This post is Day 8 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 8

This part of the story, (the three days and three nights) is much harder to believe than the fact that Jonah was actually swallowed by the fish. The fact that there was enough air in the belly of the fish for him to breathe and stay alive for three days!

Jonah 1:17

Now the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

The Thought

This part of the story, (three days and three nights) is much harder to believe than the fact that Jonah was actually swallowed by the fish. The fact that our reluctant prophet was swallowed whole, and not chewed or at least bitten, or squashed by the movements of the whale’s inner parts seems highly unlikely if not impossible. But the fact that there was enough air in the belly of the fish for him to breathe and stay alive for three days, seems to me even more impossible.

Some have suggested that Jonah actually died for those three days and was brought back to life. This symbolises Jesus in the tomb. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t.

If Jonah didn’t die, what do you suppose he thought about during three days? We know he prayed because the next verse tells us that. But he did not have much to do except sit and ponder. We supposed he fasted because there was not a lot to eat or drink except what the whale was eating and drinking!! Not a nice thought!!

One of the most wonderful phrases in the Bible is in the verse for today. Now the Lord provided…. In 2 Kings 13:5 we read The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel…. Much later in Biblical history, the Lord provided the ultimate sacrifice when He sent His Son to die in our place.

Action

Praise God that He has amazing “difficult to believe” stories to share with us, even today.

Praise Him that “He provided…” and for His rescue plan for mankind.

Pray for His help in accepting, even if you don’t understand, the Biblical things you find hard to believe. Pray as well for help believing some of the things you hear God is doing across the world today!

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