Jesus Is The Greater Jonah
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Let us pray. Dear Heavenly Father,

We stand humbly before you today, acknowledging that something greater than Jonah is here, your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord, we ask for the grace to heed your call for repentance and to respond with humble hearts.

Just as the Ninevites turned from their wicked ways upon hearing Jonah's message, may we also turn from our sins and seek your forgiveness when we hear the teachings of Jesus. Father, help us fully grasp the magnitude of your mercy and recognize that in Jesus we have a Savior far greater than any prophet, one who took our sins upon himself to reconcile us to you.

Let this truth transform our hearts and renew our spirits. In the precious name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Thank you for praying with me today. Stay tuned now for another episode of Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider. Jonah sat on a grassy hill and stared at the open sea.

He closed his eyes, felt the gentle kiss of the mild morning sun, and listened to the sound of gulls intermixed with crashing waves. Then, all of a sudden, a voice interrupted Jonah's moment of bliss. Arise, the voice said.

Jonah perked up immediately, recognizing it was the Lord. "Go inland to the great city of Nineveh. They have fallen into a cycle of wickedness and corruption. Go there and show them their evil so they can repent." Jonah tensed up and shook his head. "No," he whispered. "No, I can't," he declared. Jonah's hatred for the people of Nineveh ran deep. Their cruelty was famous, and Jonah had experienced firsthand the ripple effects of their wickedness.

He refused to heed the call of God. He wouldn't give the people of Nineveh a chance to repent. He wanted them to experience judgment. He wanted them to suffer. They deserved it. Jonah immediately gathered his belongings for a journey, but instead of going inland, he boarded a cargo ship to Tarshish. His mind raced with rage against Nineveh and contempt for God. He refused to be a conduit for God's mercy.

Jonah went down into the ship's cabin and laid his head to sleep. As he slumbered, clouds rolled in from the middle of the sea. The waves began to stir, matching the violent pattern of the skies. A storm was brewing. Jonah could not outrun God.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Stories of the Messiah podcast. I'm Rabbi Schneider from Discovering the Jewish Jesus, here to guide you through some of the most iconic stories ever told. If this podcast has blessed you thus far, please take a moment to leave a comment and review. Doing so will make sure others discover these life-changing stories. And be sure to download the Pray.com app to hear the Bible come to life. This season of Stories of the Messiah is called Jesus the Greater.

We have been traversing the peaks and valleys of the Bible's most famous characters. These people's lives were marked with tragedy, triumph, faith, and failure. These heroes ultimately point us toward the greatest hero of all, Jesus. Today we recount the story of Jonah and the giant fish. Jonah, prophet of God, was chosen to carry a message of repentance to the wicked city of Nineveh. We are not sure whether pride, prejudice, or history with Nineveh made Jonah so bitter.

Knowing what we know now about the city of Nineveh, Jonah most likely had several bad experiences with their people. It is very likely that Nineveh had invaded Israelite cities or cheated Israelite traders. Jonah didn't want them to experience mercy, so he fled from God and sought to sail far away to Tarshish, the opposite direction of Nineveh. Jonah's story is packed with lessons, lessons we will unpack together.

Yet the greatest truth hidden within this story is a metaphor. See if you can spot it in the cinematic retelling of Jonah chapter 1.

"Bail the water!" Captain shouted. "Throw the cargo overboard! We have to lighten the ship!" The ship's crew desperately tried to lighten the load to endure the wind and waves. The storm had come like a predator in the forest, unexpected and violent. The crew helplessly prayed to each of their guards. They bowed to their idols and begged for some sort of deliverance.

The captain burst through the cabin doors and awoke Jonah. "Wake up, Hebrew! Pray to your God, for I fear we may perish on these seas!" Jonah climbed to the deck and saw the heavens thrashing and lightning crashing. Jonah gulped as his hands began to shake.

He had a feeling this storm was because of him. We have no choice but to cast lots, so we know who among us is to blame for such a storm. The captain was a master of the seas. He knew that an abrupt storm of this magnitude was not ordinary. Someone must have evoked the wrath of a god. The crew members took a bag of knuckle bones and cast them onto the deck.

The lot rolled and fell at Jonah's feet. The crew looked at him and demanded an explanation. "I am a Hebrew," Jonah explained. "I do not worship gods of water and agriculture as you do. I worship the Lord of Creation, who made heaven and earth. I am running away from him, but

I fear it was a grave mistake. Lightning struck beside them, sending the crew jumping at all sides. They stayed away from Jonah and yelled, What must we do to avoid catastrophe? How do we appease your God? Jonah looked out at the black, chaotic ocean. He leaned over the side and closed his eyes. Regret overcame him.

He turned back to the crew and said, The captain yelled, He ordered his crew,

The men rode with all their strength, but the storm was working against them. It was as if the hand of God was pulling them into the sea. The captain cursed and prayed to Jonah's God. He begged for mercy. "Lord of the Hebrews, do not put this man's blood on our hands!" He turned to his crew and pointed at Jonah. "Throw him overboard!" So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the bow. Jonah crashed into the dark sea.

The breakers crashed over him, pushing him up. The weight of God's judgment was over Jonah, pulling him deeper into the abyss. Jonah accepted that this would be the end of him. As the blackness of the deep ocean enveloped him, Jonah saw a large figure swim by. His eyes widened, and the final thing he saw was the shape of a giant fish swallowing him up.

Jonah opened his eyes but saw nothing. The smell of rotting fish and kelp was nearly unbearable. Jonah tried to stretch his arms and legs, but barely had enough room. He was inside the belly of a fish, only given enough space to breathe. It was like being locked in a dark tomb.

He was alone with his thoughts for three days and three nights, contemplating God's judgment, mercy, and goodness. Ironically, Jonah felt closer to the Lord in the bottomless pit of despair. The white noise of the fish's heartbeat intermixed with the sound of the ocean. Jonah spoke a prayer to the Lord. I call to you, God, in my distress. You answer me, cry from the belly of the grave, and you hear me.

You cast me into the deep heart of the seas, and the waters surround me. Your waves and billows crash over me. Even when I cannot see you, I will point my eyes towards your holy temple. The waters sought to take my life. The deep surrounded me, and the seaweed wrapped around my neck. Yet you brought my life from the pit. When my life was fainting into oblivion, I remembered you with a voice of thanksgiving.

I will sacrifice to you. Salvation belongs to the Lord. And just as he had finished his prayer of repentant praise, the Lord commanded the fish to release Jonah onto the shore. The sun's warmth was a balm to his aching body, and Jonah laughed with relief and worship. If you have followed along thus far, you remember what choppy and chaotic storms represent in the Bible. Sin, darkness, and judgment.

In Jonah's case, the righteous judgment of God was seeking him out through the storm. There was nowhere Jonah could run where God could not find him. This truth ought to inspire and comfort all of us. Jonah was given a mission by God, a purpose. God was not about to let Jonah escape that purpose. No matter how hard he tried, God was determined to draw Jonah's calling out of him, even if it meant sending a storm. You know, this happens in our lives as well.

God has a plan and purpose for you. He has adorned you with gifts and desires to use for his kingdom. When we stray and run from that calling, sometimes God will do what it takes to draw us back. He will use circumstances, trials, and difficulties to return us to him.

Jonah knew that he had messed up and that he had put other people's lives in jeopardy. You know, that's what happens with sin. It doesn't just affect us as individuals, but it affects everyone around us. Many people suffer in the wake of our disobedience. To Jonah's credit, he came clean eventually and did the self-sacrificing thing. He allowed the crew to throw him into the sea.

And just as Jonah thought that the dark abyss was going to consume him, he was swallowed by a fish and survived there for three days and three nights. Jonah was transformed in those three days. His heart was softened toward God and he was able to see his mercy. Sometimes in our most profound moments of suffering, we discover the greatness of God's love. Hearing profound lessons of faith is why we go to Pray.com and Discovering the Jewish Jesus.

These lessons strengthen us and leave us sharpened for the battles ahead. However, there's something more happening here than a moral lesson. Above all, there's a greater thing happening in this story. Jonah's time in the belly of the beast foreshadows another event. When the religious leaders pressed Jesus to show them a sign of his deity, he pointed them to Jonah. "Give us a sign," the Pharisees shouted. Jesus turned around to see a group of religious leaders approaching.

They reeked of self-righteousness. They had followed Jesus for months, watching every miracle and listening to every teaching. Their pompous legalism made them blind to their own hypocrisy. They circled Jesus with accusations and challenges, hoping he would take the bait. You say you're a man of God like Elijah, but every time we ask you to prove yourself, you refuse! Don't you care what the public thinks?

Send fire down like Elijah and prove you are who you say you are. Jesus looked at them and shook his head. He could never run out of patience, but these men tried nonetheless. Their vain religiosity was annoying and ineffectual. They claimed to be of the same stock as Elijah, but they were much more similar to the prophets of Baal. Jesus stretched out his arms and replied, When you look at the sky and you see that there aren't any clouds, you can perceive that it's fair weather.

When you look up and see dark storm clouds, you rightly know to seek cover. Jesus stepped closer to the Pharisees. They could not help but step back, for he exuded authority. How can you look to the sky and interpret the weather, but you're unable to see the signs right in front of you? Everyone stirred. Jesus pointed a finger at them and made sure he was clear. I will not give you a sign. I will not dance for you, nor will I play these games.

You will have only one sign, the sign of Jonah. For the Son of Man will be in the grave for three days and nights in the heart of the earth. I tell you that the people of Nineveh would stand up to you and condemn you. They repented when they heard the preaching of Jonah.

And behold, someone greater than Jonah is here!" The crowd stirred, and Jesus left their presence. He had performed many miracles. He had restored sight to the blind, healed lepers, cast out demons, and walked on water. Yet only one miracle truly mattered: the sign of Jonah rising from the grave.

We have all had times when we wish God would reveal himself to us in a specific way. Sometimes we ask for miracles because we're doubting, suffering, or struggling with our faith. Other times we're angry at God and want him to prove himself to us. These Pharisees asked Jesus to prove himself through miracles as if he needed to prove himself to them. But that's not how Jesus operated. He wasn't a street performer asking for tips. He wasn't an actor or artist trying to prove his worth.

He didn't need their approval. When Jesus performed signs and wonders, he did it to aid the suffering and teach people about the character of God. He wasn't submitting miracles to people as a resume of his godhood. Besides, the Pharisees had already seen Jesus perform miracles and signs. It wasn't that they wanted Jesus to show them a sign. They wanted a sign on their own terms. We must all beware of this mentality.

God is working all around us. He performs miracles every day and is constantly on the move doing wonderful things. But sometimes we are too self-consumed to see it. We want God to move in specific ways and on our own terms, so we end up missing the beauty of everyday miracles. However, Jesus did say he would give them one sign, the sign of Jonah. Let's break that down. The chaotic seas represent God's judgment.

The fish represents the grave under God's judgment. Jonah was trapped in that grave, considered dead, but then came out three days later. Can you piece that together and connect it to Jesus?

Jesus took on the judgment of God, sin and shame, and died. He was buried in a grave for three days, but then rose again. Jonah's time in the belly of the fish was a sign that pointed toward the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. That is why we can confidently say that Jesus is the greater Jonah, because Jonah's life was a foreshadowing of Jesus' great journey to the cross, into the grave, and out again.

Next time we're together, we'll dive into our final hero of the series. This man had unwavering faith and conviction amid a hostile culture. He was wise, devoted, and rose out of the lion's den. Join us for our next episode as we explore why Jesus is the greater Daniel.

Explore more about Jesus in the Old Testament at discoveringthejewishjesus.com and also consider checking out my most recent book, Messianic Prophecy Revealed, Seeing Messiah in the Pages of the Hebrew Bible. You can get it via my website. If this podcast impacted you, please take a moment to leave a comment and review. Doing so will make sure others discover these life-changing stories. And be sure to download the Pray.com app to make prayer a priority and experience the Bible in new ways.