The Bible

 

Jonah 2 : Jonah in the Belly of the Whale

Study

1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,

2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

Commentary

 

Jonah Series, Part 2 of 4 – Prayer from a Desperate Place

By Todd Beiswenger


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We know that when we get in a tight spot, it is time to pray! What makes Jonah's prayer special isn't so much the prayer itself, but it is Jonah's transformation that goes with it. He's realized that his choices have only made him miserable, and he's ready to do God's will.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 458; Heaven and Hell 6; Jonah 2:1-10)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #8263

Study this Passage

  
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8263. 'I will sing to Jehovah' means that glory belongs to the Lord alone. This is clear from the meaning of 'singing to Jehovah' as ascribing glory to the Lord, dealt with just above in 8261, that is, as saying that glory belongs to Him. The reason why it belongs to Him alone is that in the Word 'Jehovah' means the Lord, 8261, so that He alone is God. Various places throughout the Word say that glory and honour must belong to God alone. Anyone unacquainted with the inner teachings of the Word may suppose that the Lord desires and loves glory in the way a person in the world does; and he may suppose this because glory is appropriate to Him above all others in the universe. But the Lord does not desire glory for His own sake, only for the sake of the person who ascribes it to Him. A person who ascribes glory to Him does so because he venerates Him as the One who is supreme and humbly regards himself as nothing in comparison. And since reverence and humility are both present when a person ascribes glory to the Lord, he is in a fit state to receive the inflow of goodness from the Lord, and so also of love towards Him. This is why the Lord desires a person to ascribe glory to Him, see 4347, 4593, 5957. Regarding the flow of goodness from the Lord, that it enters a humble heart, 3994, 7478.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.