The Gospel in the Old TestamentVzorec

The story of Jonah is among the most well-known stories in the Old Testament. It is also one of the most fascinating.

You know the story. God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh and call them to repentance. Jonah chose to disobey God and traveled the other way instead. While he was at sea, a storm came up. The men on Jonah’s ship threw him overboard, and he was swallowed by a great fish. On the third day, the fish vomited him onto dry land (gross!). Then, Jonah went to Nineveh and obeyed God. The city of Nineveh turned from their sin and followed the Lord as a result.

If you continue in the story, you will see Jonah’s failure again. Rather than being happy for the Ninevites, he threw a fit and whined about God showing mercy to those evil people.

A few centuries later, Jesus made a reference to “the sign of Jonah.” Exactly what was this sign of Jonah? First of all, Jesus said, “For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the Earth three days and three nights.” Jonah’s time in the belly of the fish was symbolic of Christ’s Death and Resurrection.

But the symbolism goes even deeper than that. When Jonah got onto dry land, he immediately went and proclaimed Salvation to the city of Nineveh. This city contained some of the most brutally violent people in the world. Jonah clearly considered Ninevites to be the scum of the Earth. Yet God’s Salvation was for them, just as it was for the Israelites.

Likewise, after the Resurrection of Christ, the Lord made it abundantly clear that God’s Salvation is for everyone. That included the Gentiles (which blew the minds of the early disciples). It also included a Church-hating man named Saul of Tarsus (who became the apostle Paul). It has included murderers and adulterers and idolaters throughout history. God’s Salvation is for everyone.

Have you ever felt that you were beyond saving? Have you felt that way about a family member or a co-worker? Jesus died and rose again to offer Grace and Mercy to anyone who will turn in faith and trust Him for Salvation. Praise the Lord for the sign of Jonah!