Exposition of Jonah, Chapter 1 · Verse 17
Ver. 17.
Now the Lord had prepared a great fiſh to ſwallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fiſh three days and three nights.
Our Saviour calls it a Whale, Mat. 12.40. Jonah was ſo long in the belly of the Whale: Whales and other great fiſhes.Poſſibly it is the Leviathan deſcribed in Job 41. Or, it may be the Crocodile. Hiſtories tell of fiſhes of incredible bigneſs; and our people have ſeen the Grampos, the Sturgeon, the Man-fiſh, the Mermaide, and other: and Navigators have ſeen the Sea-Horſe, the Sea-Bull, and other ſtrange Monſters, and of ſtrange greatneſs. All made by God, and are at his beck, and ſerve to ſet forth his praiſe; ſee Pſal. 104.24, 25 26.
At the Text it is ſaid, that God prepared a great fiſh to ſwallow up Jonah. Here is in wrath mercy: Though God will have his ſervant caſt into the Sea, yet he will not have him drowned in the Sea. No, he loves him better then ſo, and hath more work for him to do; which though he declined at firſt, yet afterward he ſhall be willing to do.
Note how the providence of God reacheth to the bottom of the Sea, and ſwayeth among the fiſhes.Note. God rules ever, fiſhes. He that ſent a wind, and thereby a ſtorm, and afterward cauſed the Sea to ceaſe from her raging, now ſets a fiſh in readineſs to take Jonah to cuſtody, and then reſtore him to land again. So he ſent the fiſh to Peters hook, Mat. 17.27. and a multitude of fiſhes to the Apoſtles nets, Luke 5.4, 9. and John 21.3, 8.
Now bleſs the Lord O my ſoul,Pſal. 103.12. in all places of his dominions; Uſe. 1 Sea, Land, Fire, Air, Clouds, all made by him, and diſpoſed of by him, and all for the good of his Choſen; as thoſe wondred at the huge draught of fiſhes, and ſaith the Text, they knew it was the Lord: none but the Lord could gather thoſe fiſhes together. And it follows, Chriſt gathered them together, therefore Chriſt is God; and accordingly he is to be feared, loved, honored, obeyed in all our courſe of life. Both Creation and gubernation are aſcribed to him, therefore he is God. He made us, Uſe. 2 and he feeds us, therefore he is God.
Pſ. 135.6.Again, it is comfort to the good Subjects of his dominion, that he hath to do, and doth what he will both in Heaven and Earth, and in all deep places. When we travel in waters or occupy buſineſſes in that Element, there he ſits and overrules all. In the great and threatning waves of affliction he orders the Event for good to the faithful, Pſal. 32.6. Surely in the flouds of great waters they ſhall not come nigh unto him. Mat. 8.26, 14, 31. Rev. 20.13.Eſa. 43.2. When thou paſſeſt through the waters, I will be with thee. For the Diſciples he rebuked the wind and ſea, and there was a great calm. And he took up ſinking Peter into the ſhip, and one day the ſea ſhall give up her dead.
There is comfort alſo in the preparations and proviſions that the Lord makes for us both by ſea and land…! He that prepared a great fiſh for Jonah, prepares for us a multitude of fiſhes, both ſmall and great; precious for their uſefulneſs, and pleaſant by their variety; Food, Phyſick, Oil, Bone, abundance of uſes for the enriching of a Nation; whereunto adde, that God firſt taught the art of making ſhips for Navigation: ſo Noah by his inſtruction,Heb. 11.7. prepared an Ark for ſaving himſelf and his Uſe. 3 Family.
And if it be ſo, believe in God for ſupply of all your wants. In all ſtraights ſay as Abraham, God will provide. He that appointed Jonah to be caſt into the ſea, prepared a fiſh to ſave him from drowning. He that ſent a Famine upon Canaan, ſent Joſeph before into Egypt for a Caterer; for us alſo he will provide what is wanting, and ſhall be expedient. Believe it, and beware of the chiding, Why did ye fear becauſe ye brought no bread?
Jonah was in the belly of the fiſt three days and three nights.Miraculous preſervation of Jonah.
Here is miracle upon miracle: A ſtorm raiſed, a calm reſtored, a fiſh prepared for ſafety, a man kept alive in his belly ſo long and no longer, and then ſet on dry land again; wonders! that the fiſh was ſo ready for him, that he eſcaped cruſhing between his teeth which ſtood in great rows as Sawes to knap him aſunder, that the digeſtive force of the fiſhes ſtomack was ſo long reſtrained, that he was not choaked wi…h waters and weeds that came about him; that he was toſt from one ſide of the fiſh to another, that all this while he had no way of free breathing; yet there he was, and there he prayed, and thence he was delivered: Admirable preſervation!
Note the wonderful power of God,Note. And of others. who in the midſt of dangers can preſerve his people, even where no hope of ſafety appears. Jonah in the Whales belly, Iſrael amidſt the red ſea, and in Jordane, with bread from heaven, water out of a rock; one ſute of Apparel to ſerve a man for forty years together; The three Jews to breathe and live in an hot fiery furnace, and come forth again; Daniel to eſcape well enough in the den of Lions; Noah in a world of waters and among all ſorts of beaſts; all came to him, and the wildeſt were made tame, ſo to live with the reſt.
Fables, will an Atheiſt ſay, who can believe?Againſt Atheiſts. or how can theſe things be?
Anſw. 1. Ask ſenſe and experien…e; how lives the Child in the womb for ſome moneths together, where he neither breathes nor takes nouriſhment by the mouth? yet a continual buſineſs, as appears in the Birth of Children.
John 20.29.2. He muſt needs be a groſs Atheiſt, who will believe no more then he ſees. Bleſſed is he that hath not ſeen, and yet hath believed; Spiritual matters are as much above ſenſe for perceiving, as they are for worth. The ſoul is far better then the body, yet not ſeen as the body is; and God who is infinitely better then both.
3. Jeſus Chriſt who is the true and faithful witneſs, hath given teſtimony to this Hiſtory of Jonah and his Whale; that he was three days and three nights in the belly of the fiſh. And whoſoever ſhall infringe the truth of Chriſt in his aſſertions, ſhall never find him a Saviour. A Revenger he ſhall find him, but not a Saviour; The wrath of God abideth on him.
4. Poets and Heathens have a fable of Ariou Methimnaeus carryed by Dolphins along the ſea into his own Countrey; no doubt but ſome glimmering of this Hiſtory of Jonah; Gualter.or rather a fable invented by the Devil to obſcure this Hiſtory, that it ſhould not be credited; as to render the Apoſtles ſuſpicious, he cryed out,Act. 16.17. Theſe are the ſervants of the moſt High God, who ſhew unto us the way of ſalvation.
Uſe. Expect deliverance when leaſt likely.Now remember this againſt times and caſes of very great danger; God is the ſame, and his power is the ſame, and his love, and his care, and his truth, and all his Attributes: and if thou be the ſame with Jonah in faith and holineſſe, thou ſhalt find the ſame protection and deliverance, ſo far as ſhall be good for thee; I am the Lord, I change not.
Object. There is the ſcruple (may ſome ſay) I am no whit like Jonah, that God ſhould ſo take care of me.
Sol.Anſw. 1. The leaſt degree of true faith and holineſs is accepted with God, and ſhall keep the head above water. Peter was a man of little faith, and yet by his little faith he was able to walk upon the ſea; and if he had held faſt his confidence as he began, he ſhould not have ſunk in the leaſt, nor cryed out for help as he did.
2. Though Jonah was a very good man, yet at this time he was very faulty, and in wrath caſt forth into the ſea.Hab 3.2. Only the Lord in wrath remembers mercy toward him, and ſo he will toward thee. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance; no unbelief of ours can make the faith of God of none effect, nor break off the tie between him and a believing ſoul.
Oh but my caſe is very grievous! Object. A devouring evil lies upon me.
Anſw. Thy caſe is not worſe then Jonahs caſe was;Sol. he was devoured by a Whale, and this devourer was the means of his preſervation:Judg. 14.14. Out of the eater came meat, and out of the ſtrong came ſweetneſs. Thou ſayeſt I ſee no likely means of my deliverance; no more did Jonah; and yet he is delivered, even in a way quite contrary. God ſaves by means, without means, above means, or againſt means.
Oh but mine is a tedious affliction,Ob. Sol. it hath lain long upon me, and now what hope remains? Anſw. 1. Jonah was in the Whales belly three days and three nights; no doubt but that he had ſad thoughts all that while what would become of him; he was not concocted by the Whale, nor ever likely to get to land again; yet at laſt was reſtored, and ſo mayeſt thou be.
2. Lazarus was dead four days, and began to ſtink, yet was raiſed up to life as before. Four days, or four moneths, or four years are nothing to God who delivers when he pleaſeth. To us men lingring diſeaſes or other evils are terrible, but to our God they are as nothing to hinder deliverance.
3. Thoſe that have lien in their graves four or five thouſand years, ſhall be raiſed of God as eaſily as they that were buried the day before: which is made an Emblem of deliverance that ſeemed hopeleſs, Ezek. 37. with Hoſ. 6.1, 2.
4. It hath been the caſe of Gods Children to lie under the burthen of afflictions for ſundry years together.Luk. 13. Pſ. 88.15. A Daughter of Abraham was bound to Satan eighteen years; Heman from his youth ſuffered the terrors of God with a troubled mind. The Church was ſeventy years in the captivity of Bab…lon, 430 in Egypt. The ten Tribes (which yet have promiſes) are not returned home after 2300 years.
Be quiet therefore, and hope perfectly or to the end: remembring theſe three things. 1. Patient waiting muſt put us in poſſeſſion of the promiſes, Pſal. 40.1. I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined his ear unto me. And the old Believers, by faith and patience inherited the premiſes, Heb. 6.12. 2. Gods appointed time which is the beſt time, ſhall never fail us, Hab. 2.3. The viſion is yet for an appointed time, at laſt it will speak and not lye. 3 A thouſand years to God are but as one day, nor will he be ſlack concerning his promiſes, 2 Pet. 3.9. And it hath been ſaid, Every thing is beautiful in his own ſeaſon.
But let us a little look to our Type:
Note. Chriſt three bays in the houſe of deathAs Jonah three days and three nights was in the belly of this great fiſh, ſo Chriſt for ſo long time was in the bowels of the earth: It is a Simile of his own framing, Mat. 12.40. And the third day he roſe again from the dead, 1 Cor. 15.4. and this according to the Scriptures; namely of theſe Types, of Jonah, who for three days was given for dead; of Iſaac, who in the purpoſe of his Father was ſo long offered up unto God; of Joſeph, Samſon, David, who were ſhadows of Chriſt, firſt in ſuffering, then in recovering: whereunto we may adde thoſe predictions, Pſal. 16 10 Thou wilt not ſuffer thy Holy One to ſee corruption, and Eſa. 53.10, 11, 12. When thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, he ſhall prolong his days, &c. and his own predictions, Mat. 17.23. they ſhall kill him, and the third day he ſhall be raiſed again.
Adde theſe reaſons alſo:
1. Chriſt ſo lon. lay in the grave, that it might appear Reaſ. 1 he was truly dead: that he might fully ſatisfie the juſtice, and appeaſe the wrath of God; that he might ſhew the curſed nature of ſin, which ſo long held the only God under the power of death and the grave, and that he might overcome death and the Devil in his own hou…e: When himſelf was at weakeſt, and they in their full ſtrength, yet he got out of their hands well enough at the time appointed.
2 He lay no longer then three days, becauſe the deſired Reaſ. 2 ſatisfaction was given, that the Holy One of God might not ſee corruption, that he might provide for the weak faith of his Diſciples, who began to ſtag…er; that he might ſet more fully to do the work of a Mediator,Fruits of Chriſts reſurrection. and might apply to us the great fruits and benefits of his Reſurrection; ſuch as theſe, 1. Forgiveneſs of ſins, 1 Cor. 15.17. If Chriſt be not raiſed, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your ſins; and they who are fallen aſleep in Chriſt are periſhed. 2. Full juſtification, Rom. 4.25. He roſe again for our juſtification. 3. Hope to God-ward, 1 Pet. 1.3. By the Reſurrection of Chriſt from the dead ye are born again to a l…vely hope; and ver. 21. ye believe in God who raiſed him up from the dead, and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God. 4. Regeneration to be planted together in the likeneſs of his reſurrection; we ſhall alſo live with him; dead indeed unto ſin, but alive unto God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom 6.5, 8, 11. See alſo Eph. 2.4, 5, 6. 5. Reſurrection of the body, 1 Cor. 15.20, 21▪ now is Chriſt riſen from the dead, and become the firſt fruits of them that ſleep; for ſince by man came death, by man came alſo the reſurrection of the dead.
All which is matter of great comfort to all true Believers: Uſe. 1 Chriſt is riſen, and they with him, and are advanced to all the dignity which he hath attained, Chriſts reſurrection was the firſt degree of his exaltation, after all that humiliation wherewith he was humbled: Aſcenſion followed, and ſeſſion, and interceſſion, and powerful application of all his purchaſe, all for the Elect, and yields them ſtrong conſolation.
Uſe. 2 Phil. 20.Only …et them remember to magnifie Chriſt in life and death, as one that ſtouped ſo low in their behalf; and as one that had power to raiſe up himſelf, which Jonah could not do, John 10.18. I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up again; and as one that by his reſurrection was mightily declared to be the Son of God, Rom. 1.4 and as one that is now highly advanced above every Name, Cap 2.9.ſo as every knee must bow unto him; and by his reſurrection obtained a ſpecial right to us, that we ſhould be wholly his, and for his ſervice chap. 14.9. he therefore dyed, and roſe again, and revived, that he m…ght be Lord of quick and dead.
Which while we ſtudy, we ſhall attain as the benefit of Chriſts reſurrection, ſo alſo the vertue and power which ſtands in holineſs and heavenly-mindedneſs, Phil. 3.8, 9, 10. and Col. 3.1, 2.