Guest Column 2: A Whale of a Tale!

 

Do marine creatures swallow humans?

Yes, whales do! Not all , but a certain kind of whales like toothed whales. These mighty sperm whales grow to a length of up to 18 m; further, they  can dive down into the sea to a depth of 2250 m. Phew!

They are the only ones with throats large enough to swallow humans. They can access oxygen from their blood and muscles and store it for long periods, obviating the need to take frequent breaths. Whales gulp huge loads of giant squids and small marine creatures; they even feast on sharks.  They can be found entangled in thick weeds in deep waters of the seas.

Remember these details. You will find them useful as the story unfolds!

Once there was a prophet in Israel who was displeased with God. He is one of the 12 minor prophets recorded in the Bible. And why was he displeased? In his view, God was too lenient towards those who disobeyed Him.

The books of the minor prophets of the Old Testament are no less important than those of the major ones. Jonah for instance.

The book of Jonah does not so much focus on the words of the prophet; rather, the prophet himself becomes the story!

Jonah does not come across as a nice man. He was mean and complaining. Would you believe it, he actually wanted to flee from God. In fact he even tried playing, “catch me if you can” with God!

He is mentioned first in 2 Kings 14:25. Here, Jonah prophesied that King Jeroboam would restore the ancient boundaries of Israel by the word of the Lord, the God of Israel. Would God bless a wicked king with military victories and an enlarged kingdom? It happened, and our man was none too happy that it did.

This made him bitter, and as a prophet most unwilling and dissatisfied. He couldn’t quite stomach the fact that God was compassionate and kind towards people who erred. Something like being more loyal than the king? He had to be taught a lesson in obedience and tolerance.

Be that as it may, Jonah was not insignificant. His story itself becomes a metaphor to explain Jesus’s death and resurrection.

We see this in the gospels of Mathew and Luke. {Mathew 12:38 to 42 and Luke 11:29 to 32} The Pharisees and scribes ask Jesus for a sign and Jesus chose to use the tale of Jonah’s sojourn  for 3 days and nights in the belly of the enormous fish as the ultimate sign, a singular symbol of His forthcoming death and resurrection. Remarkably, Jesus referred to it not just once but twice .

Back to the book of Jonah, we read about how Jonah was commissioned by God to go to Nineveh ( present-day Mosul, Iraq).

But Jonah didn’t like going there. He knew all about Nineveh’s wicked ways and he wanted the city to face God’s judgment and perish. Ironically, he even worried that Nineveh might repent if he preached, and thereby be saved. Jonah the zealot was certainly not one to tamely listen to the words of Jesus saying “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

He takes passage in a ship from Joppa ( present day Jaffa) sailing totally in the opposite direction – destination, Tarshish. A storm of unprecedented severity strikes the ship, and Jonah confesses that it is his presence on board  which is causing this storm. At his request, he is thrown overboard by the sailors and the storm calms down. A great fish appointed by God swallows Jonah and he stays within the fish’s belly for 3 days and nights.

 

(credit: pinterest)

Was the great fish a whale, as accepted generally? It could be. The toothed sperm whales have enormous capacity in their fuselage (read stomach) to store food, and sometimes this includes humans.  Sir Francis Fox, a manager of a whaling station stated that he once found a missing sailor named Bartley alive inside a sperm whale. He was rescued.

Some argue that whales are not present in the Mediterranean Sea, but it is a well known fact that these magnificent creatures travel vast distances to give birth to their young in warm waters. So it is quite plausible that one of them was there 2800 years ago –  appointed by God to gobble up the minor prophet who committed a major act of transgression.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend 3 whole days inside a fish? Absolute darkness, the unpleasant stench of fish burps, being surrounded by a slimy mixture of dead fish, sea weeds and gastric juices!! It makes us wonder if Jonah ever again thought of fish as a meal. I think not.

Quite alive in the fish’s cavernous belly, Jonah prays for deliverance. (Jonah 2 1:10.). We read, “He heard me out of the belly of hell. The waters closed around me as you cast me into the deep, in the midst of seas. The weeds wrapped around my head. But you have brought up my life from the pit as my prayer went up to you. I will voice my thanksgiving and vow, Salvation is of the Lord.”

From what we learnt about whales earlier, it does seem that Jonah was indeed in the belly of a large whale. God hears his prayer and Jonah is spewed out on dry land. Then the command comes again.

Arise! Go to Nineveh!

Jonah has no option. He is through with his bag of tricks! Nineveh was a gigantic city and the Bible says it would take 3 days  to walk through. Jonah goes out on day one to announce his message.
Just a five-word sermon (in some versions of the Bible):  “40 more days and Nineveh will be overturned”

The sin of the nation was not mentioned. No judgment, no hope, no fancy rhetoric . Just a single warning. Peril awaits Nineveh.

Word reached the king. He listened, repented, changed to sack clothes and fasted along with his people.. Even the cattle were not spared ,they had to be covered in sack cloth as well !

The Bible says, “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

No way, said Jonah. This seemed very wrong to him . The script was going haywire! He did not expect Nineveh to repent and certainly he did not want God to spare the city.

He tells God, “Take my life, it is better for me to die than to live”.

He went out to a place east of the city and sat under a shelter. God eased his discomfort and a leafy plant grew up over Jonah and gave him shade. But at dawn, a worm chewed up the plant and it withered. The scorching heat and the hot east wind made him grow faint.

Again, Jonah was angry.

God: “Is it right for you to be angry with the plant?”

Jonah: “ I am so angry I wish I were dead”

God: “You are so concerned about a plant that you had nothing to do with. It grew overnight and died overnight. Should I not have concern for my people and the animals of Nineveh?”

The lesson reverberated in Jonah’s mind once again. He was serving a God of great mercy and compassion. He had no business running away from Him. He is a God of compassion beyond our imagination.

Dear friends! Aren’t we special to Him?

Could failure in our lives mean God is not on our side? When results are not seen do we try to change our minds against Him? Aim for a life with meaning and abundance and not emptiness. Never be content with barrenness. God’s sovereignty reigns supreme in the repentance of sinners. It has the power and authority to transform hearts and lives.

Jonah’s (reluctant) admission of his shortcomings serves as a reflection, allowing us to recognize the challenges and mysteries that come with living a Christian life. Prosperous times are often succeeded by periods of struggle and hardship. During times of abundance, we may mistakenly believe that we have earned the blessings. But the difficult times serve as a reminder of our reliance on God.

God has summoned us to fulfill a profound purpose in life. Keeping that purpose in our line of vision, let us make a conscious effort to hear and heed His words. God’s purposes always align with our abilities and strengths. He will never ask us to do something that is beyond our reach or capabilities.

We may often find ourselves in the belly of a whale, a dark place where we lose sight of direction in life. Jonah concludes with a “ YES” to God and he sees light when he is spewed out on dry land by the whale.

Even in Jonah’s darkest hour, God’s love shone through. It reminds us that it is never too late to turn to Him for grace. ‘He is Love’ beyond measure. Boundless and everlasting. ‘Stay blessed.’

 

(credit: pinterest)

 

The author’s bio (in her own words):

# Medical Microbiologist. I love science. Aww! The freaking microbes are my best friends. You can call me a virus hunter too. Status quo for almost two decades. I love assisting physicians to efficiently diagnose and aid in healing humans. Basically, an alumna of the CMC Vellore, my career trajectory led me to the vigorous Middle East; my profile was enhanced there, working alongside professional from the Royal Health Ministry. My “Aha” moments are when I’m engrossed in reading. How magically they steal my time! Currently a homemaker, I consider it a real privilege to write as a guest in one of the remarkable weblogs I follow avidly!

 

A note from the Host blogger

After donkey and now whale, I wonder what Sneha’s next subject would be. Your guess is as good as mine!
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