Jonah is both strikingly similar and dissimilar to Jesus. Jonah and Jesus are the only two people in the Bible who fell asleep in a boat during a storm (Jon 1:5). Jonah's storm was stopped by "sacrificing" him, throwing him overboard (see Jon 1:14-15). By Jesus' sacrificial death on Calvary, the storms of sin and death were stopped for those who believe in Him. As Jonah spent three days in the belly of a fish (Jon 2:1), Jesus spent three days buried in the earth (Mt 12:40).
In contrast to these amazing similarities, Jonah was directly opposite to Jesus in other ways. Jonah fled from the will of God the Father; Jesus obeyed the Father. Jonah was guilty; Jesus was innocent. Jonah was vindictive; Jesus was and is forgiving and merciful.
Ironically, Jonah was, at least originally, more successful than Jesus. All 120,000 Ninevites converted in one day when Jonah reluctantly said "Repent" (see Jon 4:11). However, Jesus also repeatedly said and says "Repent," but few listen to Him. The Ninevites will remark on this at Judgment Day: "For at the preaching of Jonah [we] reformed, but you have a greater than Jonah here" (Lk 11:32).
Listen to Jesus more than you listen to any person, government, boss, celebrity, superstar, or business. Repent!
| PRAYER: | Father, enable me to repent totally and immediately. |
| PROMISE: | "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." –Lk 10:27 |
| PRAISE: | Gloria listened to her Lord and not her boss, and quit her job when asked to behave contrary to her faith. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College