Thus by the resurrection of Christ were the hopes of a ruined world revived. Not only was the ministry of our Lord himself renewed, but all his Apostles also received afresh their commission to preach the Gospel to every creature. Could the Ninevites have foreseen the effect of Jonah's deliverance, how would their hearts have leaped for joy ! And well may all the nations of the earth rejoice in the tidings of a risen Saviour, through whom repentance and remission of sins are preached, and by whom the most abandoned of sinners may be brought to God.]
3. Its ultimate success —
[Wonderful indeed was the effect of Jonah's ministrations ! and we may well suppose that the relation of his miraculous preservation and deliverance contributed in no small degree to the success of his mission. The people of Nineveh would necessarily conclude, that he was sent of God, and that the denunciations delivered by him would be fulfilled.
And was not this the effect of Christ's resurrection ? The very point which all the Apostles most insisted on, was this : " they preached Jesus and the Resurrection :" they preached, " that he died according to the Scriptures, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." From hence the in- ference was clear that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Saviour of the world : and so rapidly did this truth prevail, that in one day there were converted to him three thousand souls ; and, in a very short space of time, the whole Roman empire was filled with his acknowledged followers.]
We may learn from hence,
1. On what a firm basis our religion stands —
[The sign which above all others our blessed Lord laid the greatest stress upon, was his fulfilling of this type. Though he gave innumerable proofs of his divine mission, yet it was to this chiefly, yea, to this only, that he referred the confirmed sceptics. He said, in fact, " I shall die, and rise again the third day without seeing corruption, and shall live for ever- more, to perfect the work assigned me. If I rise on the third day, then you will know that I am the Messiah : if I do not, I am contented that you shall account me an impostor." Now, brethren, you know the means which his enemies used to prevent any collusion among his disciples ; yea, and how in- credulous his disciples themselves were ; and consequently, you are sure that he did indeed rise, and that all which God hath spoken by him, or of him, is true ; it is true that the impenitent and unbelieving shall perish ; but that " all who believe in him shall be justified from all things."]
2. What has been done for every believer —
1200.] Jonah's reflections in the whale's belly. 261
[Though Jonah stands alone in his particular line of expe- rience, there is not a believer whose soul has not been in as perilous a condition as Jonah himself was at the bottom of the sea; nor one who has not obtained deliverance by the very same means, humiliation and prayer. The experience of David was not unlike to Jonah's e; and that of the Church of old is painted in expressions precisely similar to those in the chapter before usf. Happy, happy they, who have obtained mercy of the Lord, and can thus attest the efficacy of believing prayer ! Let not your feelings, brethren, be forgotten ; but get them written in the tablet of your hearts ; and let your ac- knowledgments be suited to the mercies vouchsafed unto you.]
3. What the Lord will do for all who call upon him —
[Our blessed Saviour, by dying for our offences and rising again for our justification, has procured for us whatever we stand in need of. Even in the denunciations of God's wrath there is an implied promise of mercy, if we repent and turn to God. However great therefore our guilt may be, or however imminent our danger, let us remember, that " with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption." Let us remember, that " Jesus is exalted to give repentance and remission of sins ;" and that, though we were as much " in the belly of hell" as a living creature can be, our cry should come before him into his holy temple, and " he would bring up our souls out of the pit of corruption :" " after two days he would revive us ; in the third day he would raise us up, and we should live in his sights."]