SWALLOWED BY A FISH

August 25, 2002 PM

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Sermon Outline

Jonah 1:17

INTRO: What child who has attended Bible classes for any length of time does not know about Jonah and His being swallowed by the big fish? Id hazard to say that this is one of the best known of all Bible narratives. But its a bit sad that the whole story of Jonah is not known as well as this one very unusual incident. Too, its so important that as we look at this incident that we see all that we should see in it rather than just the curiosity of the event. So for a few minutes tonight lets think about Jonah ... swallowed by a fish. We see this:

I. AS AN OCCASION OF STUMBLING FOR SOME

A. There are some saying this book proves Bible unreliable

1. they cant explain it in naturalistic terms - no fish could swallow a man or a man couldnt live that long in a fish, etc.

2. so, they decide it never happened

3. then, they judge the Bible to be totally unreliable

B. There are some who say this is just Jewish legend

1. want to be religious; to have belief in God

2. but they are so enamored with intellectual, scientific or liberal community that they must hedge on Jonah

3. do the same thing with theistic evolution

II. AS AN ACT OF GOD

A. The account says that the Lord had prepared

1. book of Jonah filled with immediate hand of God

2. certainly we cannot explain with human knowledge and experience the facts of this verse

3. but the words Lord had prepared is all we really need

B. Where our problems arise?

1. by looking for such a fish ... by speculating in view of the little we know from accumulated knowledge

2. this is an act of God transcending our knowledge, experience

3. one writer simply pointed to Eph 3:20!

III. AS AN ACT OF JUDGMENT

A. This verse says that Jonah would not have his own way

1. God is going to deal with Jonahs rebellion

2. His judgment is impartial Jonahs favored status as a prophet bought him no favors where sin was concerned

3. fortunately, this was not final judgment!

B. But Jonah 1:17 does remind us of that judgment

1. justness of God from the beginning demanded that day

2. Acts 17:30,31a changes in our lives must be made now if we are to escape gods awful wrath then

3. 2 Thes 1:7-10

IV. AS AN ACT OF INSTRUCTION

A. God had a message for Jonah!

1. the point for his is that: he could not flee responsibility; he could not escape his sin; he could still choose to obey

2. we have to realize all that Jonah must have thought when he saw he wasnt going to drown!

3. maybe, just maybe, Ive still got a chance to correct

B. Greatest instruction, though, speaks across centuries

1.some have wondered why book of Jonah is included

2. certainly it isnt prophecy/preaching as Isaiah, etc.

3. but it is profound instruction for us - Rom 15:4

V. AS AN ACT OF GOODNESS

A. Jonah is spared the fate of drowning

1. certainly he is being exposed to severity of God

2. but Gods chastisement (which Id think this is) is also a means of goodness, of deliverance

3. Zech 9:17 For how great is His goodness

B. The essential goodness of God shines throughout this book

1. His sending preacher to Nineveh; His sparing sailors; His changing His mind about destroying Nineveh; His unwillingness to let evil, sin prevail

2. if we choose sin, certainly God must finally punish

3. but look how much goodness He has demonstrated in an effort to turn us from sin (Rom 5:8)

VI. AS A PROPHETIC SIGN

A. We must note Mt 12:38-40

1. now, the book of Jonah does not so identify it

2. but Jesus does

B. By this identification we see book of Jonah is prophecy

1. Jesus places His stamp of authenticity on the book

2. to deny historicity of Jonah is to deny Christ

CLOSE: Yes, the account of Jonahs being swallowed by a great fish is curious. But for Bible believing people it is also a terribly important bit of history.

Cecil A. Hutson

25 August 2002