Jonah 2: Salvation Belongs to the Lord

​Key Verse
9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay.  Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
 
Meditation
Sometimes God takes you to the depths so that you can see the height of His love. Our loving Heavenly Father often uses the depths of life for our discipline, spiritual development and re-direction for the work He has prepared for us to do (see Hebrews 12:4-7; Proverbs 3:11-12).
 
In today’s reading, Jonah was in the darkness and depths of the sea. The prophet prayed “from the belly of the fish.” (1) The Lord answered from Heaven. (2) The amazing love of God restored relationship rather than removing or replacing Jonah because of his rebellion.
 
Jonah’s song is a prayer of thanksgiving- after being swallowed! God’s servant was re-shaped by the depths in preparation to re-deployed for God’s work. “You brought me up from the pit…” proclaims the prophet in prayer and praise. (6) Jonah lifted his eyes of faith to God, seeing His covenant faithfulness, and grace brought Jonah back from the grave. (7-8) With thanksgiving the rescued rebel celebrated God’s salvation. (9)
 
Jonah’s proclamation that “Salvation belongs to the Lord” is a repeated refrain in scripture, a song sung by redeemed saints redeployed for the service of the Lord (from Psalm 37 to Revelation 19!). The prophet’s prayer elevates God’s covenant promises and the purposes He has for His people. In Romans 10:13 we are told that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved! In parallel with Jonah, Paul points to the purpose of singing of God’s salvation, sharing with people who have not yet heard the good news- Our God saves! (Romans 10:14-17)
 
Today’s Reading
  And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
2 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying,

“I called out to the Lord, out of my distress,
    and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
    and you heard my voice.
3 For you cast me into the deep,
    into the heart of the seas,
    and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and your billows
    passed over me.
4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away
    from your sight;
yet I shall again look
    upon your holy temple.’

5 The waters closed in over me to take my life;
    the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped about my head
6     at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land
    whose bars closed upon me forever;
yet you brought up my life from the pit,
    O Lord my God.
7 When my life was fainting away,
    I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you,
    into your holy temple.

8 Those who pay regard to vain idols
    forsake their hope of steadfast love.
9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving
    will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
    Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the context from which Jonah sings?

-Is your loving Heavenly Father disciplining you in any way, taking you to the depths of life for your development and re-deployment?

-Who is God sending you to in order to share the good news? - Salvation belongs to the Lord! There is no other hope.
 
Key Verse
9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay.  Salvation belongs to the Lord!”