Jonah 2:1-10
All that the LORD sends, prepares and orders serves His final purpose (Jonah 1:4; Jonah 1:17; Jonah 2:10; Jonah 4:6-8). This is true both for Jonah and for Nineveh, but also for the Lord Jesus Himself. In the distressed and fervent prayer that ascends from this place of death, we recognise the voice of the One who was afflicted more than any other (cf. v. 2 and Psalms 130:1; v. 3 and Psalms 42:7; Psalms 42:5-6 and Psalms 69:1-2 . . .). But while Jonah experienced suffering as a consequence of his own disobedience, Christ Himself passed through the dark waters of death because of our disobedience and for our salvation. His distress was our deliverance.
Those three days in the belly of the great fish were the best in all Jonah’s history. They also teach us that in every circumstance we can call upon the Lord Jesus. Our prayer is heard and He gives us beforehand the full assurance of it. "He heard me," announces the prophet, still in the whale’s belly (v. 2).
V. 8 explains to us why we often enjoy so little of the Lord’s grace: we turn our eyes towards the lying vanities which Satan uses in order to distract and lead astray the men of this world. Sadly, the fact of having been the object of God’s grace reinforces in Jonah the proud self-esteem that is inherent in our nature.