JONAH......"Alive or Dead"

Major

Major

Supporter
I want to give you something to think about.

Jonah 1:17.........
"Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

My question is not if Jonah was in the fish for 3 days. My question is this......."did he live in that fish for 3 days or was he dead and then God resurrected him from the dead"?

Now you open your Bible and read the story. My Bible does not say that Jonah was "alive" in the fish. That is an assumption because when we read chapter #2, we see that Jonah prayed to God.

Is it a miracle that God kept Jonah alive for "3" days in the fish? And everyone said YES!

Now read Jonah 2:4........
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple."

I for one believe that Jonah is speaking here of death. He believed that he would be raised from the dead.

Jonah was in the fish .....dead for 3 days and God raised him from the dead so that he could then preach to the city of Nineveh and save that city.
Jesus was in the grave...dead for 3 days and God raised Him from the dead so that His sacrifice would be able to save all of humanity.

The Resurrection is one of the two pillars of our salvation upon which the ark of the church rests........
1. The death of the Messiah.....Jesus Christ.
2. The resurrection of the Messiah ...Jesus Christ.

Both of those truths are taught in the Old Testament "if" you just look for them!!!!
 
I never gave it much thought. God performed a miracle certainly either way. Jonah's being dead in the belly of a fish then being resurrected after 3 days does make sense though.

I'll have to review it again to comment further.

cp
 
CPerkins said:
I never gave it much thought. God performed a miracle certainly either way. Jonah's being dead in the belly of a fish then being resurrected after 3 days does make sense though.

I'll have to review it again to comment further.

cp
Click to expand...

Think of it this way...... Jesus’ resurrection was a fulfillment of Scripture. The New Testament writers are pretty emphatic on this point.

Luke 24:45-46........
"Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead."

1 Corth. 15:3-4.........
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.".

The phrase that the Messiah was to be raised from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures. What scriptures exactly are Luke and Paul referring to? Many commentators say that the third-day is referencing Hosea 6:2, which reads, “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” But from the context, the passage refers to national Israel. It’s a bit of a stretch to turn this into a reference about the Messiah, and none of the NT writers used this verse as a proof text. In fact, it’s not until the early third century do we see this verse applied to Jesus by the church father, Tertullian.

Now then, consider Matthew 12:38-41..........
"Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. "

But there is more.

The phrases "belly of Sheol" and the "Pit" are Old Testament terms that refer to the realm of the dead. (See Job 7:9, 33:18, Psalm 40:2, 49:14-15, 89:48)

Then Secondly, the Hebrew says that his soul or "nephesh fainted", meaning he took his last breath like a dying man.

Lastly, when God says to, Jonah “arise” this is the Hebrew word קוּם. This is the same word Jesus used when he raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. Mark 5:41 reads Taking the child by the hand, He *said to her,.......
“Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”)
 
I agree with all of that. This is a case of hearing the story many times and reading the Bible the way I heard the story. Until you brought this up I never once considered that Jonah was dead in the belly of a fish. It makes sense that he would be and it gives greater clarity to Christ's comparison so it makes sense that Jonah was resurrected from death.

Thanks for this insight which I will use the next time I read through the book of Jonah and related passages.

cp
 
Major said:
I want to give you something to think about.

Jonah 1:17.........
"Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

My question is not if Jonah was in the fish for 3 days. My question is this......."did he live in that fish for 3 days or was he dead and then God resurrected him from the dead"?

Now you open your Bible and read the story. My Bible does not say that Jonah was "alive" in the fish. That is an assumption because when we read chapter #2, we see that Jonah prayed to God.

Is it a miracle that God kept Jonah alive for "3" days in the fish? And everyone said YES!

Now read Jonah 2:4........
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple."

I for one believe that Jonah is speaking here of death. He believed that he would be raised from the dead.

Jonah was in the fish .....dead for 3 days and God raised him from the dead so that he could then preach to the city of Nineveh and save that city.
Jesus was in the grave...dead for 3 days and God raised Him from the dead so that His sacrifice would be able to save all of humanity.

The Resurrection is one of the two pillars of our salvation upon which the ark of the church rests........
1. The death of the Messiah.....Jesus Christ.
2. The resurrection of the Messiah ...Jesus Christ.

Both of those truths are taught in the Old Testament "if" you just look for them!!!!
Click to expand...
Jonah went down into the grave so to speak, and was raised back up by God!
 
Whether a symbolic watery grave or actual death, the analogy Christ made is clear. Major has brought up an interesting point. YeshuaFan do you see it then as only symbolic as a watery grave?

cp
 
CPerkins said:
I agree with all of that. This is a case of hearing the story many times and reading the Bible the way I heard the story. Until you brought this up I never once considered that Jonah was dead in the belly of a fish. It makes sense that he would be and it gives greater clarity to Christ's comparison so it makes sense that Jonah was resurrected from death.

Thanks for this insight which I will use the next time I read through the book of Jonah and related passages.

cp
Click to expand...

I would offer. . .In that way using both parables in regard to the signified or spiritual understanding applied to Jonas and Christ work together as two witnesses it would seem to define the meaning of “resurrection of the dead” or “in dying” mankind is resurrected to new spirit life. It is picture of mankind living out the temporal sentence of sin, suffering with a end in view “dead”. never to rise to new spirit life for the unbeliver.

All of mankind dies once, the suffering of this life, hell..

The combined parables are used to declare the signified or spiritual understanding. . . from faith the unseen eternal, to faith. Living sacrifices not dead in the grave buried (no oxygen) In that way mankind under the letter of the law (death) does not literally die and their corupted flesh is revived.

Heart of the earth or belly of the Whale equals the suffering the wage of sin, hell. The death of dying, the letter of the law declares all flesh guilty and subject them to the suffering of a living hel on earth l..The who creation was corupted.... all living things the breath of life. .

Believers yoked with Christ have a lighter load and a future promise beyond the death of these earthen bodies of clay

Comparing the spiritual understanding of the parable of Jonas to the same spiritual understanding of the Son of man Jesus with one difference to show mankind he is not served by human hands The Spirit of Christ that dwelt in Joah did not need Jonas' permission to do the good pleasure of the will. of our unseen father

Jesus delighted in doing the will of the unseen father and suffered unto death (not dead) but as living sacrifice freeing giving us new spirit life. Jonah knew God would work in the Ninevites to forgive. Many obeyed the gospel and believed God. Jonas wanted to die when the Spirt of Christ moved him .

Three days and nights with the word three denoting the end of the matter. In the case of the comparison with Jonah it would seem three different kinds of demonstrations were given .The garden, the cross and the tomb.

The first in the garden the witness of the father and Son promised in Isaiah 53. The father putting to sleep the disciples to show it is the work of two that brings the peace of God giving us His understanding.. with no other witness to prayer for strength.

That portion of the three day demonstration ended in the garden and they moved towards the second portion the witness of the whole world "the cross " .And then the final unseen witness of the father and Son the father unsen in a cave finishing strengthening the son and rolled back the stone on the third day.The witness of faith the unsen eternal.

Again “unto death” a living work not literally dead never to rise again or total corruption bodies returning to the dust.spirt returng to that father who gave it under tempoarl law subject to the letter death.

Mathew 26:38-39 When saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Those two parables are used together to expose those who seek after literal signs to wonder after. The generation of natural unconverted mankind called an evil, faithless generation.

Matthew 12: 38-40 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Again heart of the earth speaks of the living sufering of mankind the wage of sin called hell

Follow the example of the Spirit of Christ working in the Son of man Jesus not Jonah who forfeited the rest he could have had .

Philippians 2:13-14 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

​

 
Garee said:
I would offer. . .In that way using both parables in regard to the signified or spiritual understanding applied to Jonas and Christ work together as two witnesses it would seem to define the meaning of “resurrection of the dead” or “in dying” mankind is resurrected to new spirit life. It is picture of mankind living out the temporal sentence of sin, suffering with a end in view “dead”. never to rise to new spirit life for the unbeliver.

All of mankind dies once, the suffering of this life, hell..

The combined parables are used to declare the signified or spiritual understanding. . . from faith the unseen eternal, to faith. Living sacrifices not dead in the grave buried (no oxygen) In that way mankind under the letter of the law (death) does not literally die and their corupted flesh is revived.

Heart of the earth or belly of the Whale equals the suffering the wage of sin, hell. The death of dying, the letter of the law declares all flesh guilty and subject them to the suffering of a living hel on earth l..The who creation was corupted.... all living things the breath of life. .

Believers yoked with Christ have a lighter load and a future promise beyond the death of these earthen bodies of clay

Comparing the spiritual understanding of the parable of Jonas to the same spiritual understanding of the Son of man Jesus with one difference to show mankind he is not served by human hands The Spirit of Christ that dwelt in Joah did not need Jonas' permission to do the good pleasure of the will. of our unseen father

Jesus delighted in doing the will of the unseen father and suffered unto death (not dead) but as living sacrifice freeing giving us new spirit life. Jonah knew God would work in the Ninevites to forgive. Many obeyed the gospel and believed God. Jonas wanted to die when the Spirt of Christ moved him .

Three days and nights with the word three denoting the end of the matter. In the case of the comparison with Jonah it would seem three different kinds of demonstrations were given .The garden, the cross and the tomb.

The first in the garden the witness of the father and Son promised in Isaiah 53. The father putting to sleep the disciples to show it is the work of two that brings the peace of God giving us His understanding.. with no other witness to prayer for strength.

That portion of the three day demonstration ended in the garden and they moved towards the second portion the witness of the whole world "the cross " .And then the final unseen witness of the father and Son the father unsen in a cave finishing strengthening the son and rolled back the stone on the third day.The witness of faith the unsen eternal.

Again “unto death” a living work not literally dead never to rise again or total corruption bodies returning to the dust.spirt returng to that father who gave it under tempoarl law subject to the letter death.

Mathew 26:38-39 When saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Those two parables are used together to expose those who seek after literal signs to wonder after. The generation of natural unconverted mankind called an evil, faithless generation.

Matthew 12: 38-40 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Again heart of the earth speaks of the living sufering of mankind the wage of sin called hell

Follow the example of the Spirit of Christ working in the Son of man Jesus not Jonah who forfeited the rest he could have had .

Philippians 2:13-14 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

​

Click to expand...

If I understood right you believe that Jonah died in the belly of the fish as well?
 
Garee said:
I would offer. . .In that way using both parables in regard to the signified or spiritual understanding applied to Jonas and Christ work together as two witnesses it would seem to define the meaning of “resurrection of the dead” or “in dying” mankind is resurrected to new spirit life. It is picture of mankind living out the temporal sentence of sin, suffering with a end in view “dead”. never to rise to new spirit life for the unbeliver.

All of mankind dies once, the suffering of this life, hell..

The combined parables are used to declare the signified or spiritual understanding. . . from faith the unseen eternal, to faith. Living sacrifices not dead in the grave buried (no oxygen) In that way mankind under the letter of the law (death) does not literally die and their corupted flesh is revived.

Heart of the earth or belly of the Whale equals the suffering the wage of sin, hell. The death of dying, the letter of the law declares all flesh guilty and subject them to the suffering of a living hel on earth l..The who creation was corupted.... all living things the breath of life. .

Believers yoked with Christ have a lighter load and a future promise beyond the death of these earthen bodies of clay

Comparing the spiritual understanding of the parable of Jonas to the same spiritual understanding of the Son of man Jesus with one difference to show mankind he is not served by human hands The Spirit of Christ that dwelt in Joah did not need Jonas' permission to do the good pleasure of the will. of our unseen father

Jesus delighted in doing the will of the unseen father and suffered unto death (not dead) but as living sacrifice freeing giving us new spirit life. Jonah knew God would work in the Ninevites to forgive. Many obeyed the gospel and believed God. Jonas wanted to die when the Spirt of Christ moved him .

Three days and nights with the word three denoting the end of the matter. In the case of the comparison with Jonah it would seem three different kinds of demonstrations were given .The garden, the cross and the tomb.

The first in the garden the witness of the father and Son promised in Isaiah 53. The father putting to sleep the disciples to show it is the work of two that brings the peace of God giving us His understanding.. with no other witness to prayer for strength.

That portion of the three day demonstration ended in the garden and they moved towards the second portion the witness of the whole world "the cross " .And then the final unseen witness of the father and Son the father unsen in a cave finishing strengthening the son and rolled back the stone on the third day.The witness of faith the unsen eternal.

Again “unto death” a living work not literally dead never to rise again or total corruption bodies returning to the dust.spirt returng to that father who gave it under tempoarl law subject to the letter death.

Mathew 26:38-39 When saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Those two parables are used together to expose those who seek after literal signs to wonder after. The generation of natural unconverted mankind called an evil, faithless generation.

Matthew 12: 38-40 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Again heart of the earth speaks of the living sufering of mankind the wage of sin called hell

Follow the example of the Spirit of Christ working in the Son of man Jesus not Jonah who forfeited the rest he could have had .

Philippians 2:13-14 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

​

Click to expand...
The Lord Jesus did not consider Jonah as a parable.

May I say to you clearly......the story as found in the book of Jonah is NOT a parable!!!! For two reason that I can thin of.......

1. Parables never ever use "Proper" names.

2. If Jonah was a parable, it would be written in Hebrew poetry which has a distinctive structure called parallelism. However, the literary genre of Jonah is a historical narrative – which indicates it is true history.
 
Major said:
The Lord Jesus did not consider Jonah as a parable.

May I say to you clearly......the story as found in the book of Jonah is NOT a parable!!!! For two reason that I can thin of.......

1. Parables never ever use "Proper" names.

2. If Jonah was a parable, it would be written in Hebrew poetry which has a distinctive structure called parallelism. However, the literary genre of Jonah is a historical narrative – which indicates it is true history
Click to expand...

The historical understanding and the hidden understanding (gospel) are both true in both examaples or parables (.Jonah and jJesus the comparision between the two ) .One takes a litle digging as for silver or gold (the gospel find. )

Parables are one of the manners of prophecy (the word of God). They are given in order to reveal the gospel understanding. The gospel understanding or mystery is hid. . unbeleivers non reddemed. . . hear but do not understand.

Matthew 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

Isaiah speaks of the privilegde given to the new creatiures (Christians) . You could say at the renting of the vail (it is finished) it was revealed out of darkness

Isaiah 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

Parables use the temporal things of this world seen to give us the eternal understanding of God not seen. Therfore revealing the work of his faith or labor of His love that he works in the Christian and empowering them to do so if one does not harden their heart.

The prescription for rightly diving parable must be used .Which without the signified tongue of God spoken in parables; Christ spoke not hiding the understanding from the lost.

2 Corinthians 4:18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal

In that way we as a kingdom of priests all the nations of the world hold out the mysteries of peace. Christians have the privilege to seek out a mysteries concealed from natural unconverted mankind. .

Proverbs 25:2It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

Even proper names in the bible are given a meaning not subject to change. Like Jesus it means Savior not denoting what kind seen fleshly or unseen spiritually. Jonah meaning dove represents the clean bird who signifies the redemption of the Holy Spirit. a befitting name to be compared the Jesus in whom the dove of peace landed on Or like Lazarus to represent those God has helped in the series of parables Luke 16. Lazarus literally meaning "God has helped."

Every word in the bible has a meaning not subject to change .The "Book of law" not the "book of philosophical theories of corrupted mankind".
 
Garee if I understand you right you do see Jonah as a real life man that experienced these things in the book of Jonah. You are also speaking to a hidden meaning behind these literal events. Is that right?

cp
 
CPerkins said:
If I understood right you believe that Jonah died in the belly of the fish as well?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.

No he suffered "unto death" not dead never to rise again. But rather as living sacrifice .God no does not except dead sacrifices .But was rescues when Jonah like jesus called out for strength thre times to finish the work. .Jonah three times was moved against his human will to show us God is not served by human hands in any way shape or form.

Or according to the parable sweat as if drops of blood to indicate the pouring out of the Spriit in regard to the sufering Son. . . strenthgtened from the father the strengthening of Jesus to finish the work of two working together in perfect submissiveness and harmony to one another.. The peace of Gods understanding to us

The same peace Jonah fought against knowing God would bring many that Jonah hated to eternal life with the words of the gospel given to Jonah ( a reluctant apostle.) to preach the gospel
 
We know that Jonah was alive when God brought him out of the sea.

Jonah 2:10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
Jonah 3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, (KJV)

The interesting question is was Jonah alive or dead in the fish's belly.

God could have kept him alive for the three days in the fish's belly which would have been an extreme trial. God could have resurrected Jonah from a temporary death just as Christ did on several occasions in the New testament.

There are many interesting parallels when we examine the story closely as Garee mentioned.
 
Garee said:
Thanks for the reply.

No he suffered "unto death" not dead never to rise again. But rather as living sacrifice .God no does not except dead sacrifices .But was rescues when Jonah like jesus called out for strength thre times to finish the work. .Jonah three times was moved against his human will to show us God is not served by human hands in any way shape or form.

Or according to the parable sweat as if drops of blood to indicate the pouring out of the Spriit in regard to the sufering Son. . . strenthgtened from the father the strengthening of Jesus to finish the work of two working together in perfect submissiveness and harmony to one another.. The peace of Gods understanding to us

The same peace Jonah fought against knowing God would bring many that Jonah hated to eternal life with the words of the gospel given to Jonah ( a reluctant apostle.) to preach the gospel
Click to expand...

Just as did Jesus, Jonah died to rise again. I appreciate the work you put into your responses. I call your attention to this fact.

Jonah's words, "yet you caused my life to rise up [ 'alah] from death [ shachath ]" are very emphatic of death and resurrection. The Hebrew word 'alah here for "brought up" means "to rise up," or "to shoot forth" as in a plant germinating from a seed.

Now allow me to ask you this question. In Luke 24 and 1 Corinthians are two very similar phrases which are......"According to the Scriptures"

Luke 24:45-46........
"Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead."

1 Corth. 15:3-4.........
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.".

Now then......what were the Scriptures' that Luke and Paul referred to if they were not the picture drawn in the book of Jonah????

It could be Hosea 6:1-3........
"Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
2. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 3. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him."

Jonah 1:17
17And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights."

Are there any other Old Test. Scriptures that Luke and Paul could be talking about????

The only "one" Jesus referred to was Jonah in Matthew 12:40, Jesus referred to Jonah being “three days and three nights in the whale’s belly".
 
CPerkins said:
Garee if I understand you right you do see Jonah as a real life man that experienced these things in the book of Jonah. You are also speaking to a hidden meaning behind these literal events. Is that right?

cp
Click to expand...
Yes thankyou.. Just as with any portion of scripture. . . without parbles (two meanings) one seen the temporal mixed with the other not seen the eternal Christ the anointing teacher and comforter spoke not.

It can be called the "law of faith" the witness of our unseen father who works in and with us making our burden lighter with a future propmise a new incorrutible body. The witness of God is us the greater witness for who hopes for that which is seen, he is our living witness the eyes of our new born gain hearts .
 
Major said:
I want to give you something to think about.

Jonah 1:17.........
"Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

My question is not if Jonah was in the fish for 3 days. My question is this......."did he live in that fish for 3 days or was he dead and then God resurrected him from the dead"?

Now you open your Bible and read the story. My Bible does not say that Jonah was "alive" in the fish. That is an assumption because when we read chapter #2, we see that Jonah prayed to God.

Is it a miracle that God kept Jonah alive for "3" days in the fish? And everyone said YES!

Now read Jonah 2:4........
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple."

I for one believe that Jonah is speaking here of death. He believed that he would be raised from the dead.

Jonah was in the fish .....dead for 3 days and God raised him from the dead so that he could then preach to the city of Nineveh and save that city.
Jesus was in the grave...dead for 3 days and God raised Him from the dead so that His sacrifice would be able to save all of humanity.

The Resurrection is one of the two pillars of our salvation upon which the ark of the church rests........
1. The death of the Messiah.....Jesus Christ.
2. The resurrection of the Messiah ...Jesus Christ.

Both of those truths are taught in the Old Testament "if" you just look for them!!!!
Click to expand...

Hello Major;

Thank you for sharing this great Book. Though the book of Jonah has only 4 chapters, God teaches His servant, and all of us, valuable lessons of Jonah's rebellion, the sins of Nineveh, Jonah's assignment followed by God's mercy and grace, not to mention His patience in the final chapter.

I have been challenged by some seasoned Christians that the book of Jonah is a "myth with a moral story." Though I can respect their view, I can also pose my view with the question, if it's in the Bible, then it has to be the authorized true Word of God.

Still, when Christians (the ones who have challenged me) view Jonah as a myth, then it's hard to get past Jonah in the belly of a huge fish, by overlooking the lessons God is teaching and, the significance of Jesus saying, "the only sign they would receive was the sign of Jonah."

Jonah had an attitude, predicting what God was going to do, anyway, so why should he obey? He was about to find out.

Matthew 12:39-41, 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Matthew 16:4, 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

When I read Jonah 1:17, he was swallowed by the huge fish, died and later rose again. But prior to Jonah’s death, he appeals to God in Jonah 2:1-10: “From the depths of the grave I called for help.”

The use of the Hebrew Sheol, or Sela in Greek, is the meaning for permanent death, meaning that Jonah actually died.

When we read “the depths of the grave,” as a metaphor or poetic phrase, one could easily interpret this as an agonizing or horrifying experience.

Truth is, Jesus referred to the sign of Jonah meaning Jesus would be put to death and delivered after 3 days.

One other thought. Jonah lifts up one of the most beautiful prayers in verses 2:1-10 to God prior to His death. Jesus lifts short but beautiful prayers to God prior to His death,

Matthew 27:46, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Mark 15:33, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Luke 23:46, 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
John 19:30, 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
 
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