Jesus and Jonah Exploring the Parallels Happy Holy Days

Jesus and Jonah 

Exploring the Parallels

Happy Holy Days

Psa 119:168-176 KJV  I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.  (169)  TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.  (170)  Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.  (171)  My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.  (172)  My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.  (173)  Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.  (174)  I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.  (175)  Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.  (176)  I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

Ecc 1:9-11 KJV  The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.  (10)  Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.  (11)  There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Ecc 3:15-17 KJV  That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.  (16)  And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.  (17)  I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

The Sign of Jonah

Mat 12:38-42 KJV  Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.  (39)  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:  (40)  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  (41)  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.  (42)  The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

The Pharisees and Sadducees Demand Signs

Mat 16:1-4 KJV  The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.  (2)  He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.  (3)  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?  (4)  A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

Jonah's Prayer

Jon 2:1-10 KJV  Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,  (2)  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.  (3)  For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.  (4)  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.  (5)  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.  (6)  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.  (7)  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.  (8)  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.  (9)  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.  (10)  And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

In our last journey we explored things that pieced Lord Yeshua/Jesus and Jonah’s ministries and lives together. Lord Yeshua/Jesus told us that the only sign that would be found was the parallel between Jonah 3 days and nights in the belly of the whale. Lord Yeshua/Jesus of course 3 days and nights in the grave or as He states it the heart of the earth. We found much more than just the 3 days and nights. 

So we have decided here as we near the Holy days to take some further looks into the lives of Lord Yeshua/Jesus and Jonah. So we will be picking back up in Jonah at the end of chapter 1 and moving into chapter 2. We decided we would start with some history on Jonah from the ISBE(International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). 

Jonah

jō´na (יונה, yōnāh, “dove”; Ἰωνάς, Iōnás):

(1) According to 2Ki_14:25, Jonah, the son of Amittai, of Gath-hepher, a prophet and servant of Yahweh, predicted the restoration of the land of Israel to its ancient boundaries through the efforts of Jeroboam II. The prophet lived and labored either in the early part of the reign of Jeroboam (790-750 BC), or during the preceding generation. He may with great probability be placed at 800-780 BC. His early ministry must have made him popular in Israel; for he prophesied of victory and expansion of territory. His native village of Gath-hepher was located in the territory of Zebulun (Jos_19:13).

(2) According to the book bearing his name, Jonah the son of Amittai received a command to preach to Nineveh; but he fled in the opposite direction to escape from the task of proclaiming Yahweh's message to the great heathen city; was arrested by a storm, and at his own request was hurled into the sea, where he was swallowed by a great fish, remaining alive in the belly of the fish for three days. When on his release from the body of the fish the command to go to Nineveh was renewed, Jonah obeyed and announced the overthrow of the wicked city. When the men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of the prophet, God repented of the evil He had threatened to bring upon them. Jonah was grieved that the oppressing city should be spared, and waited in the vicinity to see what would be the final outcome. An intense patriot, Jonah wished for the destruction of the people that threatened to swallow up Israel. He thought that Yahweh was too merciful to the heathen oppressors. By the lesson of the gourd he was taught the value of the heathen in the sight of Yahweh.

It is the fashion now in scholarly circles to treat the Book of Jonah as fiction. The story is said to be an allegory or a parable or a symbolic narrative. Why then did the author fasten upon a true and worthy prophet of Yahweh the stigma of rebellion and narrowness? On theory that the narrative is an allegory, J. Kennedy well says that “the man who wrote it was guilty of a gratuitous insult to the memory of a prophet, and could not have been inspired by the prophet's Master thus to dishonor a faithful servant.”

We were most disappointed to see that some people in the biblical world regard this as an allegory. However as we read on we were very pleased to see the following.

(3) our Lord referred on two different occasions to the sign of Jonah the prophet (Mat_12:38-41; Luk_11:29-32; Mat_16:4). He speaks of Jonah's experience in the belly of the fish as parallel with His own approaching entombment for three days, and cites the repentance of the Ninevites as a rebuke to the unbelieving men of his own generation. Our Lord thus speaks both of the physical miracle of the preservation of Jonah in the body of the fish and of the moral miracle of the repentance of the Ninevites, and without the slightest hint that He regarded the story as an allegory.

What is really sad about the denial of this prophet in scripture is that means that there is false teaching out there. False teaching about the truth of this story. That is sad. This happens in some venues with things like the creation, the flood, the book of Daniel and the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Not with this ministry friends. The whole truth and nothing but the truth. Amen!

So now we know that Jonah was dated between 800 and 750 BC. This would have been approximately 100 years or so before the prophet Isaiah. In our last journey we explored the meaning of Ammitai the name of Jonah’s dad. 

Jon 1:1 KJV  Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of AmittaiH573, saying,

H573

אֲמִתַּי

'ămittay

am-it-tah'ee

From H571; veracious; Amittai, an Israelite: - Amittai.

Total KJV occurrences: 2

H573

אמתּי

'ămittay

BDB Definition:

Amittai = “my truth”

1) the father of Jonah the prophet

Part of Speech: noun proper masculine

We felt like restating this because of the commentary above. ABBA Father sent His Son out on a journey to tell the world the truth. We also in our last journey explored the parallel of Jonah and Lord Yeshua/Jesus having their respective missions. How Jonah ran from his and how Lord Yeshua/Jesus did not. However they did share one common factor with their ordeals. That being that they both prayed. 

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

Mat 26:36-39 KJV  Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.  (37)  And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.  (38)  Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.  (39)  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Mat 26:40-46 KJV  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?  (41)  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.  (42)  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.  (43)  And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.  (44)  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.  (45)  Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  (46)  Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

Lord Yeshua/Jesus knew what His mission was and stuck to it. As scripture tells us though the mission caused Him great agony. 

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

Luk 22:39-46 KJV  And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.  (40)  And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.  (41)  And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,  (42)  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.  (43)  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.  (44)  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.  (45)  And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,  (46)  And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

Lord Yeshua/ Jesus was experiencing the agony associated with feeling the weight of the world’s sins being placed upon Him. As a believer it is hard to fathom what our Lord and Savior was experiencing. Just imagine the weight of your own sin and multiply it a few billion times. 

Jonah was praying to get back into a mission from ABBA Father. Our Lord and Savior Yeshua /Jesus was praying for any possibility His mission would possibly pass. However as Lord Yeshua/Jesus put things

Luk 22:42 KJV  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

While we are on the subject of prayer we will explore Jonah 2. There is something very interesting that happens with Jonah that might not catch one’s eye at first glance.  Notice verse 1 here in chapter 2.

Jon 2:1 KJV  Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,

Jonah tells us something very important here. He tells us he is not in the fish at this time. This was always a confusing verse at times until we heard a teaching that explained things. Things that only make sense throughout the rest of the chapter. 

Jon 2:2-6 KJV  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.  (3)  For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.  (4)  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.  (5)  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.  (6)  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

Friends there were no submarines in Jonah’s day. Yet he describes the lower parts of the oceans perfectly. So we can see that Jonah had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. This is where he was. There are some other passages and verses which detail this environment. 

O Lord My God, You Are Very Great

Psa 104:1-9 KJV  Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.  (2)  Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:  (3)  Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:  (4)  Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:  (5)  Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.  (6)  Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.  (7)  At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.  (8)  They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.  (9)  Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

Jon 2:5-6 KJV  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depthH8415closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.  (6)  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

depthH8415

H8415

תּהם / תּהום

tehôm

BDB Definition:

1) deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, sea

1a) deep (of subterranean waters)

1b) deep, sea, abysses (of sea)

1c) primeval ocean, deep

1d) deep, depth (of river)

1e) abyss, the grave

Part of Speech: noun feminine or masculine

A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H1949

This word has 1 definition in particular. The final one listed. The word for abyss or grave. When we see the word used in assciation to the word bars it kind of gives us a new way of exploring this. Friends in the book of Revelation the lost souls as well as Satan,the false prophet and the demons known as fallen angels dwell in the abyss. The Greek word for bottomless pit is the word abussos. 

Rev 9:1-2 KJV  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomlessG12pit.  (2)  And he opened the bottomlessG12pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

G12

ἄβυσσος

abussos

ab'-us-sos

From G1 (as a negative particle) and a variation of G1037; depthless, that is, (specifically), (infernal) “abyss”: - deep, (bottomless) pit.

Total KJV occurrences: 9

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

Luk 8:26-33 KJV  And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.  (27)  And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.  (28)  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.  (29)  (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)  (30)  And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.  (31)  And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deepG12.  (32)  And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.  (33)  Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

By the way this was immediately after Lord Yeshua/Jesus stilled the waters. That is another parallel we explored last journey. A parallel that walked and in hand with Jonah’s ministry. 

Rom 10:1-4 KJV  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.  (2)  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  (3)  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  (4)  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

The Message of Salvation to All

Rom 10:5-9 KJV  For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.  (6)  But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)  (7)  Or, Who shall descend into the deepG12? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)  (8)  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;  (9)  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Guess where we find the other 7 references? Of course in the book of Revelation. 

Rev 9:1-2 KJV  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomlessG12pit.  (2)  And he opened the bottomlessG12pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Rev 9:3-11 KJV  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  (4)  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.  (5)  And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.  (6)  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.  (7)  And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.  (8)  And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.  (9)  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.  (10)  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.  (11)  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pitG12, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

The Two Witnesses

Rev 11:1-8 KJV  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.  (2)  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.  (3)  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.  (4)  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.  (5)  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.  (6)  These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.  (7)  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlessG12pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.  (8)  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

The Great Prostitute and the Beast

Rev 17:1-8 KJV  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:  (2)  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.  (3)  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.  (4)  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:  (5)  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.  (6)  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.  (7)  And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.  (8)  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

After all this we would like to ask you a question. That being do you see anything good at all outside of the judgment of evil associated with this place?

The reason all this is important is because Jonah tells us he was down there in the midst of the abyss. 

Jon 2:3-6 KJV  For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.  (4)  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.  (5)  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.  (6)  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

The next passage coming from Jonah 2 tells us a little more about what is going on here. It starts to resemble a little more in depth what our Lord and Savior Yeshua/Jesus actually went through. 

Jon 2:7-10 KJV  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.  (8)  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.  (9)  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.  (10)  And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

Jon 2:7 KJV  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

Jonah dies is what goes on here. Now let’s go back to our last verse from chapter 1. 

A Great Fish Swallows Jonah

Jon 1:17  Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

The verse informs us that ABBA Father had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah sinks down to the bottom as he informed us. He physically drowns and dies. Then he is swallowed by the fish. This walks hand in hand with many scriptures. One that came to mind related to the resurrection Lord Yeshua/Jesus.

Mystery and Victory

1Co 15:50-58 KJV  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  (51)  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  (52)  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  (53)  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  (54)  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  (55)  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  (56)  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  (57)  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  (58)  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Let’s not forget what is going here with Jonah at this point. Jonah who had physically died and was swallowed up by the great fish probably to preserve his body. He was in the belly of the fish just as our Lord and Savior Yeshua/Jesus was in the grave or the heart of the earth as He says. 

Mat 12:40 KJV  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Well friends there you have it. A picture or shadow if you will of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Yeshua/Jesus. Jonah who’s spirit had departed him was preserved in the belly of the great fish. Our Lord and Savior Yeshua/Jesus had a little bit different mission to perform. 

Unity in the Body of Christ

Eph 4:1-10 KJV  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,  (2)  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;  (3)  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  (4)  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;  (5)  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,  (6)  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.  (7)  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.  (8)  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  (9)  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?  (10)  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Paul preaching in Ephesus

Eph 4:11-16 KJV  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  (12)  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  (13)  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  (14)  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  (15)  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  (16)  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Our Lord and Savior Yeshua/Jesus certainly did present us with some gifts. They can all be summed up in the word salvation. 

Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant

Heb 2:5-12 KJV  For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.  (6)  But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?  (7)  Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:  (8)  Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.  (9)  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.  (10)  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  (11)  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,  (12)  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

Heb 2:13-18 KJV  And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.  (14)  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;  (15)  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.  (16)  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.  (17)  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.  (18)  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Jesus Greater Than Moses

Heb 3:1-6 KJV  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;  (2)  Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.  (3)  For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.  (4)  For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.  (5)  And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;  (6)  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Jesus the Great High Priest

Heb 4:14-16 KJV  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.  (15)  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  (16)  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 5:1-5 KJV  For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:  (2)  Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.  (3)  And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.  (4)  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.  (5)  So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

Heb 5:6-10 KJV  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.  (7)  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;  (8)  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;  (9)  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;  (10)  Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

What this means in a nutshell is a High Priest and also a King of kings. This was a message Paul was delivering in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem in Jesus’ day

Abram Blessed by Melchizedek

Gen 14:18-20 KJV  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.  (19)  And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:  (20)  And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

The Certainty of God's Promise

Heb 6:13-20 KJV  For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,  (14)  Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.  (15)  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.  (16)  For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.  (17)  Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:  (18)  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:  (19)  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;  (20)  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Let’s take 1 more look at the final passage from Jonah 2. 

Jon 2:7-10 KJV  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.  (8)  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.  (9)  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.  (10)  And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

We just wanted to remind ourselves of something here as we begin to close out this journey. Just as the great fish vomited out Jonah a new and refreshed prophet in ABBA Father Lord Yeshua/Jesus could not be held in the grave. Jonah was a picture of Lord Yeshua/Jesus’ death and resurrection. 

Jonah sunk into the depths of the abyss. He died and was spiritually brought back to life by ABBA Father. Lord Yeshua/Jesus warned us about the conditions of Hell. 

The Faith of a Centurion

Mat 8:5-9 KJV  And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,  (6)  And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.  (7)  And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.  (8)  The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.  (9)  For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

Mat 8:10-13 KJV  When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.  (11)  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.  (12)  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  (13)  And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Lord Yeshua/Jesus warns us by warning the people of Israel that their lack of faith will cost their position in the kingdom. The warning for us that we can fall from our place as well if we are not careful. Friends as a nation we are there. However ABBA Father always provides protection for His believers. 

Friends in closing we want to stress something at this time of the year. It is wonderful to remember our Lord and Savior Yeshua/Jesus’ birth. 

However we would stress upon folks to remember our Lord and Savior Yeshua/Jesus is not a baby any more. He is a King of kings and Lord of lords. He is coming back to separate the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats, the good fruit from the bad and the unrepentant from the repentant. 

The Rider on a White Horse

Rev 19:11-21 KJV  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  (12)  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  (13)  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  (14)  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  (15)  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  (16)  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.  (17)  And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;  (18)  That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.  (19)  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.  (20)  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.  (21)  And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Rev 22:7 KJV  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

As always thanks for sharing a word

God Bless 

Merry “CHRIST” mas

Happy Holy Days