The Pulpit Commentary — Jonah — Section 58

Yers. 1-7.-" JJc 111·(!/undis:" distress and pt"4'!fet', "Then Jonl\h pmyed unto tlm Lord his G,1<l out of the fish's belly," etc. UnexRmpled position of Jonah-no detRile given, and hints somewhat obscure; evidently he retl\ined measure of coneciouenes111, but for how long "'e know not-seems t.o have been conscious of moving through the water b!'fore being swallowed by the fish-miracle of bis preservation corresponds to that of the three Hebrews in the furnace (Dan. iii. 27), or of the burning buah (E:r:od. iii. 2, 3)-element of apparent destruction becomes supernaturally element of preserva- tion-this record of his feelings composed after his deliverance-a record of the conflict of sight and faith-t-0 sight, the situation desperat-faith pierces to the unseen, finds wpport., and finally triumphs. The prayer ill a singular combination of midnight dark- ness and noonday li~bt. I. THE SITU" TYON. Descri lied in many expressions, some of awful intensity: 11 By reason of mine affliction; " "out of the belly of hell;" "in the deep, in the midst of the ~eas; " " The floods compassed me about, all thy billows and thy waves passed over me ; " "out of thy sight; " "The depths olosed me round about, the weeds were wrapt about my head ; " "I went down t.o the bottom. of the mountains, the earth with her bars were about me for ever." Situation aoem.ed absolutely hopeless-physical sur- roundings the most frightful ever known---.cb, too, appeared a token of Divine displeasur-apparently as little hope for the soul as for the body. II. ITS SOtr.RCE-FROK Go». For it wu not a chance that had befallen Jonah; it was all God's Going : " Thou hadst cast me int.o the deep; all fAy billows and thy waves passed over me." God had pUl'Slled him ever since he turned his back on him; raised the storm &11:a.inst him ; caused the lot to fall on him; cast him int.o the deep; ent.ombed liim in the fish; shut hitn up, as it were, in despair. Yet be utters no word of reproach; God is justified when he speaks, and clear when he judges (Pa. li. 4). ill. CoNS'rltB.NATION oF me som.. The first effect was t.o paralyze him. 11 I said, lam cast out of thy sight; n "lly aoul fainted within me." Horrors of bis situation unexampled, escape impossible; shut up a helpless prey to the most appalling forms <lf destruction-Omnipotence it.self crushing him : "It is a fearful thing t.o fall int.o the hands of the living God." IV. TKE DA.Wlf. ••When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord.'' The darkest hour of night is that which precedes the dawn-out of the very depths of help- lessness and desolation faith begins t.o rise. Far more beautiful than the fabled si$ht when the goddess of beauty rose from the ocean foam is the sight of Jonah'e faith rising from the depths, both literal and spiritual. The moment of utter helplUffleu is often the turning-point in spiritual experience-at first, in justification (Rom. iii. 19, 21), afterwards in recovery from backsliding (Hos. ii. 14), and in sanctification (Rom. ~~ • • Nothing in my hand I bring: Simply t.o thy croea I cling; Nakca, come to thee for dreaa; Helpless, look t.o thee for graoe a Foul, I to the fountain fty ; Wash me, Saviour, or I die I" , 1, In "remembering God," Jonah recognized him as "the Lord his God; 11 hia by Dational coveoa.ot., by personal choice (the fruit of Divine grace), and by bis prophetic call and consecration; his, though he had attempted to flee from his presence, for does he not say, "Turn, 0 backsliding Israel, and I will heal your backsliding" (Jer. iii. 12, 22)? The God who first chose him in all his unworthiness must have an interest in him still. So the psalmist cried; so Jesus afterwards in the like spirit, "My God, my God, why haet thou forsaken me? 11 2. He looked towards God's temple. Why? Because of the promise virtually given to Solomon (1 Kings viii. 38). He builds on God's word, "Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou bast caused me to hope" (Ps. cxix. 49). He thinks of the temple, the sacred ark, the meroy-aeat, tho overshadowing cherubims, the promise to Moses," There I will meet with you, and I will commune with you from above the mercy-seat" (Exod. u.v. 22). He takes hold of tbis-sieadies his soul upon it-shaking oft' the impression of his horrible surround- ings, and enters iota peace. What a change !-the belly of hell tumed into tho gate of heaven, the howl of despair changed into the hallelujah of delight. CJ!t. tr. 1-10.J 'l'Bm BOOk OF JON.AH. 55