Jonah 2:1 says “Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly”. Mysteries are not uncommon in the Bible. God has clearly placed them there for our exercise. He says in Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. “ Yet some of those secrets He fully intends for us to discover. Proverbs 25:2 says “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter”. So it is with a certain measure of challenge He opens His word to us.
I believe God expects us to use our minds and the gifts of understanding which He has given to us to seek out some of the hidden treasures in His collection of love letters. However, it is not anticipated that everything may be mauled or mishandled just to allow for some fanciful rendition of events simply because someone is a good story teller. In reading through the interpretations of the dreams recorded in the book of Daniel, I see a pattern of seeking and understanding that could be helpful to some commentators I have recently read after. It amazes me that some of these more contemporary scholars have taken upon themselves to reinterpret what Daniel received from God the Holy Spirit. If only Daniel could have had the benefit of the understanding and insight they have through their scholarly efforts, He might have been able to interpret the dreams as they found them and not just what God said.
Do you see the folly in this approach? Does there need to be a large well lit warning sign out there somewhere? It is not in our place to reinterpret what God has given as the answer. We are to believe what He says and use that understanding to follow His lead in searching out the pearls of wisdom hidden for us in His word.
Daniel went to his brethren and sought their companionship in prayer. Didn’t Jesus do that too? Daniel separated Himself unto fasting and prayer to seek answers from heaven. Didn’t Jesus do that too? Daniel said what God said and gave God the glory for it. Didn’t Jesus do that too?
Jonah prayed out of the time of his greatest need. He was the farthest from God that He had ever been. He prayed for His life and ministry to be restored. He dropped his pride and begged for forgiveness. So here is the mystery question of the book of Jonah. Did Jonah die in the belly of the whale? Without reinterpreting what God said and without putting too much of your own self in there with it, Did God have to resurrect Jonah before He was willing to be used in ministry again?