Author	Thread: Jonah's Fish
DontHitThatMark View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 29 May, 2014 11:39 AM Just curious what people think about this. Do you think the fish that swallowed Jonah was literally a fish? Or could it have been described as a fish by someone who didn't understand what it really was? There are other places in the bible that describe things which are similar to our own concepts of technology and machines, except they're described by people who aren't able to fully understand or characterize what they're seeing, so they relate it to things that are familiar to them, such as animals. For example, when the Native Americans observed and attempted to described trains and locomotives, they compared them to iron horses. So, was Jonah's fish simply a fish, or some kind of heavenly submarine that Jonah compared to a fish because there was no other way for him to describe it? I'm fully aware that God can "prepare a great fish", which is exactly like normal fish, with gills and digestive fluid, etc. However, that seems like a much more problematic solution for God to choose, and it's terribly difficult to explain how a man survived in the belly of a fish for 3 days. Jonah 1 17Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Revelation 9 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. Ezekiel 1 15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. 18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. 23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies. 24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings. 25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings. :peace::peace: Post Reply
View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 29 May, 2014 03:35 PM Interesting concept...however...God hasnt...that I know of spoakin to a "maned submarine" and command it to vomit... :) xo Jon 2:10 � And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. Post Reply
View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 29 May, 2014 05:45 PM It's possible that Jonah was taken aboard a craft he would not have been familiar with. What would have been in it's "belly" that made him so miserable? Or how would God have prepared a fish for him? Since it's purpose was not to eat him it would not have been able to digest him. If the fish was an herbivore it would not have the means to create stomach acid that would break down meat. It often requires hydrochloric acid in humans to digest meat. Vegetables molecules are loosely bonded and break down much more easily than animal proteins so a strong acid is not required for them. If the fish was large enough it might have taken three days for it to become sick enough to vomit Jonah out. On the other hand this story could just be a story used to illustrate God's mercy and the fact that even when we screw things up if we repent and call on God he responds to us and will restore us. Post Reply
Maniacs1 View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 29 May, 2014 09:32 PM Something else to ponder is that at the time they had a broader definition of the word fish, meaning that what we would define as marine mammels (whales, sharkes, etc) they more than likely just lumped in with "fish". there are some marine animals that are/used to be able to swallow large amounts of food at a time (i say used to because many are extinct now (and by swallow large amounts of food i also mean that they had fairly large mouths, so it would be possible for some species of marine life to swallow a person whole, granted there arent very many now, if any due to natural or man made reasons)), so it is possible that it was a "fish" but not in the ways that we define fish nowadays. Post Reply
DontHitThatMark View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 30 May, 2014 01:24 PM Personally, I would think that being in total darkness inside of a "thing" that you have never encountered before would be terrifying, kind of like if a locomotive was barreling past a native american. I'd be pretty scared. Jonah doesn't describe cesspit of digestive juices(I sure would mention that), and "vomiting" is also just another description of an action of something by a person who doesn't understand what they're seeing. If you drove a car through the amazon jungle and past a tribe of untouched natives, they'd probably say something along the lines of "it runs very fast with no legs", and if people started getting out of the car, they might describe it as "carrying people in it's belly". My only real point here is to be able to at least tell people that I don't know what exactly it was that swallowed Jonah, and limiting it to a description by people who recounted it second hand from a man who had no idea what was going on, probably doesn't give me any logical evidence to say that it had to literally be a fish/whale/shark, because if it was a fish/whale/shark, it becomes difficult to explain to someone who has no"religious" experience. I mean, for the first 25 years of my life, I've never given it a second thought. Jonah was swallowed by a fish prepared by God, I didn't think I "needed" much more explanation. For a person who has no understanding of God or the bible, it's an entirely different perspective. So in explaining these things to people, I think it sort of falls under the "become weak to those who are weak" concept. Yes, it could be a literal fish, and God's power sustained Jonah. Yes, it could also be something that is much easier for a human to breath/cry out/survive in for three days. I've just noticed that if I would choose to insist that it was literally a fish, I'd hit brick walls. If I leave it open to more reasonable and realistic interpretations, people become intensely interested and start asking all kinds of questions, like suddenly God becomes a possibility in their minds. :peace::peace: Post Reply
View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 30 May, 2014 02:46 PM Shared ~ I've just noticed that if I would choose to insist that it was literally a fish, I'd hit brick walls. If I leave it open to more reasonable and realistic interpretations, people become intensely interested and start asking all kinds of questions, like suddenly God becomes a possibility in their minds. *** Good point Mark�we are a questioning species�sad but true�and more so true that suddenly God becomes�well�hopefully more than a possibility in their minds� Jon 1:17� Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. *** There is so much that our limited carnal minds can think�Its easy to get wrapped up in �wondering� about something in the Scriptures. I really �wondered� about this also. I�ve found that when this happens it easier to take it to God and ask Him to explain it and help me understand and while doing that I side on Proverb 3:5b �and lean not on your own understanding.� He showed me its not important if it is a literal �whale or fish� and He showed me It is more important (for me) to pay attention to what He is saying about the past event with Jonas in respect to the event that was and did happen. After all�He did CREATE everything for HIS Good Purpose�even unexplainable and un-understandable whales and fishes� :) Post Reply
View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 30 May, 2014 06:42 PM Hello everyone: Might i throw my one penny in the fray. A wider definition of a fish,hmmmm,maybe a SUBMARINE. I always thought that when GOD Almighty says a 'fish',i believe He means a FISH. OH,that's right,GOD Almighty needs me to interpret what He said when He said 'FISH;,actually a GREAT FISH. Let us look into the definition of the HEBREW word 'dâg dâ'g or dawg, dawg, which means 'fish. First from Strong's concordance. Hebrew- דָּאג / dawg From H1711; a fish (as prolific); or perhaps rather from H1672 (as timid); but still better from H1672 (in the sense of squirming, that is, moving by the vibratory action of the tail); a fish (often used collectively): - fish. H1711 דּגה dâgâh daw-gaw' A primitive root; to move rapidly; used only as a denominative from H1709; to spawn, that is, become numerous: - grow. H1672 דּאג dâ'ag daw-ag' A primitive root; be anxious: - be afraid (careful, sorry), sorrow, take thought. From Biblos.com Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dag: a fish Original Word: דָּאג Part of Speech: Noun Masculine Transliteration: dag Phonetic Spelling: (dawg) Short Definition: fish fish Or (fully) dag (Nehemiah 13:16) {dawg}; from dagah; a fish (as prolific); or perhaps rather from da'ag (as timid); but still better from da'ag (in the sense of squirming, i.e. Moving by the vibratory action of the tail); a fish (often used collectively) -- fish. see HEBREW dagah see HEBREW da'ag see HEBREW da'ag There are those which teach that Jonah is an Allegory,yet there are no proper names,or names of places in Allegories. Now let us see what Messiah Yeshua has to say about this. Mat 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, Teacher, we desire to see a sign from You. Mat 12:39 But answering, He said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Mat 12:40 And even as "Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights," so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. Jon. 1:17 Mat 12:41 Men, Ninevites, will stand up in the Judgment with this generation and will condemn it. For they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and, behold, a Greater-than-Jonah is here. Since this true story about Jonah is good enough for Messiah Yeshua,then it should be good enough for every believer. Shalom Hmmm,they had submarines way back then,HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Post Reply
View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 1 Jun, 2014 11:13 AM GNWS put it just about as I would have!!! I thought Id see how some of the rest of the saints responded first. Gods word is literal understandable or not in the NATURAL. Period. Post Reply
View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 1 Jun, 2014 06:01 PM Hey Hidden: As GODS highest creation we should be in agreement with EVERY WORD He has spoken with man,and has been recorded in his WORD,(not the transaltions of men). Instead of agreeing with GOD Almighty we want to argue against that which only He is able to do. GOD Almighty is OMNISCIENT ( All knowing ),Yet He does not understand how to create the belly of a great fish big enough to fit a full grown man. GOD Almighty is OMNIPOTENT ( ALL POWERFUL),Yet not powerful enough to create a FISH big enough to swallow Jonah. GOD Almighty is OMNIPRESENT ( Yet he did not know where the fish would need to be in order to vomit Jonah onto dry land. When will we believe what GOD Almighty says about Himself,and about His People within the annuls of HIS WORD. Blessings Post Reply
DontHitThatMark View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 2 Jun, 2014 06:15 AM I am not denying God's power, and I'm not saying that it wasn't a fish. To a person who has absolutely no faith in God, saying that it could have been something like the beast/machine that was described in the account of Ezekiel is much more believable than a big gold fish, and it does not blaspheme God's word. For all we know, it would require more of God's power to use a "godly submarine" than for him use a literal fish. A rigid approach to an unknown is not wise, all we can say for sure is that God is powerful enough to do whatever He chooses, and that's exactly what He did in Jonah's experience. I just think that more people would believe Jonah's story literally if they did not have to accept the rigid view that He was breathing the digestive juices of a whale(sorry, it couldn't be a whale, had to be a fish:ribbit:). I would say that since the bible does note that God took the time to "prepare a great fish", that it was uniquely designed and able to hold a human inside it for 3 days, so I think it's more logical to believe that it was not any fish we've ever seen, and probably did not have the biological functions that would kill a human in it's "stomach". :peace::peace: Post Reply
View Profile History	Jonah's Fish Posted : 8 Jun, 2014 10:31 AM What does Ellen White have to say on it? :ROFL: Post Reply

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