In Jonah 2:1-10, Jonah is trapped in the belly of the great fish. He prays for salvation, and in the end, after this terrible trial, he is vomited forth onto dry land.

Before a new church -- either a state of good and truth with a group of people, or a new state of good an truth in ourselves - can come into existence, a period of temptation, of struggle, must occur. During this time a remnant of good and truth from prior states, will be preserved. This happens to us. When we really don't want to do something that we know we should do, we get into a state of spiritual temptation. That's what this chapter is about.

In Arcana Coelestia 756, it says: "In Jonah, 'The waters closed around me, even to my soul, the deep surrounded me. Here... 'the waters' and 'the deep' stand for the full extent of temptation.

This chapter also prophesies, or foreshadows, the combats that Jesus Christ would have with the hells, and his most grievous temptations at the time. The “three days and nights during which Jonah was in the bowels of the fish,” signify the entire duration of the combat with the hells.

In the New Testament, in Matthew 12:39-41, there's a reference back to this story:

"No sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now One greater than Jonah is here.

For us, then... what? When we've turned away from the Lord, and we're in "the belly of the fish" - in temptations, struggles, combats, and everything looks pretty hopeless - then if we really pray, and seek the Lord's help, he can help us.

Here's a link to an interesting (audio) sermon on this chapter, by Rev. Todd Beiswenger.

Here, too, is a link to Rev. McCurdy's study guide for the Book of Jonah, which is available for free as a .pdf, for your use.

33. To Him be the glory and the might unto the ages of the ages, signifies that these things, namely, Divine good and Divine truth, are from the Lord alone to eternity. This is evident from the signification of "glory," as meaning Divine truth in heaven (See Arcana Coelestia 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429); and from the signification of "might," as meaning Divine good through Divine truth, since Divine good has all might and all power through Divine truth (See n. 3091, 3563, 6344, 6423, 8304, 9643, 10019, 10182; and in the work on Heaven and Hell, where the power of the angels of heaven from the Lord is treated of, n 228-233). That "unto the ages of the ages" means to eternity is clear without explanation. "Glory" is Divine truth in heaven because Divine truth is the light there; and the things that have existence from the light of heaven are called "glory," because they have existence from the Lord and represent the Divine truth that is from Him, and declare His glory; especially the things that are within the angel, which are of intelligence and wisdom. (That the light of heaven is Divine truth, and that all things that are in heaven, whether without or within the angel, have existence from the light there, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n (Heaven and Hell 126-140). 126-140, 172, 173, 176.) It is believed in the world that "Glory be to God" means that God for His own sake desires glory from man, and that He is moved by it, and imparts blessings in return for it. But this is a mistake. God desires glory from man for man's sake; for thus man ascribes all things to the Divine and nothing to himself, and when he does this, the Divine can flow in with Divine truth, and give him intelligence and wisdom. Thus and no otherwise is the Lord glorified in man; for the Lord loves everyone, and, from love, desires that His glory, that is, Divine truth, may be in men. This, moreover, the Lord teaches in John:

If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask whatever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, and that ye be made My disciples (John 15:7-8).

(That the salvation of the human race is the glory of the Lord, see n. Arcana Coelestia 4347, 4593, 5957, 7550, 8263, 10646)