Jonah, chapter 2, is about repentance. Jonah is being disciplined by being cast into the ocean according to the will of God (v. 1.15) and being swallowed by the great fish (v. 1.17). He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding (Prov 15.32). God is trying to give Jonah, through discipline, understanding of His plan. Through discipline we gain understanding of God’s plan for us and if we are wise, we will act in accordance with that knowledge. To ignore the knowledge which comes from discipline is stupid (Prov 12.1). This chapter of Jonah outlines the stages of repentance beginning with God’s acknowledgment of the one who is in sin, the role of grace and the solution to the discipline.
God reacts to Jonah’s sin in two ways, through discipline and by expelling him from His sight (v. 2.4). This does not mean that God was ignoring Jonah. On the contrary, God was watching Jonah very closely. The reference to expulsion has to do with Jonah’s ability to enter into the throne room of God. Jonah could not come to God in prayer until his heart was free from sin. “If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear” (Ps. 66.18).
God uses discipline to bring Jonah to repentance so that he can be restored. Jonah’s rejection of God’s plan was so great that he was brought to the point of death before he was willing to repent (v. 2.5). A speculation on logistics says that Jonah was cast into the ocean (v. 1.15), he was engulfed in the waves and the seaweed (v. 2.5), he sunk to the depths of the sea (v. 2.6) and at this point cried out to God from the depths of Sheol (the brink of death) and was swallowed by the great fish (v. 1.17). It is clear that artistic license was taken in chapter 2 by the author since verses 1.17 and 2.10 contradict the events as outlined in 2.1-9 as is often the case with Hebrew poetry. It is at this point, when Jonah was “fainting away” to death (v. 2.7) that his heart reflects a true desire of repentance. As a result, he was not only saved physically from the discipline, but he was also restored to fellowship so that his prayers could reach God (v. 2.7).
We see a glimpse of Jonah’s understanding of the doctrine of grace when in the midst of discipline, he says, “Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple” (v. 2.4). This is brought to fruition in verse 2.7, “And my prayer came to you.” NIV puts this perfectly, “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs” (v.2.8). Jonah was idolizing his own self interest and his pride for his nation (as we will find out in further studies). He recognizes this as worthless idolatry. Anything that is put above God is idolatry and anything that is not for God is worthless and is sin, deserving of death. Jonah deserved death at this point, but through grace he was able to be forgiven and restored to fellowship with God. Had he not repented, he would have forsaken faithfulness to God (NAS v. 2.7) and died when grace could have been his.
As part of his repentance, Jonah takes vows and sacrifices to the Lord (v. 2.9). When you are being disciplined it is not simply enough to ask forgiveness. Forgiveness has already taken place at the cross. Even for Jonah, forgiveness was taken care of through the foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice. In addition to asking forgiveness, we are to praise God for his forgiveness repent of our wickedness and take vows to do His work (remembering that all we do is either for or against the kingdom of God). The last step is to remember who is in control. Often we deny that our discipline comes from God. Similarly it is easy to forget who delivers us from discipline. Jonah does this when he says plainly, “Salvation is from the Lord” (v. 2.9). For Jonah, this deliverance comes after he has been in the belly of the fish for three days, readying his heart to do God’s work; God commands the fish to vomit Jonah out onto dry land.
In conclusion, this chapter in Jonah gives a very practical explanation of the principles of discipline and repentance. When we are disciplined, we must recognize that it is God’s hand upon us, acknowledge our sin before Him, repent of our sin, and take vows to return to the path and plan of God. It is in this way that we are restored to fellowship with God.
Image Credits: Brent Nelson, flickr.com
Discipline and Deliverance–Jonah 1.17-2.10
