Most folks who know their Bible will tell you that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.
Jonah is the prophet who ran from God’s call to Nineveh, boarded a ship, and in the midst of a deadly storm the crew tossed him overboard to make their gods happy.
The Lord sent the storm, but then as Jonah was sinking, “the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17).
What happened to “whale?” That’s a word used in the King James Version Bible translation from the 1600’s, a bit of their own interpretation. The original Hebrew word in the Bible is dahg and means “aquatic animal.” It could refer to a whale, or a fish. Here in Jonah 1:17 the original Hebrew adds “huge” so it is certainly massive. The New International Version translation “huge fish” is preferable.
Keep in mind that science doesn’t classify whales as fish but as mammals. Whales are warm-blooded and fish are cold-blooded. Whales primarily breathe through lungs and fish through gills. Whales have mammary glands and fish do not.
But also keep in mind that before our human scientific classifications, God used his own terms. As far back as creation, God divided animals into very basic, natural groups. He made all aquatic and aerial creatures on the 5th day of creation and all terrestrial animals on the 6th day (Genesis 1:20-23,24-25).
Later, God classified bats as “birds,” since they both fly (Leviticus 11:13-19). So God, in his Word, legitimately classifies whales as fish since they both swim.
Which means, we don’t know for sure if Jonah was swallowed by a whale or a fish. It may very well have been a type of fish (shark), water-living mammal (whale), or even an extinct, dinosaur-like, water-living reptile.
What matters most is 1) the story is true, 2) God miraculously commands his own creation as he pursues Jonah’s heart of faith and provides for his life, and 3) that Jesus himself refers to this event. Even the fish. “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40).
The Greek word in Jesus’ statement is ketos which means “big water creature” or “huge fish.” But there’s something bigger in Jesus’ mini-sermon than the fish/whale/creature. Do you see it? Do you believe it?
Jesus compares Jonah’s experience to his own death and resurrection. In those days “three days and three nights” was a figure of speech which wasn’t a literal period of 72 hours or more. Like we might say “a couple days” or “a few days” and both could mean 52 hours or so.
Jesus is stating that Jonah’s experience as supernatural, a miracle of God, and his death and resurrection is also.
This is much bigger than knowing what kind of animal swallowed Jonah. Death swallowed Jesus into a tomb, but by the command of its Creator and our Savior it ejected Jesus like Jonah was vomited out of the fish onto dry land (Jonah 2:10).
Jesus rose on the third day! He went on to appear to sinners everywhere and save us, like Jonah’s preaching saved Nineveh.
So, more important than what was happening inside the fish or whale is what happened inside the tomb of Jesus. He’s not there! He lives!
PRAYER: Jesus, just like Jonah, you miraculously came back! On the third day! Thank you for appearing alive, for preaching your saving truth, and showing mercy on sinners like us all, like me. Resurrect me from sin, shame, fear and pride to live a new life like yours. Amen.
EVANGELISM ACTION: Do you have a friend who needs Jesus and they grew up in church and know the story of Jonah? Share this with them and see what they think.
