For this study and meditation we will read, Jonah 1:17, “When Jonah fell into the sea, the LORD chose a very big fish to swallow Jonah. He was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights.” (ERV)
When Jonah disobeyed God, and voyaged in the opposite direction to the place God bid him to go, God sent a severe storm. It became evident to the ship’s crew that Jonah was the wrong-doer, and when Jonah was thrown into the sea at his own bidding, the sea became completely calm. Everyone on the ship, including Jonah must have assumed that it was the end for Jonah, but as Jonah fell into the deep sea, God had prepared a huge fish to swallow him up. Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of that big fish.
This was what Jonah did from inside the fish’s tummy as we read in Jonah 2:1, “Then Jonah made prayer to the Lord his God from the inside of the fish, and said,” (BBE)
Though Jonah was inside the belly of that fish for three full days and nights, it seemed that the hardness of his heart continued. Must have been dingy and dark inside the belly of the fish, the smell totally unpleasant, but in spite of these gruesome conditions, Jonah did not seem to have felt any remorse. It took three full days and nights for Jonah to actually feel penitent and sorrowful for his disobedience.
The grueling days that Jonah spent inside the fish’s belly, is a reminder to us too, that as long as we too continue in our sinful ways without repentance, there will be no change in our circumstances.
We read in the latter part of Psalm 119:144… “Give me understanding, that I may live.” (ESV) We must ask God to give us understanding to realize where we have failed and set things right, so we can live as God wants us to live.
I would like to share a few examples of people from the bible who like Jonah had to go through a hard time before they too got back to God.
The judge who lost it all
God called Samson to be a judge for the people of Israel. However, Samson did not perceive God’s great purpose for his life, but lived his life only to fulfill the desires of his heart. When Samson forgot the purpose for which God called him, the outcome was that he was trapped by his enemies, and had a most agonizing time of his life. Samson lost his eyes, his strength and the honor that was duly his.
We read in Judges 16:21,“The Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he ground at the mill in the prison.” (WEB)
Even though Samson was in a deplorable condition, where he was blinded, fettered and made to grind in a mill, it didn’t seem that Samson had a repentant heart even then.
You might have heard some people say that they want to live their lives according to the aspirations of their own hearts. I would like to remind such people that God has called each one of us to accomplish His purposes for our lives, and not for us to live any way we want. Whenever we do wrong, it is crucial that we recognize our mistakes and set them right immediately, or else we will keep going down the wrong path of regression. If we are willing to confess our sins to God, He is ever willing to help us and bring about transformation in our lives.
We read in Judges 16:27, “Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them.” (NLT)
Samson, the mighty man of God, who was chosen to be a judge and a deliverer for the people of God, who was also endowed with unimaginable strength and anointing of God, was now the object of scorn and ridicule as he stood before his enemies. The reason for Samson’s predicament was that he set his eyes on the little pleasures of life and lusted after them. The reason for Samson’s pathetic condition was that he had the misunderstanding that he could continue his sinful life, and yet would have God’s Spirit remain on him to be a triumphant leader.
The rebellious young man
We read of another young man in the New Testament in Luke 15. This is what it says about him in Luke 15:15, “So he got a job from someone in that country and was sent to feed pigs in the fields.”(GW)
This young man was one who thought he would be happier if he walked away from his father. His father was a very wealthy man, who had two sons. This younger boy decided to move out on his own, got his father to divide the property and give him his share. This behavior of that young man was not one that happened by chance, but was a deliberate plan of his, to rebel against his father. It is quite probable that he might have been instigated by his friends to do this, but one thing was sure, he was not wanting to stay under the authority and discipline of his father.
We read in Luke 15:13, "A few days later the younger son gathered up all that he had and left. He traveled far away to another country, and there he wasted his money living like a fool.” (ERV)
The wealth that they young man procured from his father was not his own, but was his father’s hard earned money. Not only did the young man take the wealth and leave, he also squandered all of the money in wasteful living.
Honor your father and mother
Anyone who does not honor their father and mother, can be certain that the condition of this young man will be theirs as well. We may be more educated or earn far more than our parents ever did, but under no circumstance should we fail to honor our parents.
We read in Proverbs 20:20, “Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.” (ERV)
The above mentioned verse describes a lamp being snuffed out so that it can give no light whatsoever. In earlier days, people only had lamps to light up their houses at night. If that flame should go off, the entire house would plunge into total darkness. This we can compare today to someone pulling off the fuse. This is what is will happen to those who curse their father or mother, they will be overtaken by darkness in their lives with no clarity, and will be made to stumble along the way. It is crucial therefore that we give our parents the due respect, and never speak to them or treat them with disrespect.
We read in Proverbs 20:21, “The inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing.” (DRB)
Observe closely as to how verses 20 and 21 from Proverbs 20 aptly describe the hazardous situation that the young prodigal son found himself in. The young man dishonored his father, and got the portion of his inheritance which should have been his only after his father’s demise. By receiving this wealth hastily, the young man lost it all in no time.
There are many children who want to acquire their parent’s property while they are still living. Here’s the word of caution to such that such inheritance that is claimed too soon, will certainly not be blessed in the end.
The young man’s pathetic condition
We read in Luke 15:16, “No one would give him anything, even though he would gladly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating.” (ISV)
This was the deplorable condition that the young man found himself in. A place of utter poverty and unbearable hunger that made him long to eat the pods that the pigs ate.
As we look at the lives of Jonah, Samson and the prodigal son, we see a striking similarity. Jonah experienced a darkness in the belly of the fish, Samson experienced a physical blindness because his eyes were gouged out, and the prodigal son faced the darkness of intense poverty and hunger. We as children of God must be reminded that when we do things that do not please the Lord, most certainly darkness will surround our lives.
The King who had to be convicted
Let me share about the life of David who was the King of Israel. The Lord had elevated David, and bestowed on him honor and wealth. However, when David fell into the sin of adultery with Bathsheba, he committed various other sins to cover up his wrong doing. He even plotted against Bathsheba’s husband Uriah, and got him killed in battle. David thought he covered his tracks well, and continued to reign on his throne with no sense of remorse. David had to face the consequence of his sins and this was responsible for the decline in David’s life. Sadly, David too for a long time did not repent, had dulled his conscience, and lived without any remorse or regret until confronted by the prophet of God.
We must ask God to keep our hearts sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirt, be willing to repent and change as soon as we are convicted by God. Every day we are faced with so many temptations, and should we fall, we should not remain where we are. We should seek God and must turn back to Him. If we do not do this, one sin will lead to the other, and we will end up in a deplorable place of no return.
Jonah called out to God after three days and nights
The reason Jonah was surrounded by utter darkness, in the belly of the fish was his refusal to have this sense of conviction for his disobedience. Jonah was not chosen by God to experience this trauma in the belly of the fish. If he had obeyed God, and gone to Nineveh as God bid him to, he would not have landed up in this predicament. Jonah might have assumed that he would be digested and destroyed in the belly of the fish, and that his life would be over. It took three full days and nights for Jonah to come to that place of penitence and repentance. Only on the third day, Jonah called out to the Lord.
The young man came to his senses
We read in Luke 15:17, “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!” (NLT)
This young man too came to his senses, when he was at the end of himself, had no money or food to satisfy his intense hunger. When he realized that he could not even get what the pigs got, he realized all that he had forfeited by rebelling and walking out on his father. When he got convicted deep inside his heart, only then he decided to get back to his father’s house. This predicament that the young man found himself in, was his own making, as he chose to rebel against his father, took his portion of the property prematurely, squandered all of it in riotous living, and brought himself to a state of utter penury and hunger. The famine in the country forced him to take up the job of being a keeper of pigs. It was in such dire straits that the young man understood all that he had forfeited in his father’s house, and decided to get back to his father with a humble and contrite heart. He realized that while he was in a most despicable condition, the servants in his father’s house had a much better life. The young man arose, went back to his father’s house, got reconciled back to his father and was restored back to his position as son. The change took place only when there was a conviction of sin and wrong doing.
David repented when confronted by the prophet
David continued on his throne and God must have waited hoping David would repent. When David continued on with no remorse, the Lord had to send his prophet to confront David and pointed out his sins, which ultimately led to his heart-felt repentance. It was this total penitence before God that led David to write Psalm 51, asking God to create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit within him.
As children of God, many people are continuing their lives with no sense of conviction for their sins. If you are doing things that God does not approve of, are faced with consequences for the same, but still feel no remorse about it, be sure that this will lead you to a worse situation than the one you are in.
Samson cried out to the Lord
Samson initially lost his eyes, was made to grind in prison, and then was the object of ridicule for his enemies who jeered and made fun of him. It was at this point of total desperation and dejection that Samson cried out to the Lord.
We read in Judges 16:28, “And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember member me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”(ERV)
This was the prayer in Samson’s final moments, and God looked on him with compassion. The Lord heeded Samson’s prayer, and helped him avenge his enemies who tortured and ridiculed him.
Satan wants us to believe his lie that when we fall into sin there is no hope for us, and that we cannot be restored back again. We must remember that our God is a loving Father who is eagerly waiting for us to return back to Him, so He can forgive, renew and rebuild our broken lives.
The father waited for his son’s return
The young prodigal went away, not sure for how long, and lost everything he had. However, the day he repented and returned, his loving father was still waiting for him. As we read Luke 15 we understand that the father did not go searching for his son, did not plead with his son to not go away, but the heart of the father was eagerly awaiting his return. While the son was still a long way off on his way back, the father ran towards him, lovingly embraced him and restored him back to his position as son.
Our Father in heaven is waiting for everyone who has gone astray to return back to Him. We must come to God, and believe that He can change our situation no matter how difficult it seems.
When Samson called out to God, God had mercy on him, strengthened him and gave his victory in his last moments. The prodigal son messed it up big time, but the love of his father did not diminish in any way and he joyfully accepted him back to himself.
There is one point we should note however, and that is the fact that though God accepts us back to Himself, often our sinful rebellion makes us lose out on much, most of which cannot be restored back again. Let me explain this to you. When Jonah disobeyed God, he put all the people aboard that ship in a quandary. The people lost their peace, the ship was battered, cargo was lost, time was lost and the crew had to expend so much more energy to get the ship to be on course. Jonah himself had the most horrible experience inside the belly of a big fish. So also the prodigal son lost all the wealth that was rightfully his, and came back home a total pauper. Samson who was the judge of Israel, lost his anointing, his strength, his eyes and the authority that God had endowed upon him. It is therefore important that before the losses become too many that we repent of our sins and get back to God. God will restore and rebuild our lives for sure, but He is looking for that sensitive heart that is willing to change, and let go of all that displeases Him.
We read in Jonah 2:1, “Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,” (Webster) It was when Jonah had come to the end of himself that he called on the Lord, and the Lord graciously spared Jonah.
Let me conclude with the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 119:144… “Give me understanding, that I may live.” (ESV) May God grant us a heart of understanding and conviction that we will always choose to please God in every decision we take. When we do so, the Lord will bless us and will certainly change our circumstances, and raise us up to be a blessing to others.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
