From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God, saying:

“In my distress I called to the LORD,

and He answered me.

From the belly of Sheol I called for help,

and You heard my voice.” vs1-2

God hears us, even though we call to Him in distress over our sins! He is merciful, even though we offend Him and go our own way. No one is like God who delights in mercy to the PUNISHING OF HIS OWN SON. His greatness is unimaginable.

Therefore, call out to Him, and He will hear you. Bring your distress to God. Openly confess your sins.

Secondly, we feel like it is over for us! vs3

“For You cast me into the deep,

into the heart of the seas,

and the current swirled about me;

all Your breakers and waves swept over me.”

Do you know the pain and the danger of sin? The inability to get yourself out? It is not something that can be done by walking an isle! People have a very shallow view of sin, so they see no delight in preaching a Savior: This is why they crave prosperity preaching that promises health and money; they have no sin problem to deal with and couldn’t care less about offending God. They’ve made up their own righteousness that makes them hopeful for money!

When God strikes us for sin, however, then we are guilty, and there is NOTHING that we can do about it. Our mouth is stopped, and we are at the mercy of God [Rom 3:10-19].

You can’t improve yourself. You need mercy, and this is what Jonah experienced. He didn’t care about his rebellion in the ship and even chose death. In the belly of the fish, however, God teaches him a lesson!

Sin leaves us at the need of mercy, which can never be deserved; it is mercy to the guilty, the filthy, and the undeserving. Our soul is helplessly stuck under the bondage of corruption.

Few people experience this grace to know yourself vile and filthy, but Job knew it, and so did Peter and Paul: All saints know the disgustingness of ourselves, so we trust Christ.

Thirdly, pray to God! vs7

“As my life was fading away,

I remembered the LORD.

My prayer went up to You,

to Your holy temple.”

But pray in the name of Jesus: God is too holy to hear from us directly. We need a Mediator! Stand in the finished work of Christ and the power of His Spirit. Depend on mercy as your only promise to obey. If He gives the grace, then we will serve Him. We do not, however, go in our strength. We acknowledge our weakness. We depend on God’s pity.

Many cannot come to this place. Pride has deceived them, so their prayer is never heard. The helpless soul, however, who trusts Christ, is guaranteed mercy.

Do not go in unbelief, as if He is not gracious. Do not go in self-merit, as if Christ’s work is insufficient! Do not hide, pretending all is well, as if you just need a little mercy for a tiny sin.

Go to Him in the vileness of drunkenness and fornication. Go as one who’s believed false religion, but go to Him in prayer and hope - not commanding but asking - and He will hear you [1 John 5:14].

Fourthly, we will be obedient! vs9

“But I, with the voice of thanksgiving,

will sacrifice to You.

I will fulfill what I have vowed.

Salvation is from the LORD!”

We don’t go to God to be saved IN our sins but saved FROM them!

There is no argument about Lordship salvation: We cannot have Him as Savior without having Him as Lord.

We call upon the name of the Lord, bowing to His will as supreme in our life, which is living to make others know God. Our whole life is about His glory, and we are under orders, servants of righteousness, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This is the promise - not that you’ll be rich or have and easy life - that the Holy Spirit would sanctify us, make us to enjoy the pleasure of forgiveness, and give us power to glorify God until heaven welcomes us. Receive this promise and come to God to obey by the strength that He gives. He’ll hear us no other way.

There is no other way out of the fish’s belly, my dear friends, except to come out doing God’s will. This is what God heard before the fish spat Jonah out. He will deliver us on His terms. Otherwise, we perish forever or spend our days with oppression. God help us to cry out to serve!

Finally, dry ground is no condemnation! vs10

“And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”

The Lord has forgiven all our sins, and this is how we serve Him, not with a guilty conscience, but having all things freely [Rom 8:31]. Oh, what a delight it is to have fellowship with God restored - the guilt is gone, power is given, and our feet are set in the right way. Jonah goes to Nineveh to preach!

We are forgiven much, so we love much. Hallelujah, praise God. This is the best feeling that there is.

So many of us think a wife will make us happy, or children, or riches, or the dream job, or retirement… but here it is: THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND GOD GIVEN OBEDIENCE! Fellowship with God in His will is the best thing known to man! It is a treasure above all else.