Swallowed!

October 30th, 2021| Topic: RaMbLeS | 0

Earlier this year, lobster diver, Michael Packard, recounted an incredible story.

He jumped off his boat in Provincetown, MA, and suddenly felt a huge bump and everything went dark. He thought he’d been attacked by a shark.

And then I felt around and I realized there was no teeth. And then I realized, ‘Oh my God, I’m in a whale’s mouth. . . and he’s trying to swallow me.’ This is it, I’m gonna die.”

Swallowed by a whale!

Way back when, the prophet Jonah had a similar experience. God asks him to go in one direction and this guy decamps in the opposite direction. Fleeing God and his commission on a ship, his getaway vehicle is caught in a threatening storm. Our man suspects God is involved and asks to be thrown off the boat. The sailors, pagan folks, surprisingly enough, have mercy on Jonah.

Then they called on Yahweh and said,
“We earnestly pray, Yahweh,
do not let us perish on account of this man’s life
and do not put innocent blood on us;
for You, Yahweh, have done as You have pleased.”
Jonah 1:14

Notice they are calling on the true and living God, Yahweh. All Jonah has done so far is sleep in the hold of the boat.

So Jonah is ejected. The sea calms.

Then the men feared Yahweh greatly,
and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh and made vows.
Jonah 1:16

Then the prophet is swallowed by a big fish (a whale?). This guy was in that beast for three days and three nights.

Michael Packard was more fortunate:

Then all of a sudden he went up to the surface and just erupted and started shaking his head. I just got thrown in the air and landed in the water. I was free and I just floated there. I couldn’t believe it.”

Added Captain Joe Francis who, heading a fishing charter nearby, had a front row seat to the whole episode.

He’s d*&% lucky to be alive! I saw Mike come flying out of the water feet first with his flippers on and land back in the water. We got him on the deck and calmed him down and he goes, ‘Joe, I was in the mouth of a whale.’”

In the big fish, our prophet of yore finally prays. He immediately proceeds to blame God for his predicament, accusing the latter of having cast him into the deep, conveniently forgetting that it was he, himself, who had requested to be thrown overboard.

Compounding his self-centeredness, the prophet cavalierly dismisses pagans (including those sailors) in his prayer:

“Those who regard vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness.”
Jonah 2:8

“But me, I’m better than all of them!” He concludes his prayer, claiming a more superior ground and promising God a reward if he is delivered.

“But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation is from Yahweh.”
Jonah 2:9

Remarkably, those pagans have already done both—sacrificed and made vows—while Jonah, thus far, has done neither. He is, indeed, a hypocrite! In fact, one commentator writes:

It is no wonder that immediately after Jonah shouts, ‘Salvation is from Yahweh!’ the big fish throws up!”

It does. God in his mercy and sovereignty has the big fish regurgitate Jonah on the seashore.

Packard got away, too. He feared his legs were broken, but he was able to leave the hospital later in the day and could walk with a limp.

All that to say, don’t diss others.

SOURCE:
CBS Boston