I can remember as a kid, looking up at the night sky and looking for shooting stars. In fact every August there is a meteor shower called the Perseids. I remember this because it happens every year right around my birthday. You can see a shooting star about every ten minutes. I can remember during those moments as a kid praying to God, something like this: “God, if you’re out there and you can hear me, would you send a shooting star – right … now?” hoping He would send one in that exact moment when I said “now.” I was asking for a sign from God. Well at that time in my life I wasn’t aware that God had already given me all the signs I would ever need. He gave me many signs. They were right there in my Bible.
The religious people of Jesus’ day asked Jesus to prove to them that he truly was the Son of God by asking for a sign. We read of that event in Matthew 16:
“… the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed. (Matthew 16:1-4)
Jesus says, if you’re really looking for a sign, read the Bible. In particular, go read Jonah. Let’s do that today. Let’s look at 13 signs in the book of Jonah. They should be like shooting stars in the sky, showing us that Jesus truly is who he said he was. That is the purpose of any signs God gives us by the way: to point us to Christ. In our sinful nature we want a sign for every direction of our lives when in reality all we need is to look to Christ in faith then and make our decisions. “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” You see, Jonah was written hundreds of years before Jesus was ever born– 700 before Jesus walked the earth. That’s almost 3,000 years ago! We have ancient copies of Jonah in existence today the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, that date back 200 years before Jesus. And yet, somehow, it’s like the Author already knew Jesus.
Here’s #1: The Prophet. Jonah was a prophet. Jesus is the Great prophet. Jonah was called by God to deliver a message to the people of Nineveh (Jonah 1:1; 2 Kings 14:25). Jonah 1:1 says, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah…” But Jesus is greater. And in fact in many ways, Jesus is the opposite of Jonah. Jesus doesn’t just deliver the Word of God, He IS the Word of God. And John 1:14 says the Word became flesh, and He dwelt among us.
#2: The Boat. In the story of Jonah, we read that Jonah slept on a boat, while a fierce storm threatened the lives of those on board (Jonah 1:5-6). The storm was from God as a result of Jonah’s disobedience. In contrast, when Jesus slept on a boat during a storm, Jesus had no sin. He had no disobedience, and on top of that Jesus calmed the storm, because He has divine authority to do so, being the Son of God (Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25; Mark 4:36–41; John 6:16–21).
#3: Lots. When the sailors on Jonah’s boat cast lots to find out who was responsible for the storm, the lot fell on Jonah (Jonah 1:7). Casting lots was their attempt to locate the danger, save themselves. When Jesus was crucified, the soldiers cast lots for His clothing (Mark 15:24) What they didn’t realize is that Jesus was sent to save them. He was the opposite of danger. He was their only hope for salvation from their sins.
#4: Willingness. Jonah asked to be thrown into the sea to stop the storm (Jonah 1:12, 4:3, 8). See, Jonah reluctantly obeyed God’s call to preach a message of salvation to the Assyrians. Jesus is the opposite. Jesus willingly came, bringing a message of salvation to all people and all nations. Jesus willingly laid down His life to save us sinners (Romans 5:8). Jonah wanted to die rather than helping the people of Nineveh. Jonah wanted to escape his mission. Jesus fulfilled his mission. And he fulfilled it out of love.
#5. Jew and Gentile. The sailors, were non-Jewish, that is, they were gentile sailors. We read that these sailors both reluctantly and even prayerfully threw Jonah overboard. Scripture says the sailors sought to avoid killing Jonah (Jonah 1:13-14)! In stark contrast, Jesus who came to save gentiles like you and me, was eagerly handed over by His own people. He was quickly rejected by the Jewish people and handed over to be crucified (John 1:11).
#6 Peace. When Jonah was thrown off the ship, the sea was calm and peaceful (Jonah 1:15). God was satisfied. The storm stopped. Similarly, when Jesus died for our sins, Ephesians 2:14 tells us He brought peace and reconciliation to the entire world. Jesus’ death and resurrection calmed the greatest storm of all—sin and separation from God. There is now peace for every person who turns away from a life of sin to trust in the finished work of Jesus.
#7 Sacrifice. Amazingly, after Jonah was thrown into the sea, these pagan Gentile sailors on the ship offered a sacrifice to Yahweh, the LORD! (Jonah 1:16). Wow! Yet as amazing as that is, Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice to God. He offered himself for the sins of both Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 5:2). Jesus’ sacrifice was the one pleasing sacrifice to God. Jesus sacrifice opened the way for all people who would believe, including Gentiles, to have eternal life.
#8 Three Days and Nights. Jonah spent three days and three nights inside a great fish (Jonah 1:17). Sometimes we can find that hard to believe. But if God can perform a miracle, like creating the world, then he can keep Jonah alive inside a fish. Even more amazing is that Jesus the man spent three days and three nights, dead, in a tomb (Matthew 12:40).
#9 Death and Hell. Jonah was alive inside of a fish, and Jonah said it was like hell, or Sheol (Jonah 2:2). Jesus who was fully human, as a man truly died, yet he said in Matthew 12:40 he was simply in the “heart of the earth.”
#10 Born Again. On the third day, Jonah was vomited onto dry ground, almost as if he was being born again into the world. (Jonah 2:10) On the third day Jesus rose from the dead. After three days in the tomb Jesus conquered death for all who believe (Matthew 12:38-40; 28:1-10). Jesus’ disciples later remembered what Jesus said: no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah. And also, that to enter the Kingdom of God you must be born again.
#11 The Water. Jonah quotes Psalm 2 and says he sank in the water and was near death (Jonah 2:5). Jesus walked on the water (Luke 8:22–25) showing His power over everything, including death.
#12 Repentance. Jonah, after being saved from the fish, repented and declared, “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (Jonah 2:9). In the New Testament, we learn Jesus is the LORD! We repent from sin toward Jesus our Lord. Scripture says “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12)
#13 Grace. Jonah was angry. He was angry at God’s grace to the people of Nineveh (Jonah 4:1). He was angry because the People of Nineveh were violent and cruel. Even after Jonah came and they repented, they would invade and destroy Northern Israel. When Jesus came 2,000 years ago, he could have come in judgment. And there is coming a day soon when he will judge the earth. But when he came 2,000 years ago, he came with love and grace for all people. Jesus was not angry at God’s grace. Jesus is embodiment of God’s grace. Jesus is God’s grace to us.
Conclusion
Jesus points us to Jonah, who points us to Jesus. While Jonah was a prophet to the people of Nineveh, Jesus is the greater prophet to all of us. Jesus says to come to him. All you who are weary and heavily burdened, come to Jesus and he will give you rest. If you haven’t yet, will you come?
Adorn the Gospel 