1010. What Jonah Says About Christ As King

What Jonah Says About Christ As King

"And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land" (Jon_2:10)

Now we come to Jonah, and you at once will say there is nothing in this Book concerning Israel. However, we will find out. It is not written out plainly as in the other Books. But, as Hosea was a type and picture of Israel, so also does Jonah appear to be. Follow me in the symbolism of this history of the runaway Prophet.

1. There was the call of Jonah, to go unto Nineveh; so was the call to the children of Israel to go to the nations. In Israel, all the nations were to be blessed.

2. Jonah was disobedient; Israel was disobedient, and failed her God.

3. Jonah was in dire distress–a storm was sent after Jonah. A storm was sent after Israel–she was punished and rebuked time and again.

4. Jonah, in his distress held to his "one God" and his nationality; so has Israel clung to her "one God" and to her nationality.

5. Jonah was thrown overboard, into the sea; Israel has been cast out among the nations.

6. Jonah being overboard, the people aboard ship, feared God; the casting off of Israel brought salvation to the Gentiles.

7. A great fish swallowed Jonah, but Jonah lived; Israel swallowed up of the nations has never lost her identity: she is swallowed but undigested–this is the miracle of the ages.

8. Jonah cried to God from the whale's belly; Israel will cry out for mercy, and repentance shall come to her nationally.

9. Jonah is vomited forth upon the land; Israel will be restored to her own land, and possess it.

10. Jonah was re-commissioned and sent to Nineveh; Israel will be sent to the world as a preacher of righteousness.

11. Nineveh repents; the earth will become full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

Now, some one reading this may say, "God never meant to teach all this through Jonah's experiences." Well, you will grant us, at least, that what we have said of Jonah is true, and the parallelisms told of Israel are true. Then, to say the least, the symbolism is striking, and God must have made it so. Things like this do not "just happen." Surely the Spirit was speaking to us in more than one way when Jonah wrote his Book. Jonah teaches us that Israel will be restored–and the other Prophets teach that Christ will then be their King.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR