When Jonah got swallowed by the fish, how did he live without food or water? And after three days, wouldn’t he have already been digested?
These are awesome questions!!! The truth is that this is one of the great mysteries of the Bible and that we may never know the answer until we get to Heaven. There are lots of theories from many respected Bible scholars (people who study the Bible and Bible history) on what happened to Jonah. But we really don’t know how Jonah lived without food or water or why he wasn’t digested.
One of the most interesting theories is that Jonah was actually dead or in the process of dying when he was in the fish’s belly and that he was resurrected by God after three days. The Bible scholars use several parts of the story to support this theory:
• In Jonah 2:2, it says that Jonah cried out from the depths of the grave, or Sheol. Sheol is a Hebrew word for the “place of the dead” and is sometimes referred to as Hades. Bible scholars believe Jonah had drowned and was in Sheol.
• Jonah 2:3-7 makes it sound like he was drowning, especially where it says that seaweed was wrapped around his head and he was sinking to the roots of the mountains.
• Finally in Matthew 12:40, Jesus compares His death and resurrection to that of Jonah when Jesus says, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Now, is that a possible explanation? Yes. Could it also be that God performed a miracle and supernaturally kept Jonah alive in the belly of the fish because God had a bigger plan for Jonah? Yes.
Can we say for sure which is explanation is correct? No, we cannot. BUT, we can say with certainty that the event did happen and that God had a purpose for telling us that story.
The more important aspects of this story are that: 1) You can’t run and hide from God; and 2) God can redeem and restore you even if you try and run and hide from Him. Isn’t it great to know that we have a God who loves us so much that He’s willing to forgive us and give us a second chance?
Showing posts with label Jonah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jonah. Show all posts
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Friday, 14 May 2010
Why did Jesus rise three days later instead of one?
Wow. Interesting question!!! First of all, did you know that there are over 300 Messianic prophesies that Jesus fulfilled? What that means is that in the Old Testament there are over 300 verses that specifically predict Jesus as the Messiah. Of those 300 prophesies, I counted 33 that specifically addressed his betrayal, death and resurrection. Remember, that the last book of the Old Testament was written nearly 400 years before Jesus’ birth!
Unfortunately, the Old Testament scriptures don’t specifically refer to the three-day resurrection. However, Jesus, Himself, predicted that He would be betrayed, crucified and killed then rise on the third day. Take a look at Matthew 12:40, which reads:
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
John 2:19-22 says it this way:
“Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”
The Apostle Paul wrote, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, the following:
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”
But this doesn’t really answer why three days, right? And, quite frankly, I couldn’t find a compelling reason either. There are several theories and I’d like to offer you two that I believe are significant. First, back in the day of Jesus’ death, it was Jewish custom to wait three days before declaring someone dead. I guess they figured after three days in a tomb, you had to be dead and you just weren’t sleeping! So, by coming back to life after three days, Jesus proved that He truly did “rise from the dead.”
Unfortunately, the Old Testament scriptures don’t specifically refer to the three-day resurrection. However, Jesus, Himself, predicted that He would be betrayed, crucified and killed then rise on the third day. Take a look at Matthew 12:40, which reads:
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
John 2:19-22 says it this way:
“Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”
The Apostle Paul wrote, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, the following:
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”
But this doesn’t really answer why three days, right? And, quite frankly, I couldn’t find a compelling reason either. There are several theories and I’d like to offer you two that I believe are significant. First, back in the day of Jesus’ death, it was Jewish custom to wait three days before declaring someone dead. I guess they figured after three days in a tomb, you had to be dead and you just weren’t sleeping! So, by coming back to life after three days, Jesus proved that He truly did “rise from the dead.”
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