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December 14

Title: Three Days, Three Nights

Text: Jonah 1:17

You may be wondering how Jonah is a part of this series of Advent devotionals. I mean, Jonah was an embarrassing example of a prophet. Honestly, he came off as a prejudiced and petulant child. Still, God used him to save the people of Nineveh. But the part of the story that we all know is Jonah getting swallowed and then vomited up by a great fish. Is the great fish a whale? A sea monster? Who knows? It is only because of the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) that we even think it is a great sea monster. How does any of this relate to the Messiah? It is the author of Jonah stating that Jonah was in the fish for “three days and three nights”. 

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. (Jonah 1:17)

This is the only place in the OT that references the time frame that the Messiah would be swallowed up in the grave. Is this significant? Well, yes. Anytime we see a shadow in the OT pointing to the Messiah, it is important. I guess I simply want to point out this truth. Jesus came to conquer and destroy the power of the great fish, who from the perspective of the New Testament, is a metaphor for death. Personally, this truth gives me great hope. I am so tired of going to funerals. I am so tired of saying goodbye. His arrival and ultimately His death and resurrection broke those chains. If you are like me, I am ready for that baby, who is now in Heaven, clothed with the first resurrection body, to return to earth and give death its final blow. Some say that day is almost here. I think the day is always near. You better be ready. Wait well, Christmas is coming.