Waiting for Deliverance (Jonah 2:1-10)

How many of you believe in the power of prayer? Raise your hand. That’s awesome. Now, how many of you believe you should pray more? Even though many of us believe in a God who hears our prayers and responds to our prayers will also say that we need to be more engage in talking to God and praying to God. More on prayer in just a moment.

What I want to do is review Jonah.

Last week we finished up Jonah 1. We looked at what we might call a reluctant prophet. If you remember that in Jonah 1:1 the word of the Lord came to Jonah and told him to go and preach to the Ninevites who were extremely wicked. God told Jonah that their wickedness had come before Him.

Basically, God said to Jonah, GO! And Jonah said, NO! So God said, “WHOA!” We don’t want a GO, NO, WHOA relationship with God, but a GO, YES, WOW relationship with God.

God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, instead Jonah found a ship and went as far as he could in the other direction. Instead of going 500 miles east to Nineveh, Jonah headed 2500 west to Tarshish. He had decided to go the opposite direction that God wanted him to go. We learned the principle that if you want to run from God, the devil will provide a ride. You can always find a ship, a person, a relationship, or something that will take you as far away from God as you want to go.

So Jonah is on this boat and God sends this really big storm. This storm is about to tear apart the boat and Jonah says it’s my fault, throw me overboard. The sailors did not want to do it, they tried everything else possible. Eventually, they decided they had to throw Jonah overboard and when they did, the storm completely went calm.

This event impacted them so much they became worshipers of God and made sacrifices to God and made vows to God. And they turned their hearts to God.

Good news for the sailors, but Jonah was now all alone in the ocean. And it looked very hopeless for him.

At the end of chapter 1, there is an unusual verse that says this, And the Lord designated a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17, NASB).

Let’s make sure we understand where we are. Chapter 1, Jonah ran from God and now he is down in the belly of the fish. Chapter 2, Jonah prayed to God.

In Jonah 2:1 we are told, Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish…. Let me say that again, Jonah prayed to the Lord. Jonah prayed. Chapter 1, Jonah runs. Chapter 2, Jonah prays.

What we see as God’s punishment is God’s provision

The very last verse of chapter 1 is significant. Now, who is the main character in the book of Jonah? The Lord! Not Jonah, but the Lord! The very last verse of chapter 1 says this, the Lord designated a great fish to swallow Jonah. This is interesting to me because if Holly and I were on a cruise and I fell overboard into the sea I’m not hoping for a big fish to swallow me. I’m hoping for a life jacket floating by, or a large driftwood I can grab hold of, or the Lord could provide a friendly dolphin to take me where I need to go. Instead, the Lord provides and designates a great fish to swallow you, that does not feel like a praise report, that feels like a punishment. I think sometimes what we see as a punishment from God is actually God’s provision. It maybe a painful provision and stressful provision, but it’s God’s provision to get us out of running from God and sinning against God and onto dry land and back in the will of God. What we view as punishment from God maybe provision from God.

If I’m in the middle of the belly of a great fish and I don’t even know what’s in a fish’s belly. Fish belly acid, is there decaying half eaten fish in the belly, what does it smell like, etc. If I’m in the belly of this fish, I’m thinking, “God why did you let this happen? Why couldn’t you have let me die? Why am I going through this?”

Let’s pause here for a moment and let me say that some of us have always believed that pain is punishment. Think about it. To Jonah, the big fish seemed like nothing but a big problem. I am in the middle of this and I didn’t want this. This fish is a problem.

But who provided the fish? The main character of the story, the Lord provided the fish. Listen carefully, sometimes what we call a problem, God calls provision. Sometimes God will provide in ways that we didn’t choose and we didn’t expect. So God provided a fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah never planned on being fished food.

Some of you are in a similar place. You are going through something or in the middle of something that you would have never chosen. How did I get here? How did I get in the middle of all this mess, all this pain? But I want to remind you that our good God doesn’t always give us what we want, but God gives us what we need. And what we need most is always Him! From the belly of a fish, Jonah remembered that he needed the Lord. God always gives us what we need and what we need most is Him.

Helpless does mean hopeless

So the Lord provided a fish to swallow up Jonah and he is by himself and he is about to drown. In a situation like this you can imagine how long he can stay afloat. He is in the middle of the sea, by himself, and he is completely helpless. He couldn’t do a single thing to save his life. He was in a place where the only one who could help him was the Lord. Only the Lord. On his own, he was completely helpless, but just because Jonah was helpless does not mean he was hopeless. There is a big difference. Just because Jonah was helpless, does not mean he had run out of hope.

When you are in trouble, pray!

Was Jonah in a mess? Yes. He was in big trouble. Some of you may be in a spot in your life where things are not going well with you right now. You may be in trouble in your marriage. Trouble with your kids. Trouble with your family. Trouble with your finances. Trouble with your health. Now listen, no matter why you find yourself in trouble, your fault or someone else’s, God’s Word says very clearly in James 5:13, “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray…” (NIV). Is anyone here today in trouble? You should pray. I want to declare to you that if you are in trouble, it’s time to pray. I’m going to tell you again, if you are in trouble, it’s time to pray. I’m going to say it one more time for those who are hearing it, when you are in trouble, it’s time to pray. Somebody say, “It’s time to pray.” James doesn’t say it’s time to worry, but it’s time to pray. James doesn’t say it’s time to complain, but it’s time to pray. James doesn’t say its time to blame, but it’s time to pray. When you are in trouble, you are to pray!

Jonah prayed when he was in trouble

Now Jonah was in trouble and he decided to pray. What did Jonah pray when he was in trouble? Let me show you exactly what he prayed when he was in trouble. Jonah 2:2 tells us what Jonah began to pray, I called out of my distress to the Lord (physically Jonah is in the belly of the fish, but emotionally he is in distress – extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain. Jonah is calling out to God from a place of extreme anxiety, fear, worry, sorrow and pain). He says, I called out of my distress to the Lord, and He answered me. I called for help from the depth of Sheol (realm of the dead); You heard my voice. When you are in trouble, it’s time to pray.

In verse 1 we are told he prays and then in verse 2 and down to verse 9 we see what he prayed. We do not have time to unpack everything within this awesome prayer by Jonah, but let me highlight a few things that will help you pray in times of trouble.

Pray like God is sovereign

In verse 3, Jonah prays, For You threw me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current flowed around me. All Your breakers and waves passed over me. Notice that in his prayer, Jonah did not blame the sailors for throwing him overboard. He recognized that it was God who did it, even though Jonah suggested this to the sailors, Jonah recognized it was a consequence that God allowed in order to get his attention. He is not blaming God here, he is acknowledging that God is sovereign and that God was in control of all that was occurring.

When you are in trouble and you are praying remember that God is sovereign and in control and he is either causing or allowing things to happen and is using that trouble to draw you to Him.

Can I just say that being in distress emotionally feels like you are in a raging sea. The waves of your anxiety are pushing you around, the ocean current of sorrow and pain seem to be pulling you deeper and deeper into the sea, the breakers of emotion to take your breath away at times to where it seems hard to breath. When you are in trouble, pray!

Pray and turn to God

Then in verse 4, Jonah prays, I have been cast out of Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple. Remember, back in Jonah 1:3 we are told that Jonah was running from the presence of the Lord. In the Old Testament, the presence of the Lord was found in the temple. In Jonah’s rebellion and selfishness and stubbornness, he had turned his back on God, but now Jonah is once again looking toward God’s holy temple, God’s presence. Jonah is beginning to repent of some things.

When you are in trouble, pray! Acknowledge that God is in control and repent of what you have done that took you away from God.

You are about to be brought up!

Then in verse 5, Jonah prays, Water encompassed me to the point of death. The deep flowed around me, Seaweed was wrapped around my head.I descended to the base of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, Lord my God. When you are in the belly of your fish, when you are in trouble, when you are in distress and you feel like you are dying on the inside and you feel like your life is going down and down and down remember that your God has heard your cry, He is sovereign, you have turned back to Him, and He is about to bring up your life from the pit you are in. When you are in the pit, remember, God is at work and your life is about to change. You are about to be brought up! When you are in trouble, pray!

When you feel like giving up, pray!

In verse 7, Jonah prays this, While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. Look at the contrast here. Jonah emotionally is fainting away, but at the same time something is happening in the throne room of God. God has heard his prayer. God has already set in motion Jonah’s deliverance. God knew what Jonah needed before he even asked and was already working on behalf of Jonah even while he was fainting away.

This is so hard because our feelings feel so real, but you have been praying in your distress and you are fainting away on the inside and it feels like you are never going to get out of the belly of your fish, but your deliverance is coming. You are about to be back on dry land. You are about to get a fresh start. A new day is coming. When you are in trouble, pray!

Pray with God’s timing in mind

So, listen carefully, Jonah prayed. God heard him, but nothing happened immediately. Nothing changed immediately. This actually encourages me because sometimes I get so frustrated with God’s timing. I’ll say, “God, I need you to do this now!” But God says, “No, because you don’t know what I know. I will give it to you when it’s the right time.”

In verse 1 we are told Jonah started praying and there was no visible miracle, no tangible changes, and nothing to observe that God was at work on behalf of Jonah’s prayer. You don’t see any kind of visible response from God until the end of chapter 2 in verse 10.

This is what makes verses 8-9 so much more meaningful.

In verse 8-9, Jonah prays this, Those who are followers of worthless idols abandon their faithfulness, But I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord. Keep in mind that Jonah is praying this while in the belly of the fish, while he is in distress, while he is fainting away, while he is in trouble. There is no visible sign of God answering his prayer yet.

Pray with a sacrifice of thanksgiving

He says, I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving. Can I just say that when you are in distress, in trouble, and in the belly of your fish it is so hard to be thankful and to give thanks. It will feel like a sacrifice. When you sacrifice something you either have to slaughter something or surrender something. When you are sacrificing something, you are giving something up. Sometimes in your distress, you have to give yourself up and surrender yourself and say, “Thank you God for loving me. Thank for hearing me. Thank you for listening.” You need to give him a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

“God I’m in financial trouble, but thank you for how you have provided in the past and how you will provide now. God, thank you for allowing me to grow through this and to learn some valuable lessons.”

“God, I’m in trouble with my health, but thank you for the health I have been able to enjoy. Thank you for the opportunity to demonstrate your grace and your peace to others as I go through this.”

“God, I’m in trouble with my marriage, but thank you for the opportunity to love this person and to encourage them and build them up and to glorify you with how I treat them. Thank you for using my marriage to bring things out in me that I need to work on.”

If you are trouble, pray! Go ahead and offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Thank God during the times when life is tough. Thank God even though you feel in distress. Thank God when you feel like your life is fainting away. But don’t stop there.

Pray with a dedicated life

Then he says, That which I have vowed I will pay. Jonah made a vow to God to speak for Him and to live for Him and be his representative. He has decided to make good on that vow and that promise and in his case, go to Nineveh and preach God’s message.

Jonah is saying, “God, I was running from you and I was being disobedient and I was not honoring you, but I will make good. I will do what is right.” Jonah was not making any excuses, he was just making it right.

Listen, someone here is not doing what’s right. You are being disobedient to God, you are sinning, you are running and you know better. You are deliberately doing something you should not be doing or you are avoiding something you need to do that God wants you to do. You need to make it right. You need to pay up on your vow to God and make it right. Jonah made it right.

When you are in your distress give God thanks and recommit to the vows you have made to God. This is where you say, “God, I going to do what you have called me to do and I’m gong to say what you have called me to say. I will pay my vow with obedience.”

Praise God before the provision!

Finally, he says, Salvation is from the Lord. What’s powerful about all this is, that this prayer, all of it, is being prayed from the belly of the fish. It’s easy to praise God and thank God after the miracle, but it’s a different thing all together when you praise God and thank God in the middle of the mess. Listen, it takes faith to praise God before the provision!

When you are still in the belly of the fish and you are still distressed, you need a verse 9 kind of faith where you are praying over your family, over your health, over your marriage, over your kids, over your situation thanking and praise God and being determined to do what he calls you to do before the deliverance and before the answer ever shows up to your prayer.

This is where you believe that God is a good God and that He loves you and He is pursuing you and He hears the cries of your heart. This is praising God for who He is and not just for what He has done.

When you are waiting, God is working

Finally, in verse 10 we see the result of his pray, Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land. Can we just pause for a moment and say two things: that is amazing and that’s disgusting.

Think about it. He is in the belly of a great fish for three days and three nights. What’s he doing? He is praying.

Early on day 1, he is praying. In the afternoon he is praying. At the end of day 1, he is praying. He probably goes to sleep, but when he wakes up he realizes he is still in the fish’s belly and he prays and the same thing happens on day 3.

Verse 1 he is praying. Verse 2 he is praying. Verse 3 he is praying. Verse 4 he is praying. Verse 5 he is praying. Verse 6 he is praying. Verse 7 he is praying. Verse 8 he is praying. Verse 9 he is praying.

Let me remind you, that when you are waiting, God is still working. While you are praying, God is working. While you are believing, God is working. While you are waiting, God is at work. Just because you don’t see God doing something, doesn’t mean He is not doing something. At the right time, God commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto the dry land. Let me say that again, at the right time, God commanded the fish. At the right time, God commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land. If its not God’s time, you cannot force it! And if it is God’s time, you cannot stop it! Our God is a good God who is always on time!

While you are waiting, God is working. God heard Jonah’s prayer at the beginning of chapter 2, but God didn’t answer the pray until the end of chapter 2. While you are praying and waiting, God is working.

Conclusion