Four Miracles in the Book of Jonah

The book of Jonah is filled with larger than life events, miracles, redemption, and even a cliff-hanger (We don’t really know how Jonah responded to God’s rebuke in chapter 4). But even though it may read like an epic fairy tale, Jonah was a real person who lived in a real place at a real time.  We know that he was the son of Ammitai.  He was from Gath Hepher.  He’s mentioned in the book of 2 Kings which is categorized in the Old Testament with the history books.  And Jesus certainly acted as if Jonah was a real person.  The Jonah story is a story of actual events that display the God of miracles who’s willing to let everyone off the hook for their sins.  

When you think about the miracles in the book of Jonah, your mind may immediately go to the great fish and Jonah being kept alive in its belly for three days and three nights before being spit out on the beach.  That is a powerful miracle, but we see several others that show up in the story prior to that. 

It’s a Miracle that God spoke to Jonah

It’s a miracle that God spoke to Jonah.  That certainly can’t be explained by natural or scientific laws.  It’s a miracle that God would want to speak to us and that he invites us to communicate with him. I think for those of us who grew up in the church and grew up reading our Bible, we can sometimes take for granted that God speaks to us.  It is a miracle every time God speaks. God spoke the world into existence. When God says something, it happens.

Isaiah 55:11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

God’s word is so powerful.  He tells us through the prophet Isaiah that his word always produces fruit. It will accomplish all he wants it to.  There isn’t a “might” or “maybe” here.  God has declared that his word will prosper everywhere he sends it.  

It’s a Miracle that God Controlled the Storm

This storm that Jonah found himself in wasn’t just bad timing.  It was no coincidence.  We read in Jonah chapter 1 that God hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm.  God’s control over the weather and over the sea is amazing to us, but it carried even more power and symbolism in Jonah’s day.  In many pagan religions of the time, the sea was synonymous with chaos. There was this close connection between the sea being chaotic and untamable, but it’s not untamable to God.  

Job 38:8-11 Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness? For I locked it behind barreled gates, limiting its shores. I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop.’

God not only caused the storm.  He also calmed the storm.  The sailors on the boat with Jonah had tried everything they could think of to reach land, but it was to no avail. They finally threw Jonah overboard, as he had requested, and the Bible says the storm stopped at once! It didn’t just gradually blow over.  It was a miraculous event.  The sailors were awestruck by God’s great power.  Think about it, these sailors had likely seen bad storms before.  If you make your living on the sea, you’re eventually going to come into some harsh weather and waves.  But they had never seen anything like this where the sea is raging one minute and then immediately calms down.  

It’s a Miracle God provided the fish

Jonah 1:17 says, “ The Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah.”   We also see God use the worm in chapter 4 to eat the gourd that had been providing shade to Jonah.  We see the full spectrum of animals here; from a tiny worm to a huge fish.  All of the animal kingdom, from the least to the greatest is subject to God’s authority. 

We actually see God using animals throughout scripture.  He caused a ram to be caught by its horns in a thicket so that Abraham could use it in place of Isaac. He used Baalam’s donkey to keep him from going and cursing the Israelites.  He brought in flocks of quail to feed the people in the desert.  In the New Testament, he used a fish with two coins in its mouth to pay the temple tax.  These are just more examples of God’s sovereignty over all creation. God reminds us in the book of Job about his authority over the animal kingdom.

Job 39: 26-27 Is it your wisdom that makes the hawk soar and spread its wings toward the south? Is it at your command that the eagle rises to the heights to make its nest?

As amazing as controlling the seas and animals is, the next miracle points to the greatest miracle mankind has ever seen.

It’s a miracle that the fish couldn’t contain Jonah

Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, but then at God’s command, the fish spit him out.  If you’re skeptical and think, “There’s no way that could happen.”, you might be right under normal circumstances.  But Jonah is a story about the God of miracles.  And keeping Jonah alive in the belly of the fish, or resuscitating him, would be an easy feat for the God who spoke the world into existence, controlled the seas and storm, and controlled the animals.  

The grave couldn’t contain Jesus

Some of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time approached him and asked for a miraculous sign to prove his authority. Keep in mind, Jesus had already performed many miracles up to this point.  He had healed people of diseases.  He had cast out demons.  He had calmed the storm and sea.  His miracles had already provided ample evidence of his authority. He gave them the following reply:

Matthew 12:39-40 39 But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 

He’s talking about his death, burial, and resurrection here.  He’s telling them what’s going to happen.  And just like the fish couldn’t contain Jonah, the grave couldn’t contain Jesus.  We see God’s word force the fish to spit out Jonah and the Word made flesh, which is what Jesus is called in John’s gospel, forced the grave to give him up.  And with his resurrection, he conquered sin and death for all who would put their faith in him.  With his resurrection, he made it possible for our resurrection.  That’s why this miracle is even greater than all of the miracles in the story of Jonah. 

There’s one more miracle in the book of Jonah.  When Jonah gets a second chance to go and preach to the city of Nineveh, the unthinkable happens.  The people of Nineveh repent.  The Bible tells us that it’s God’s kindness that leads us to repentance.  Apart from God and his softening of our hearts, we’d never repent.  

Some of you may be experiencing a miracle right now.  The God of the universe is speaking to you.  He’s drawing you to himself and his kindness is leading you to repentance.  But, he won’t force it.  Will you respond?