The belly of the fish means different things to different people, but one thing is certain, it is an unpleasant place, much like the “valley of the shadow of death” that David spoke about in Psalm 23:4.
Many have walked through that valley without ever needing to, and many have found themselves trapped in the belly of the fish because of disobedience or a refusal to answer God’s call. Yet, it is only by God’s mercy that they are not consumed in it.
The consequences of refusing God’s call extend far beyond the individual. Disobedience does not only affect the one who refuses, it affects family, resources, and even one’s very existence. Jonah’s story serves as a powerful reminder: his refusal to obey God endangered an entire ship of innocent sailors.
Some people, just like Jonah, are fully aware that their actions or inaction are costing others dearly, yet they do nothing about it. In fact Jonah admitted his reason for his disobedience when he said: “I knew that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love…” (Jonah 4:2). Jonah was truly in a class of his own. His disobedience was not driven by fear of the call or concern that people would not listen to him, in fact, he was certain they would. It was not because of personal responsibilities or doubts about being the right person for the job. Jonah’s reason for running was far more shocking, he genuinely wanted the people of Nineveh to perish in their wickedness. He wanted their destruction!
This was a man so anointed that just saying who he was made the sailors afraid. They had probably heard about the God of the Hebrews; after all, news of how He rescued Israel from Egypt and performed mighty wonders would have spread everywhere. Scripture says: “Jonah answered, ‘I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.’ The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the Lord. ‘Oh, why did you do it?’ they groaned.” (Jonah 1:9-10)
If God insists on using a man, as He did with Moses and Jonah, it is a privilege not many receive. But even if He were to ‘force it down your throat’, is it really out of place for the One who created you and knows what’s best? Let’s never forget that we are His creation, the work of His hands. Isaiah 64:8 says: “But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we are all the work of Thy hand.”
Jeremiah 18:6 also says: “O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in Mine hand, O house of Israel.”
The Illusion of Comfort in Disobedience
Isn’t it remarkable how some people can sleep soundly in the middle of a storm; one raging because of their own disobedience?
Scripture tells us that when the storm raged, the desperate sailors did everything they could to save themselves: “Fearing for their lives, the sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time, Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. ‘How can you sleep at a time like this?’ he shouted. ‘Get up and pray to your God! Maybe He will pay attention to us and spare our lives!'” (Jonah 1:5-6).
If you’re wondering how that’s possible, let me assure you, it is.
It happens when, despite the chaos unfolding around us, we convince ourselves that things are still manageable. As long as we can still eat once or twice a day, we remain in disobedience. As long as we have a roof over our heads, we keep sleeping through the storm. It isn’t until our own life or the life of someone dear to us is threatened that we finally wake up, pleading for mercy and a second chance to obey.
In Zerubbabel’s time, people were content as long as they had small harvests here and there. They were satisfied as long as they could afford to build new houses, even though their blessings vanished as quickly as they came. Jonah’s story was even more dire. The lives of others were at stake because of his disobedience, and he knew it.
The Role of Enablers: When Love Becomes a Stumbling Block
But what I find even more astonishing are the friends and family members who enable a person’s disobedience. Out of misplaced love, they shield and comfort them, thinking they are protecting them. Meanwhile, their presence in disobedience puts everyone around them in danger. Instead of praying and pushing their “Jonah” into God’s will; (doing whatever it takes) they coddle them.
Even after Jonah admitted he was the cause of their troubles and told them to throw him overboard, they still tried to save him:
“Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it.” (Jonah 1:13)
Only when they realized they could not save him did they throw him into the sea and the storm immediately ceased. Sometimes, it’s not the devil resisting a person, it is God Himself resisting a man in disobedience. Jonah 1:17 says “Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”
The Mercy of God in the Belly of the Fish
Yet, even as God resists His children, His love and mercy remain. He does not abandon them. Instead, He gives them chance after chance to obey. This is why we are not consumed in the belly of the fish. When a person finally comes to true repentance and surrender, like Jonah did, God calms the storm and commands the fish to release them.
If you find yourself in the belly of the fish today, don’t wait until everything falls apart before you wake up. Choose obedience now.
