Ever Wonder Why Whales Beach Themselves?

Do you ever wonder why whales beach themselves?

Did you ever stop to think and ponder that since God does not audibly speak to us in New Testament times, that He could be trying to get us to remember something very important.

My wondering took me wondering in this direction:

God gave Jonah a command to go to Ninevah. He did not ask Jonah to go...He told him to go:

Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the LORD (Jehovah) came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Jonah 1:2 Arise, go to Nineveh (God said go, not go the other way - interjection mine), that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

What did Jonah do? He disobeyed - blatantly:

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD (did Jonah really think he could flee from the presence of the Lord? - my interjection), and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it (he must have thought he could hide - that's what he did in the hull of the ship - my interjection), to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

How did God respond (God never reacts!) to Jonah's blatant disobedience?

Jonah 1:4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. (God is always in control - the ship was "like to be broken", but not breaking.)

How did the mariners react? (People usually react before they respond.)

Jonah 1:5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god (note the small g), and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them (they really didn't have to lose their merchandise - God was in total control!). But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship (remember - he was ignorantly hiding); and he lay, and was fast asleep (wonder how he could have slept so well? - he was fleeing from god!).

Now, how did the mariners respond now that God had their attentions?

Jonah 1:6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God (wisdom!), if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. (Those men were willing to trust another mans' God (note the capital G) to save them from the raging sea.)

Jonah 1:7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. (Hmmm...all fingers pointing at Johan? - not a mistake - God is still in control!)
Jonah 1:8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? (Lots of questions for the man, hiding from God. At least they were inquisitive enough not to hastily throw him overboard - again - God working in the lives of not just Jonah, but in each of the men's hearts on that ship.)

How did Jonah react to the men's fears knowing that he was not able to flee from God?

Jonah 1:9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. (I believe Jonah was wide awake now and could not hide any longer - from God - or deny God himself or before those around him.)

Further reaction by the mariners:

Jonah 1:10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. (At this point, the men are "exceedingly afraid" - even unbelievers can feel such emotion at times of severe tribulation. They knew there was a punishment for sin.)

They all searched for the answer to still the storm:

Jonah 1:11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. (The mariners believed that Jonah's God would be merciful even to them if Jonah would make things right with God.)

Jonah is convinced he had to suffer for his sins and not these other men:

Jonah 1:12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. (Jonah was willing to perish to save those men's lives - even though Jonah still had hate for the folks of Ninevah and was willing to go down into the deeps in disobedience, he still retained the faith that God would indeed calm the storm for these other men.)
Jonah 1:13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. (The mariners continued to try to weather the storm and not to cause the death of Jonah.)
Jonah 1:14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee. (These men could have perished and themselves gone into the deeps of hell by drowning, but God was working in their hearts to see Who He was and the power He has. They turned to the God of creation and prayed to Him, believing!)
Jonah 1:15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. (They fought the storm of the sea until the choice was made to do as Jonah had said.)
Jonah 1:16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. (Now, those men "feared" which here is respected with reverence Jehovah God and offered up Jonah for God to deal with alone. They fought the storm of life believing in their gods that did not help them and turned to the God that held their very lives in His hands.)

God prepared a place for Jonah:

Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (This great fish is believed to be a whale - for that is what we in mortal minds can determine large enough to swallow a man. Can you imagine being in the belly of a whale with all the other krill and seaweed? - not to mention all that seawater?)

How to Jonah respond?

Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,

Jonah 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
Jonah 2:3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. (Are you realizing here that Jonah is aware of everything round about him and he has physically drowned? - Even though he was physically dead - he knew where he was and what was going on!)
Jonah 2:4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
Jonah 2:5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
Jonah 2:6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. (He was dead yet aware he was wrapped up and hostage in the deeps of the sea.)

Jonah 2:7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. (Out of the ship's hull into the deep - he knew when his body died, yet Jonah remembered God and was seeking Him.)
Jonah 2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
Jonah 2:9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. (Jonah came under complete submission to God. He knew he could no longer run and hide. Even in death judgement will come. Jonah lied to himself. He loved the LORD and believed yet he still failed. And, God still had mercy upon Jonah.)

I know...it was a long trip on this ship to why whales beach themselves...but here it is:

Jonah 2:10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

God had Jonah's attention and had judged Jonah severely. God said "go to Ninevah." Jonah was ready to go now, even though he hated the Ninevites. He had to overcome his flesh.

The whale vomited Jonah up on dry land. To do this, the whale or big fish, had to be on dry land to perform this delivery.

Could this be a reminder to those of us who know about Jonah and the whale to obey God?

I think so.

Next time you hear of a beached whale - remember God and ask if there was a command He had for you. Next time you hear of Jonah - remember there is a judgement for not obeying.

God knows all about our fleshly Adamic nature. He will have mercy on us and forgive us when we are in submission to Him.

He has prepared a place for us too.