Topical Encyclopedia The phrase "Jonah is a sign" refers to the typological significance of the prophet Jonah as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, particularly in relation to His death, burial, and resurrection. This concept is primarily derived from the words of Jesus Himself, as recorded in the Gospels, where He draws a parallel between Jonah's experience in the belly of the great fish and His own impending death and resurrection.Biblical Account of Jonah The account of Jonah is found in the Old Testament book that bears his name. Jonah, a prophet of Israel, is commanded by God to go to the city of Nineveh and call its people to repentance. Instead, Jonah attempts to flee from God's presence by boarding a ship bound for Tarshish. A great storm arises, and Jonah is thrown overboard by the sailors to calm the sea. He is then swallowed by a great fish, where he remains for three days and three nights. Jonah prays to God from the belly of the fish, and God commands the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land. Jonah then goes to Nineveh, delivers God's message, and the people repent, averting divine judgment. Jesus' Reference to Jonah In the New Testament, Jesus refers to Jonah as a sign to the people of His generation. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40). This statement highlights the typological connection between Jonah's entombment in the fish and Jesus' burial in the tomb. Jesus further emphasizes the significance of Jonah as a sign by stating, "The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here" (Matthew 12:41). Here, Jesus underscores the greater responsibility of His contemporaries to respond to His message, given that He is greater than Jonah. Theological Significance The sign of Jonah serves as a powerful illustration of God's sovereignty, mercy, and the call to repentance. Jonah's deliverance from the fish prefigures Christ's resurrection, demonstrating God's power over life and death. The repentance of Nineveh serves as a testament to the effectiveness of God's word and the possibility of redemption for even the most wicked of cities. Furthermore, the sign of Jonah highlights the theme of resurrection, a cornerstone of Christian faith. Just as Jonah emerged from the fish after three days, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, conquering sin and death. This typology reinforces the truth of the resurrection and the hope it offers to believers. Jonah and the Broader Biblical Narrative The account of Jonah and its typological connection to Jesus is part of the broader biblical narrative that points to Christ as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and typology. Jonah's reluctant mission to Nineveh and the city's subsequent repentance foreshadow the universal scope of the Gospel, which calls all nations to repentance and faith in Christ. In summary, the sign of Jonah is a profound biblical motif that illustrates the continuity of God's redemptive plan from the Old Testament to the New Testament. It serves as a testament to the power of God's word, the reality of resurrection, and the call to repentance for all people. Nave's Topical Index Matthew 16:4A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. Nave's Topical Index Luke 11:29,30 Library The Demand of a Sign from Heaven Answered Only by the Sign of the ... The Sign of the Prophet Jonah. Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved. The Demand for a Sign. The Story of Jonah. The True Sign Then Answered Certain of the Scribes and Pharisees, that they ... The Answer of Jesus to their Request. The Same is Taught from the History of Jonah. The Historicity of the Book of Jonah. Resources Why did Jonah try to go to Tarshish instead of Nineveh? | GotQuestions.orgSummary of the Book of Jonah - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org Why was Jonah angry that the Ninevites repented (Jonah 4:1-2)? | GotQuestions.org Jonah: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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