Title: Jonah's Prayer (Jonah 2:1-4)
Contents
Jonah's Prayer (Jonah 2:1-4)
When you think of ‘Jonah’, you think of the city of Nineveh. Nineveh is the capital of the Assyrian Empire. This Assyrian Empire was an enemy that had tormented the Israelites for 1000 years. God said to the prophet Jonah, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it. for their wickedness has come up before me” (Jon 1:2). However, the prophet Jonah did not go to Nineveh because of national feelings, but boarded a boat going to Tarshish to escape the presence of the Lord. God caused a great wind in the sea, and the ship was in danger of being wrecked by the storm. It was a storm caused by Jonah. The people on the boat cast lots to find out who caused this calamity, but Jonah was chosen. So the prophet Jonah was thrown into the sea and spent three days and three nights in the belly of a big fish, praying to God. Jonah's prayer just before death
First, it was a prayer of repentance.
“Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called to the LORD because of my affliction, and you answered me. I cried out from the belly of Sheol, and you heard my voice.” Verses 1,2) The way we receive God's grace in a crisis situation, the way of escape and the way of resolution is through repentance. However, if we blame each other while saying “for whom”, there is no forgiveness and mercy from God, and there is no way to escape. Jonah realized what he had done wrong and repented thoroughly before God. Even though you have done something wrong, when you realize your mistake, repent, and repent, please believe that God is merciful and grants you grace.
According to 1 Kings 8:37-39, if there is a famine or pestilence in this land, if the grain withers or rots, if locusts or locusts grow, if an enemy country comes and surrounds the city, or if there is any plague or any disease, Regardless of whether one person or all of Your people Israel, every one of you realizes the calamity in your heart, and opens your hands toward this temple and makes any prayer or any supplication, the Lord hears you from heaven and forgives you.
Repentance (悔改) means realizing one's sins and throwing them away. “He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). Many people are very good at repenting. But it doesn't fix it well. We must learn to correct what we have repented of. If you think you shouldn't go, you have to turn around, if you eat something you shouldn't eat, you have to vomit, and if you say something you shouldn't, you have to gag your mouth next time. Please believe that God grants forgiveness and mercy to those who repent and heal. In Job 22:23 it is said, “If you return to the Almighty and put away iniquity from your tent, it will rise again.” In any case, those who throw away what they throw away and take what they take are blessed. Some people take what is to be thrown away, and there are people who live on the contrary, throwing away what is to be taken.
French writer Rousseau said, 'Be ashamed of your sins. But do not be ashamed to repent of your sins.” Absolute repentance is nothing to be ashamed of. The English philosopher John Locke said, "Education makes a gentleman, reading makes a character, and repentance makes a perfect man."
Second, it was a prayer that transcended the domination of the environment.
“I have descended to the root of the mountains, and the earth has long kept me with its bars; but you, O LORD my God, rescued my life from the pit.” (Jon 2:6) Wherever God prays in any place He hears all those prayers. Prayer transcends the domination of circumstances. Jonah prayed before God even in the belly of the fish. Prayer is something you can do anywhere. Some people say that if you go to the bathroom, you can memorize the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer. Some people say that they forgot the needle and prayed to find it. Because God answers all our prayers, we must pray without becoming discouraged in any crisis situation.
Third, it was a prayer that confessed hope.
“I said, ‘Even though I have been cast out of your sight, I will look to your temple again’” (verse 4). I prayed with hope that I would return to my hometown and look at the temple of God.
When we are discouraged, we hear despairing words, when we are sick, we moan, we complain because we are unfair, and because there are people who give us pain, there are words of resentment. But true prayer is prayer that confesses hope. I hope you will pray a lot of confessing your hope. For example, ‘Lord, I definitely believe that God will protect our lives, protect us, and secure our future.’ Try praying like this. Then the Lord will answer you, “It shall be done according to your faith.”
There are several hopes God has given us. ① It is a living hope. “God, according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3) ② Blessed hope (Titus 2:13). The world can be a blessing or a disaster. Glory can be a shame. But for those of us who believe in Jesus, hope itself is a blessed hope. The future shines brighter than it is now, and it shines brighter in heaven than in the world. ③ It is the hope of salvation. “Because we belong to the day, let us be sober, put on the breastplate of faith and love, and put on the helmet of hope of salvation” (1 Thessalonians 5:8) ④ The hope of eternal life. “Because of the hope of eternal life. This eternal life was promised by God, who never lies” (Titus 1:2).
Fourth, it was a prayer of thanksgiving.
“I will offer sacrifices to you with a voice of thanksgiving, and pay my vows to you. Salvation comes from the Lord.” (Jon 2:9) Jonah disobeyed God's word and fled, but drowned in the sea. He prayed to thank God for saving him through a large fish. Also, although he was locked in a dark stomach and was in a situation where he would not be able to go out, or maybe even forever, he looked at the conditions to be thankful for and prayed with faith to God who would protect his life. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” In particular, when we worship, we must say a prayer of thanks.
Fifth, it was a prayer in which he vowed his future to God.
“I will offer sacrifices to you with a voice of thanksgiving, and pay my vows to you. Salvation comes from the Lord.” (Jon 2:9) Jonah prayed, vowing his future to God that if he had another chance, he would go to Nineveh and preach God's message. God heard Jonah's prayer, and he went to Nineveh to preach God's message. “As Jonah entered the city, and immediately traveled a day’s journey, he cried out, saying, In forty days Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4,5) )
In 1 Samuel 1:10-11, “Hannah was troubled in her heart, and she prayed to the Lord, wept and vowed a vow, saying, O Lord of hosts, if you will look on the affliction of your maidservant and remember me, and will not forget your maidservant, give him, and I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor will come upon his head.” God heard Hannah's prayer and gave her a son.
Dear saints, Jonah was on the verge of death in the belly of a fish, but he was victorious by praying a prayer of repentance, a prayer that transcends the control of circumstances, a prayer of confession of hope, a prayer of thanksgiving, and a prayer of vowing his future to God. In the name of Jesus, I pray that you will not despair or lose heart in any crisis situation and that you will be victorious by praying to God like Jonah.