“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”
We want to examine the faith life of another minor prophet, though I think this prophet is more famous for his running from God and his complaints so much so that it is not even noticed as an act of faith. Jonah was called by God to go and preach to a city called Nineveh. Jonah did not want to do it because according to him he knows that the people would repent and God will forgive them.
Therefore, he decided to run away but God caught up with him and he ended up in the belly of a whale. His experience and utterances while he was there were acts of faith worthy of emulation. Hear him:
“Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” Jonah 2
This passage is so rich that a verse by verse exposition of it would be proper but for space. However, let me point you to verse 9&10
“They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”
What are lying vanities? Things that contradict the word of God. Jonah said if you put your attention on your symptoms, your bank balance and the storms around you, you forsake or forgo your deliverance. Rather than do that he said offer unto God a sacrifice of thanksgiving. The result? His deliverance. That also will be your portion today when you put your attention on the word of God.
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