Saturday, August 30, 2008

Jonah - Whale Vomit

Jonah 2:10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

There is so much in this one verse, I'll try to keep it short. First off, God tells the fish what to do. He is the God over everything - the land the sea AND the animals. He's the God over us. Here's the thing though - the fish doesn't have a choice like Jonah had - God said vomit, the fish vomits. God told Jonah to 'go' and Jonah decided he didn't want to - because God has given us free will. It makes me think of the movie "Ella Enchanted" where she was given the gift of 'obedience' and whenever she was told to do something - she had to do it. God wants us to 'want' to do what He asks us to do because we love Him, not because He's making us. Okay, moving on...

The whale vomits Jonah onto the shore. I know Kay had commented about the smell - and truly at this point the smell has got to be unbearable. But here comes the irony - did you know that whale vomit, also known as ambergris, loses the awful smell and becomes a very good smell, one that people pay a lot of money for today. When a whale vomits, it floats on the ocean, it comes in various shapes and sizes and colors. The tossing of the ocean waves and the salt in the water have a "curing" effect and soon the vomit has a very pleasant aroma that's used medicinally and in perfumes - very expensive perfumes because of the rarity of ambergris. Jonah, ironically, is whale vomit. He is stinky and yucky right now, but he's been tossed through the storm he's been 'cured' by God and now (and we haven't come to these verses yet, but we will) he will become the sweet smelling rarity that God needs for His purpose. The question today is - Are we willing to hang in through the tough, stinky times - so that we can become that sweet aroma for Jesus?

3 comments:

Kay Martin said...

Dorothy, we learn something everyday. So God in His mercy setup Jonah to be swallowed up by an animal that wouldn't kill him with its gastric mess inside. I love this. Every time I think I'm grasping the mercy of God He shows me I have no idea because of my smallness as human.

Wow!!!

mariel said...

I am SO glad you stopped by my place! It gave me the opportunity to stop by here. I LOVE this post!!! Recently my pastor has been preaching through Jonah and this is VALUABLE info and insight to this passage of Scripture! I LOVE digging into God's Word more than anything and gaining insight that can be applied to my life and more importantly to my DAY! I am praising Jesus that whale vomit can become something valuable...because somedays, after returning from disobedience, I feel like whale vomit myself...but, praise Him, He can even make THAT valuable and fragrant!!!

I am adding you to my sidebar, so I can return often!!

mariel said...

I just scrolled down and saw you have done studies through Tamar and Rahab...wow! I, too, have posted on Tamar and the one on Rahab will post in the next day or so. I am digging through the women of Jesus' line. I find it facinating how the Lord uses such broken people and such a broken past to bring such perfect redemption! I have witnessed it in my own family and praise HIm constantly for it!

I look forward to reading your thoughts and insight on these ladies' lives!