We need not suppose that the great fish remained stationary during the three days and three nights of Jonah's imprisonment; but whatever may have been its movements, the eye of the Creator was upon it, and it was guided to drop the prophet just where Jehovah wanted him. The fish might have deposited him in Italy or Greece; more probably it was in the land of Israel that Jonah set foot upon dry ground again. The obedience of the humblest creatures, as recorded in Scripture, is deeply instructive. The Lord Jesus when on earth wanted a fish which possessed a shekel, and that particular fish, and no other, caught at Peter's hook (Matt. 17:2727Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. (Matthew 17:27)). The colt upon which never man sat—an untamed novice for work—obediently carried the Lord through the streets of Jerusalem, although surrounded by a shouting multitude (Matt. 21:77And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. (Matthew 21:7)). It might not have been wise for either reader or writer to mount that colt! In like manner, the Mediterranean Sea monster was at the appointed place when Jonah was cast out of the ship; it took care of him for the divinely appointed period; and then released him in God's time, and in the place where God required him. Alas, that man, the most gifted of all earthly creatures, should be the arch-rebel of this planet! The revolt of its head has involved the whole creation in groans and travail throughout the ages, which will only end at “the manifestation of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19-2219For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8:19‑22)).
Once more Jonah was commissioned by Jehovah to go to Nineveh (ch. 3:1). Similarly, Peter, when restored from backsliding, was divinely appointed to carry a great message from God to men (Acts 2). Jonah knew not what his message was to be when he set out. He proceeded “under sealed orders,” as men say. “Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.” The spirit of obedience having returned to him (at least in measure) Jonah did not venture to reason with his Lord, after the manner of Ananias in Damascus when told to call upon Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:13-1413Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. (Acts 9:13‑14)); but he “arose and went according to the word of Jehovah.” This is as it should be, and it reminds us of Elijah when told to go and hide himself by the brook Cherith, “He went and did according to the word of Jehovah” (1 Kings 17:55So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. (1 Kings 17:5)).
This is the line that is proper for us all. The Apostle, when referring to his own movements, burst into praise thus: “thanks be unto God who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ (see R.V.), and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place” (2 Cor. 2:1414Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)). He felt like a captive in a triumphal procession (such as the Romans were accustomed to give successful Generals on their return from the wars); but it mattered nothing to him where God led him—Troas, Corinth or elsewhere—so long as the will of God was carried out, and the savor of Christ was spread abroad. This made his life a great spiritual success.
Abraham's servant furnishes us also with a lovely example in Genesis 24 He went abroad in the spirit of prayer to seek a wife for his master's son. Having found the right person, he bowed his head, and worshipped Jehovah, saying, “I being in the way, Jehovah led me.”
The only perfect servant and messenger was the Lord Jesus. When the anxious sisters sent from Bethany to tell Him, “Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick,” the evangelist records, “when He heard therefore that he was sick, He abode two days still in the same place where He was.” Why the delay? Because He had as yet no word from the Father, but when the word came, even the warnings of His disciples that trouble awaited Him in Judea, could not hold Him back. (John 11).
We are only of use to God when we are just were He wants us. He knows the right country in which we should serve, and the right town, and the right time. Office, factory, workshop or home—wherever it may be, if that is His place for us, there only can we be spiritually useful. And even when we are in the right place, we need the Spirit's guidance every hour as to what we should do or say. Simple lessons indeed; but not necessarily learned and practiced by us.
When Jonah set out for Nineveh “according to the word of Jehovah,” it is to be feared that there was some uneasiness in his mind as to the real object of his mission. Jehovah's new charge was vague: “preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.” When he was first commissioned, the word was, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me.” This was pure denunciation, which might reasonably be expected to be followed by judgment. But nothing of this is suggested in the new charge, and when Jonah arrived in Nineveh, he was told to cry, “Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 2:1-41Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, 2And 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. 3For 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. 4Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. (Jonah 2:1‑4)). Here we detect the grace of the divine heart. Time was granted for repentance. Alas, this did not suit the Galilean prophet! Patience and grace for erring Israel—yes, but not for Gentiles! When shall we learn that God has no pleasure in the death of him that dies, whatever his nationality may be? (Ezek. 18:3232For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. (Ezekiel 18:32)).