Yet you have brought my life up from the pit

Yet you have brought my life up from the pit

Scripture:-

“ I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. “ Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice.  For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’

The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God.

“ When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.” Jonah 2:2-9

Observation: From inside the fish, Jonah called out to God for help. From his words, it appears that Jonah actually died and descended into hell before being brought back to the land of the living again. In Matthew 12:40, Jesus said “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Sheol in Jewish culture is known as the land of the dead. We know it as hell today. From Jonah’s words, we get some information about how hell is like. Firstly, hell is deep below the earth, where the mountains have its roots. Secondly, hell is like a prison, with bars separating the dead from the land of the living. Thirdly, hell is a pit. It is a hole where those who fall in cannot get out. Time and again, there have been individuals who have somehow been thrown into the pits of hell for a very short time and then allowed to come back to give a warning to the world. The Scripture in other places speak of it as a place of fire, of judgment, of darkness, of sorrow, of maggots and worms, of torture. It is a place with no water, a place where there are demons and evil angels. Just thinking of the horrors of hell, we are reminded of the great need to walk humbly before the Lord, in close relationship with our Lord Jesus who saves us.

In Jonah’s prayer here, there are three things we can learn in particular. Firstly, God is a God who hears us.  Just as Jonah cried out to God in his affliction and received God’s answer, so too have millions throughout the ages who have called out to God for help and found salvation in Jesus Christ. The Scripture says that God is our strength and our refuge, an ever present help in times of trouble.

Secondly, we must remember the Lord. In times of severe crisis, we may become so overcome by the problem at hand that we forget about the Lord. Move your eyes away from the problem and remember Jesus who is with you. Ask Him for help. God will deliver us when we depend on Him.

Thirdly, we are to sacrifice with voice of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving and praise to God is an important part of our ongoing relationship with God. As the Psalmist says “He who sacrifices thanks offering prepares the way for me to show him the salvation of God”. It is important to be thankful in all circumstances, and give glory to God easily. Beware of ungratefulness and complaining that cost the Israelites entry into the promised land.

Application: Praise God that He is the Lord who hears us. Remember the Lord even in terrible times of crisis. Seek His face for help. He is an ever present help in times of trouble. Be thankful and sing praises easily to the mighty God who is with us. Beware of the ungrateful and complaining spirit which can lead to great loss indeed.

Prayer: Praise You, O Heavenly Father for You hear our prayers in Jesus name. Help me always remember You and seek You, even in our darkest hours for You are our strength. Let a heart of thanksgiving and praise always be with me. Forgive my complaining and ungratefulness. Change my heart I pray. In Jesus name, Amen.