Just believe that God did use real people in this story on jonah and the big fish this was a time when God did a miracle to show that he is a for given God and will give you another chance to get it righ.
My comment was a question-Did Jesus use real people in His Parables? Chapter one showed Jonah running away from his assignment that Elohim God had given him, because of un-forgiveness. In the past the Assyria King took the Northern Kingdom into Captivity which was call "Samaria. " Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. Jonah was one of the first Missionary-Prophet who was call to go to a Gentile nation to preach against the sin of that city.
a teacher I knew when I ask a question about the Bible would answer me with a question. My question is "Did Jesus use real people when He taught parables? "
I think the story of Jonah is a parable relating to WW3. The word Jonah means Dove. A dove is a symbol of Peace so when you read the word Jonah use the word peace because that is what is being talked about. Peace was to cry to Nineveh that their wickedness would be destroyed, that war would happen. Peace fled and war erupted. The sea is the symbol of the nations of the world in tempest, conflict. The whale or Great Fish represents the nations that cause WW3. When peace is in the belly of the whale for 3 days that represents the place where all is digested to supply the needs of the nations involved. The WW3 peace treaty will take 3 days to draw up and be agreed upon. Then Peace will be vomited onto land meaning yes, there will be Peace terms but the result will make everyone sick. No one will want the Peace terms. Peace would rather not exist at all than have to exist in those agreed upon terms. Nineveh will always be split into two factions never agreeing and the question to Peace is should they all die?
Jonah had a specific called to ministry however He refused to operate in that calling. Like Jonah many of us has a specific calling from God but we allowed the cares of the world to encompass us and we remain dormant. If we are not careful we too will get a wake up call. when Jonah finally comply, an entire nation repented. In like manner our obedience to Gods calling can impact the world.
Jonah represents many of a persons life story. There are times we all can remember that we did things our way knowing well enough that God does not want us to do that. The surprising fact of the matter is we go so far from our life and pre destination that God has no alternative than "give us a big bang on the head ".
JESUS said in matthew 12 40 that as Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the whales belly so shall the son of man be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth. so it was a whale that swallowed Jonah.
if you stay "in his presence ",you are assured of his covering but if you wantonly flee like what Jonah did then GOD will expose you to other forces in a bid to bring you back into his presence,to live again according to his purpose and plan.All this is meant to protect and not to destroy you.He loved Jonah,Niniveh and us too.
To Sue 's Jonah chapter one comment of 7 22 2014 it was a big whale that swallowed Jonah. My Greek Bible says so . In Greek it is written "megalo kito " .searching in the internet , I found out that the hebrew old Testament word used for it is "dahg " . It couldn 't have just been a simple fish. It must have been a huge sea creature, like a whale.
Gladwin Jonah was from Gath Hepher, Gath Hepher was three miles north of Nazareth in lower Galilee, therefore Jonah was a Galilean. During this time of Jonah, the nation of Isreal enjoyed such prosperity that they developed selfish nationalistic attitudes. Even Jonah was affected by this narrow minded spirit. Prompting God to having teach His chosen servant a series of important life lessons.. God is of no respect of person when it comes to mercy and the forgiveness of sin.
Jonah chapter 1 17. This is were the word prepared comes in. God foreseen Jonah 's disobedience and made sure that the digestive system of the whale would not consumed him.
From the start God called Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to preach to the people about their sins He disobeyed God and went his disobedient way God sent a big fish to gulp him up I think this was an eye opener for Jonah to give him a chance to understand that we cannot hide from God
"each man cried to his own god." This sounds like the common 'foxhole conversion' syndrome. These men were just common sailors so often known and caricatured as blasphemers profane to excess, but here they were reduced to religious expression, no longer a unit in coarse talking. Each one became as an individual expressing his extreme fear and calling to his own God, whether a rabbits foot or
lucky medallion, an image of some animal carried in their sea bag. They each had their idea of a god to call on BUT they had n real confidence it it. They had an immediate impression in the presence of Jonah that he had the real thing and he wasn't calling, he was running even before they were in any trouble.
, lucky stone
Just how Jonah suffered the consequence of his disobedience in the belly of the fish, so, there coming a day when sinners will suffer the consequence of their sins in the belly of the Lake of Fire forever.
Sadly chapter 1 is all about Jonah and his attempts to take care of himself even at the risk of others. Notice he only admits he is the problem after the lot falls on him.
Its about Jonah but more so about the great love of God this is about God's mercy how far God will go to bring us to a place where its no where to run. Where its just you and him. Gently rebuked Jonah goes forth to deliver a message that was with personal conviction
Jonah died in the belly of the whale, as Jesus said just as Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son of man be three days and nights in the heart of the earth. This was a resurrection, and Jonah did not look any differently than when he was swallowed by the whale. The people repented at the preaching of Jonah, and one greater than Jonah is preaching to us today. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thine household. Praise God our redeemer lives, and because He lives, we shall live also.
I heard a minister a few years ago on television, teach that when Jonah came out of the fish, the stomach acid from the fish, took all of Jonah's hair. His skin was red, and sensitive to the sun. Is that anywhere in the study of Jonah?
lucky medallion, an image of some animal carried in their sea bag. They each had their idea of a god to call on BUT they had n real confidence it it. They had an immediate impression in the presence of Jonah that he had the real thing and he wasn't calling, he was running even before they were in any trouble.
, lucky stone