™‚m‚n49 Shadow of Christ (Jonah take flight from God)
One day the word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying, gArise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it;
for their wickedness has come up before Me.h But Jonah jumped ship from Lord.
Because he is Hebrew and Nineveh is the enemy countryfs city.
So, he went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish, and went down into it.
But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.
But Jonah had gone down into the lowest part of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.
So, the captain came to him, and said to him,h What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God.h
But Jonah said to him, gPick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.h
So, they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased its raging. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah.
And Jonah was in the belly of fish for three days and three nights. This short story will refresh us as Gentiles.
Because the Lord will help Ninevehfs people. They were Gentile, not Hebrew. But Jonah hated Ninevehfs people, and he was jealous of the Lord who would help them.
So, the Lord gave him time to pray. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fishfs belly.
gI went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.
When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple. Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy.
But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.h
So, Jonah changed his mind for three days and three nights in the fishfs belly. So, the Lord spoke to the fish and vomited Jonah onto dry land. And
Jonah began to enter the city on the first dayfs walk. Then he cried out and said, gYet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!h
Then word came to the king of Nineveh; he arose from his throne,laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
But why could they repent so easily? Jonah was a stranger in Nineveh and he also was Hebrew, was not he?
Therefore there was a big hidden reason. When Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign, the king of Assyria sent his great army to Jerusalem.
Then Hezekiah prayed to God. hO Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand.h And what happened? 2KINGS capter19 said. h
It came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand;
and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses ? all dead. So, the king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.
This is a fact. Therefore they have known the mighty God since this happened. Therefore Ninevehfs other name is Jonahfs town.
So, Ninevehfs people had respected for Jonah who saveed Gentile through his sacrifice. And he also was raised on the third day.
And Jesus loved this story and often told it to his disciples. Therefore this painting represents the shadow of Christ indeed.
Canvas oil 910mm 1167mm ™