Forget about the fish

Heading into chapter 2 of Jonah, we see the prayer of a man finally broken by the hand of the Lord through discipline. Verse 17 of chapter 1, however, tends to make people focus on the wrong thing. Yes, it is amazing that this prophet was swallowed by a fish, and was preserved in the stomach for three days and three nights. But remember the more important truths of (near context) God's desire to save Nineveh and (far context) Jonah being a type of Christ.

Matt 12:39
"An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet."

Notice that the sign is not the fish. The sign is not, primarily, that Jonah was in the fish. The sign is Jonah himself. He is a type, or foreshadowing of Christ's work. Jesus continues in vs 40:

"for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. "

The correlation is this; Jonah was swallowed and contained for three days and night. He then re-emerged to preach. Jesus, in a much greater fulfillment of the sign, did precisely the same thing! Praise the Father for sending His triumphant Son!

There is much to say about chapter two, but here are a couple of interesting truths. It is likely that Jonah does not realize that he has been swallowed by a fish until verse 10, when he is vomited onto the dry land. Besides the fact that we have the benefit of revelation, and we are so familiar with account (and Jonah could not have imagined this scenario), the description Jonah himself offers of his experience in chapter two is one of chaos. He uses terms such as "sheol" (vs 2), death (vs 5), the bars of the earth were "around (him) forever" and "pit (vs 6). It appears that he believes that he is experiencing death. The unsettling churching of the sea, the tangling of the seaweed is suddenly replaced by total darkness and (in all likelihood) suffocating confinement. No one alive knows what the process of death is like (except for the few rare exceptions in Scripture, including Christ Himself), but even then this information has never been shared (as a tangent, it is interesting to note that we never hear from Lazarus' own words after he is raised. The Holy Spirit held back information about his amazing experience. But I digress).

More notably however, Jonah does not mention a fish in his prayer. Further proof that he does not realize what is happening. And, back to our original premise of a man who has finally been broken, it is shocking that he does not offer any supplication in these 8 verses. Some have argued that it is at this point that Jonah repents. But I would strongly disagree. True biblical repentance does not need to be repeated. And even though sincere believers do falter in their ongoing repentance, Jonah displays his most extreme blasphemy in chapter 4. This indicates that even though here in chapter two he is frightened and humbled, he is not demonstrating repentance. But God, in His merciful way, breaks Jonah and brings him to the place of a correct perspective on what he has been called to do:

2:8-9
Those who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness, but I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD."

In other words, Nineveh, who has regarded vain idols has so far been cut off from faithfulness (or better translated mercy, kindness or pity). The only source of mercy is from the true God, YHWH. Judgment is coming, but mercy is being offered one last time. As a prophet, he has vowed that he will speak what YHWH speaks. He is now ready to pay that vow. And he will no longer try to manipulate who receives salvation. "Salvation is from the LORD". The LORD will save whom He will save!

At this point, God commands the fish and Jonah is delivered.