for Jonah to be swallowed by this sea creature. But it had the effect God wanted, Jonah repented and prayed.

Action

Praise the Lord of creation for His miraculous timing.

Praise Him that He will fulfill His plans and purposes for your life.

Ask God to help you be obedient without such drastic circumstances.

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