The Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus to show them a sign from heaven that he was the expected Saviour of mankind. Jesus replied in Matthew 16: 4, “… none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus knew their intentions for David had said in Psalm 139: 2, you know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. God always knows our thoughts and imaginations.
Why Jesus declined a new sign
The Pharisees and Sadducees were teachers of scripture and prophecy; signs and nature so they were presumed to know what scripture had foretold about Christ Jesus. It was written in Isaiah 7: 14, therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Thus, Jesus would proverbially refer them to the sign of Jonah which no one could replicate.
Pharaoh’s magicians turned their staff into snakes as Aaron did in Exodus 7: 12, each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. Satan fakes God’s light as 2Corinthians 11: 14 says, and no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Satan gives wealth, power and fame as a bait to worship him. He told Jesus in Matthew 4: 9, “All this I will give you, if you bow down and worship me.” Satan fakes peace so Jesus said in John 14: 27, peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
What was the sign of Jonah?
The sign of Jonah was the unique life of Jonah just like Jesus’ life which could not be replicated:
Sign of [dis]obeying God’s call
Jonah 1: 1-2 says, the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” Jesus said in Luke 5: 32, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus came regardless of the wickedness of men who would kill him. He did not run away as Jonah did but showed obedience to God. Paul also accepted his mission in spite of Jesus’ words in Acts 9: 16, I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.
Jesus said in Matthew 10: 39, whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. As a caution, he said in Matthew 16: 25; Mark 8: 35; Luke 9: 24; 17: 23; John 12: 25, for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Jonah wanted to save his life through disobedience but lost it in the belly of the whale. We have eternal life when we die to sin. Are we ready to face challenging times for Christ Jesus? Jonah’s first sign was his call to obey God.
Sign of God’s resurrection power
Rather than living for God, Jonah ran away to his death. Jonah 1: 17 says, now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Just as he was presumed dead in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so was Christ Jesus presumed dead in the belly of the earth for three days and nights yet alive in spirit so rose up on the third day.
Just as Jonah was vomited out by the whale, Jesus said in John 14: 6, I am the way and the truth and the life. As the owner of life, he does not die so his disciples remembered what he said in Luke 18: 33… On the third day he will rise again. Jesus quoted scripture and said in Luke 24: 46, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day. While Jonah’s life was spared, Jesus took his life back because he was the life.
Jesus said in John 11: 25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? He also said in Revelation 1: 18, I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Jonah in spite of his disobedience, believed in God so he was saved. He said in Jonah 1: 9, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Jonah’s second sign is that God resurrects those who believe in him.
Sign that God answers prayer
Jonah prayed to God in the belly of the whale for life in Jonah 2: 1-2, “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. Prior to the prayer, Jonah confessed in Jonah 1: 10, … (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.) and the Lord commanded the fish and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Jesus related to the sign of Jonah as found in 1John 1: 9, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Effective prayer must be truthful and honest. As proof of repentance, Jonah 3: 3-5 says, Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh… The Ninevites believed God. For his honesty, God heard Jonah’s prayer for Isaiah 43: 2 says, when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze.
The sign of Jonah is still relevant today. By the same word through Jonah which saved the Ninevites, 1John 5: 12 says, whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. The power of God to save and to redeem shown in Jonah’s favour is still at work in Christ Jesus. God is still in the prayer answering business just as Jonah experienced. God loves to answer prayers upon repentance as Jonah did. God’s power to raise the dead as he did for Jonah is active. God’s power to punish for disobedience is also unquenchable. These cannot be replicated outside Christ Jesus.
Is the sign of Jonah reflected in you? Christ Jesus can make it happen if he is your savior!
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, may your Holy Spirit lead us to appreciate the sign of Jonah in Christ Jesus our Saviour. May your instructions be our delight to honour. May the power of our word rekindle our dead souls for your work. May obedience to share the cross be a blessing to our course in an unending relationship of eternal life. may we be dead to sin and alive in righteousness in your holy name, Amen!!
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