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.
The Bible�s literal wording is easier to believe than a submarine 2500 years ago, I believe men have been swallowed and cut out of whales in the past, just ask James Bartley.
A thought I once had was, Jonah wile running from the will of God he may have got caught up in the religion of Dagon the fish god.
There is a religion that calls its self the holy sea and a mother (her), we all herd of a (tempestuous woman):
(Jon 1:15) So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
(Jud 1:13) Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
I know this is Zophar but God can make anything vomit, it could be a person place or thing:
(Job 20:15) He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
Jonah may have turned to another god and lost his salvation but realized it and turned back to the Lord just like the Lord request from the church of Ephesus:
(Rev 2:5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Im sure many people have ran down this rabbit hole but just remember this is the only sign �An evil and adulterous generation� get so remember the conclusion, Nineveh repented!
Some will never believe the bible:
(Joh 10:26) But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
And some will:
(Rev 3:20) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
This is what Ellen White has to say, she doesn't go farther than "fish".
http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pk/pk22.html
I'm sure I would get similar responses from Adventists that I'm getting from you.
@flyby
I gave precedent for this idea from Ezekiel, the prophet is not describing anything we have ever witnessed, it is a heavenly "beast" that is described by relating it to earthly animals, with characteristics very much like what we call "aircraft", with wheels and wings and whooshing noises, etc. All I'm saying is, that whatever this "fish" was, it specifically and purposely(porpoisely?) designed/prepared by God to carry a man in it's "stomach" for 3 days.
And it is most definitely NOT easier to believe it's a "whale" like the one that allegedly swallowed James Bartley, and that man's "story" damages your point of view. There are multiple accounts, one saying that he was in the whale for 15 hours and it was said that his skin had been bleached by the gastric juices, and that he was blind the rest of his life. In another, He was supposed to have been fine except for some skin problems, and returned to work within three weeks in some accounts.
It's also apparently pure unsubstantiated fiction.
1. That God prepared a "beast" or "fish", something like the one described in the Ezekiel(biblical precedent), and makes more sense considering that Jonah is described as being conscious and able to speak while in it's "belly".
OR
2. That God used a literal fish, with digestive juices and physical processes that make it impossible for a man to survive in it's stomach for 3 days, much less remain conscious and able to talk, but worked miracles to keep Jonah alive and conscious.
Both are biblical, both are within God's power. As far as your version taking the bible "word for word", that's fine, but that's a point you must take wholly on blind faith, which takes a strong faith. The bible describes people at different levels of faith. So, when trying to teach and witness to people who are "weak" in the faith, which concept would you use? Or present both?
And I'm not sure why the "this generation seeks after a sign" verse keeps coming up, that has nothing at all to do with this. Both versions of Jonah's story require God's intervening power and must be taken on faith that God exists and is powerful enough to do what He says He did. Nowhere in this post have I stated that I have to see that it's possible for God to keep Jonah alive in a fish before I'll believe Jonah did survive. I believe it is possible, and I believe both versions of the story could be equally valid given vagueness of the story.
