I have occasionally invited retreat groups to use their imagination to enter into a Bible story. I’m not sure this part of Jonah’s story would be suitable though. Not everyone could cope with the graphic imagery it might suggest!

It is instructive to see how God engineered circumstances to bring the reluctant prophet to a place where he could face up to his own inner reality, first through the storm (1:4) and then through the huge fish (1:17). There in the darkness of the belly of the fish Jonah is alone, confronted by God and his own hardness of heart.

Jonah was there for three days and nights. It seems to suggest a resurrection-type experience where he is called to die to his own will and ways, and let go of his prejudices (2:7–9). Only then can he come forth from the darkness into the light of a new day and a second chance (2:10).

The mercy of God is not just for wicked Ninevites, but also reaches disobedient and stubborn prophets. It means there is always a way back and a chance to recalibrate our hearts.

‘If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.’¹ How has God met you, in highs and lows?

Contrary to popular belief, SOS, recognised as an international distress signal since 1908, is not an abbreviation for ‘Save Our Ship’ or ‘Save Our Souls’ – although these terms may seem appropriate, since it has saved many ships and lives!² In chapter 1, God had saved a ship from being wrecked and he provided a huge fish to save Jonah from drowning (v 17). From within the belly of the fish, Jonah gratefully recalls how God had responded to his SOS (v 2). 

Jonah’s running from God is depicted as a gradual going ‘down’: down to Joppa, down into a Tarshish-bound ship, then down to the lowest part of the ship.³ Now, going lower still, he ‘sank down’ to the ocean bed (v 6). When you hit rock bottom, the only way is up! Sensing that ‘life was ebbing away’, Jonah ‘remembered’ God and sent up a distress signal (v 7). Was Jonah’s SOS a despairing cry to save his skin or a contrite plea to save his soul? Jonah’s prayer (vs 2–9) contains acknowledgement of his hopeless plight and gratitude for God’s salvation, but does it demonstrate real repentance? 

Medieval theologians distinguished between attrition (sorrow over sin due to fear of God’s punishment) and contrition (sorrow over sin because it has grieved a loving God). Although Jonah declares that ‘Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit God’s love for them’ (v 8), he fails to confess that he himself had turned away from God’s command. He sees ‘specks’ in other eyes while ignoring the ‘plank’ in his own!⁴ Despite vows to offer ‘grateful praise’ and ‘sacrifice’ (v 9), there is no confession of sin, no expression of contrition, no commitment to change. Jonah affirms that ‘salvation comes from the Lord’ (v 9), but he still grudges the Ninevites God’s salvation.⁵

Evaluate the graciousness and generosity of your grace-giving against the benchmark of God’s grace in your life. How do you rate?

¹ Ps 139:8  ² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOS  ³ Jonah 1:3,5, NKJV  ⁴ Matt 7:3  ⁵ See Jonah 4:1–4