Blessed be the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Welcome to our continued study of the prophet Jonah’s book. As we enter chapter two, we recall how Jonah initially chose to rebel against God’s will. Instead of obeying God’s command to preach to Nineveh (Jonah 1:1-2), he fled and ended up swallowed by a great fish (Jonah 1:17). This story reveals more than a historical account; it’s rich with spiritual symbolism that resonates deeply with the Church’s condition in the last days.
The church of Laodicea, described in Revelation 3:14-22, represents the last era of the Church—lukewarm, self-satisfied, and spiritually indifferent. The story of Jonah being swallowed by the fish symbolizes the fate of lukewarm believers who are “left behind” after the Rapture. The Rapture, a future event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, is when Jesus Christ will return to take His pure Church (the Bride) to heaven before the Great Tribulation begins.
The Great Tribulation, lasting 3½ years (Revelation 11:2-3; 12:6; Daniel 9:27), is a time of intense suffering under the reign of the Antichrist. According to Revelation 13 and 17, this period involves the rise of a global oppressive system symbolized as a “beast,” to which many will submit, while a faithful remnant resists.
After being swallowed by the fish, Jonah prays a profound prayer of repentance from the depths (Jonah 2:1-10 NIV):
“1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. 2 He said: ‘I called to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; from the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. 3 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. 4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ 5 The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head 6 at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. 7 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. 8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!’ 10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.”
This prayer is rich in theological meaning. Jonah’s “belly of Sheol” (verse 2) represents the realm of death or the grave, emphasizing his near-death experience and spiritual crisis. His recognition that God alone brings salvation (verse 9) highlights the biblical truth that deliverance comes only through repentance and faith in God’s mercy.
Jonah’s three days and nights in the fish’s belly (Jonah 1:17) foreshadow the time of suffering for those left behind after the Rapture. Like Jonah, they will face intense “darkness” and separation from God because of their own choices—spiritual rebellion or lukewarmness (Revelation 3:16).
Jonah’s prayer echoes the experience of believers who repent in the midst of tribulation but face great trials before ultimate deliverance.
The Book of Revelation warns that the lukewarm church will be “spit out” (Revelation 3:16), reflecting Jonah’s being vomited by the fish. This is a sobering reminder that not all who call themselves Christians will be part of the victorious Bride. The lukewarm believers who are left behind will be subjected to the Great Tribulation’s suffering.
Only a faithful few—symbolized by the “five wise virgins” (Matthew 25:1-13)—will be ready and taken at the Rapture. The others will face persecution, economic hardship (no buying or selling without the Mark of the Beast—Revelation 13:16-17), and imprisonment (Revelation 20:4).
Jesus compares the last days to the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39). Enoch, who walked faithfully with God and was taken (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5), symbolizes the raptured Church. Noah and his family represent those who had to endure the flood.
The ark, sealed and tossed in storms, is a vivid picture of the Tribulation, where only a small number will be saved. This typology underscores the urgency of repentance and preparedness.
Dear reader, these prophetic truths call for urgent repentance and spiritual readiness. The lukewarm condition of many believers grieves God deeply (Revelation 3:14-22). True holiness, devotion to God’s Word, and rejection of worldly idolatry are essential.
Hold fast to scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17), avoid superficial “prosperity gospel” teachings, and pursue a life worthy of the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27).
May the Lord bless you richly as you seek Him earnestly.
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