Jonah , The Whale , And The Word o f God (Continued from Page 13) had become this nation’s enemy! Jonah thought and reasoned and acted exactly as a modern would do in the same cir cumstances. The element of the supernatural en tered into the account of Jonah’s expe rience before the introduction of the fish that swallowed him. God followed Jonah from the time of the prophet’s deflection until he returned in submission and hu mility. First of all, He followed Jonah with a storm, for Jonah testified that the storm came upon the ship because of him. So little did Jonah fear the effects of that storm, reposing as he did in the confidence of the keeping care of God, that God followed Jonah again in the call of the captain of the vessel. The prophet was further pursued by the intention of God when, as the men cast their lots, the lot fell upon Jonah. When he was cast over the side of the ship, the supernatural element of the story continues with the very simple statement that God had prepared a great fish to be the temporary host of Jonah. Then this brings us to the account of the fish. We suppose that it is only natural that every man will investigate any questioned case from the viewpoint of his own preconceived prejudice. It might be argued that we were not able to make a fair examination of the story of Jonah because we came to the study of the account with a strong belief that it was true. If this is so, it is because we have previously read the testimony of Jesus Christ, whose Word we un
hesitatingly accept upon any question of which He speaks. Even without the tes timony of Jesus, we would be inclined to believe the story of Jonah is true, because the infidel and the atheist are united in denying it! We confess to a mental revulsion against such company, and almost automatically accept what they reject. We have noticed in these years of scientific study that atheism and .infidelity never investigate or con duct research except under the prejudice of unbelief. Whenever an atheist starts "out to investigate or study a matter with an absolutely-closed mind, the whole at tempt resolves itself into an effort to disprove the subject he is investigating. The infidel is almost as bad. There is, however, no counter explana tion to this account of the strange ex perience of Jonah that will satisfy the inquiring mind if we rule out the super natural. One critic says that Jonah had a bad nightmare and that when he awakened, he wrote his dream. Another doubter says that the entire book of Jonah is a simple fabrication, that none of the incidents are historical. One weird near-thinker states that when Jonah was cast overboard from the ship, he was picked up by a vessel following. The second ship had as a figurehead the image of a fish, so when the men in the first ship saw the rescue of Jonah by this following ship, they said that he had been swallowed by a monster of the deep! But the Bible simply and literally states that a sea monster that God had prepared swallowed Jonah. We call your attention now to the phrase, “that God prepared.” The whole argument must turn upon these words. The question is raised, “ Is God able to prepare a fish that would accommodate a man and keep him alive for as long as seventy-two hours?” If God cannot do this, then He is indeed tremendously inferior to man. Recently a company of finite men, who had some small engineer ing skill, built an iron fish. Twenty men entered this iron fish and remained un der water for twelve days and twelve nights. At the end of that time they came to the surface again to replenish their supplies of food and oxygen. The iron fish sent them forth on the dry land for a period of relaxation. Again twenty men entered this iron fish and descended into the deep. Of course, they called this man-made fish a submarine, and nobody doubted the ability of men of mechanical and mental ingenuity to construct such a fish. They are common today. How weird it seems to us who think things through, that men see the evi dence of man’s power to work these so- called miracles, and will yet deny the same degree of power to God! Again we see that God prepared other things besides the fish. In the story of Jonah there was a vine that was pre pared; there was a worm that was specifically sent. There was a strong east wind that blew at an untimely season. The God who made the heavens and the earth prepared a fish, a worm, and a vine. (Continued Next Month) T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
PROPHECYMONTHLY V * B i b l e
I N T H E N E W S ! Pocket-size, q u ick digest
form, treasury of pre-millennial, prophetic truth in relation to significant world events. Vital spiritual food. Edited by Drs. Keith L. Brooks and V. C. Oltrogge, board of special consultants, representatives in many lands. $1 bill for 10 mo. trial. (Year in U .S .‘ $1.20; foreign $1.35.) Ask information about the League’s world-wide free distribution of vital Bible study material. AM ERICAN PROPHETIC LEAGU E, INC. Box BB, Eagle Rock, Los Angeles 41, Calif. WANTED to sell Bibles, Testaments, good books, hand some^ Scripture mottoes, Scripture Calendars, ■greeting cards. Good commission. Send for free catalog and price-list. George W. Noble, The Christian Co. Dept. 7C, Pontiac Bldg., Chicago 5, 111. 5,000 W ORKERS
FAMOUS ITALIAN MAKES Available to Bible Students, Christian Workers and Missionaries at SPECIAL DISCOUNTS Write Today for FREE Literature CH ICA G O ACCORDION CENTER. Ine. Dept. KB 754 N. Damen Ave., Chicago 22, III.
HO . 9 -5 8 8 3
HO . 9 -5 8 8 3
(Cellule
on CLEANERS
ORIENTAL RUG
Largest in the West 5 4 5 N . W ESTERN A V E.
BUSY TEACHERS USE THE NEW OBJECf-LESSON KIT ?V$125 “ Real Thing’
rtj.?
5 COMPLETE LESSONS Y “ Before & After” “ Power Plus’
Packed in Handy Kit Includes 8 Objects 24 page Booklet
‘ ( ^ - . J “* “3 Messages”
■v
“ Wash Day White”
Postpaid
Free Folder—Pastoral Svstems—Filin * Systems Specialized Christian Aids, P.O. Box 471-A I, Azusa, Calif. Purchase from your local Church Supply Dealer
BtfO"
Page Tw enty-six
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker