The sign of the prophet Jonah

It was a hot mid summer day.  Karim and Abou sat underneath a cool palm tree cutting coconuts for drinking coconut water.  “How can you say that Jesus Christ was sent from God?”  Karim suddenly asked Abou.

Abou smiled.  “This is more or less the same question the religious leaders asked Jesus.  They asked him for a sign.”

“A sign of what?”  Karim wanted to know.

“They did not believe that Jesus was sent from God, so they asked him to prove it,” Abou answered.

“Could He do that?”

“Jesus never tried to prove who He was,” said Abou.  “The religious leaders studied the Scriptures but they were too blind to see the signs. That is why Jesus pointed out to them that they had the sign of Jonah, the prophet: But answering, He said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet.  And even as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.  Men, Ninevites, will stand up in the Judgment with this generation and will condemn it. For they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and, behold, a Greater-than-Jonah is here’.”1

“A huge fish ate the prophet Jonah?”  Karim was startled.

“No,” explained Abou.  “He was swallowed because God had appointed Jonah to preach against the sins of the large city Nineveh, but he was afraid.  So he boarded a ship and fled in the opposite direction.  The ship was caught in a heavy storm and Jonah confessed to the crew members that he was running away from the Living God.  They threw him overboard and the storm was quiet.  God appointed a large fish to swallow him.  Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”2 He cried to God from the belly of the fish, confessed his sin of disobedience and God commanded the fish to vomit him out.  You should read the rest of the story in the Book of Jonah.

“Marvellous!  So Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days like Jesus was in the tomb.” 

Abou nodded.  “Yes.  There are many more of these signs in the Scriptures”.

“Tell me about them.” Karim was excited.

“I will only talk about the lamb today,” Abou said.

“Do you mean a lamb like a young sheep?” Karim asked.

“Yes, right through the Scriptures the lamb is used by God as a sign.  When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to him, he said: “There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!3  Another time John saw Jesus standing in heaven as the slaughtered lamb of God while the angels sang in a loud voice: ‘The Lamb who was killed is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and strength, honor, glory, and praise!  For you were killed, and by your sacrificial death you bought for God people from every tribe, language, nation, and race’.”4

“But you know, long before the birth of Jesus, the lamb was an important sign that pointed to Jesus.  The Israelis were in bondage under the Egyptians for 400 years before God called Moses to deliver them.  God told the Israelis to kill a lamb without spot or blemish.  Each family had to bring a lamb home from the flock on the 10th of the first month.  For three full days they had to examine it to make sure it was in perfect condition.  It had to be perfect because it was a sign of Jesus being without sin.  The apostle Peter put it like this: …it was the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or flaw.  He had been chosen by God before the creation of the world and was revealed in these last days for your sake.5

“On the 14th day they had to kill it, collect the blood and paint it on their doorposts.  The blood would prevent the angel of death to enter the house during that night to kill all the first born sons in Egypt.  Thereafter the lamb had to be roasted whole and eaten without breaking a leg so the whole lamb would be inside the family.

 “After Jesus had died, the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two criminals that were crucified with him, as was their custom to speed up death, but when they came to Jesus, they saw that He was dead already, so they did not break his legs.6

“The night Jesus was born there were shepherds outside the city guarding the sheep.  The shepherds may have guarded the lambs that were brought to the temple on the 10th so that they could be examined before being slaughtered on the 14th.  Perhaps it was to these shepherds that the angels came that night with this message:  ‘Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.  This very day in David’s town your Saviour was born—Christ the Lord!7

Thirty three years later, on the 10th,, when Jesus entered Jerusalem for His last Passover, the sheep that were outside the city were herded in through another gate, the Sheep Gate for temple inspection.  Jesus entered into Jerusalem to offer himself to be inspected as the Passover Lamb.  He passed the test because Pilate, the Roman Governor, after he had examined Jesus, took water and washed his hands saying:  “I am innocent of the blood of this Just Person.”8 The Lamb of God was examined for three days but they could find no fault in Him.

“On that Passover when Jesus was crucified, the priest would slaughter lambs in the temple from 9 o’clock until 3 o’clock.  Then at 3 o’clock he would come out to the people saying: “It is finished”.  Outside the city on a nearby hill the Passover Lamb, Jesus,  was crucified at 9 o’clock in the morning. Then, at 3 0’clock, with outstretched arms to include all people He said:  ‘It is finished’ and died. That moment the curtain in the temple ripped open from top to bottom.”

“What curtain?” asked Karim.

“The curtain that covered the Most Holy Place where only the High Priest could enter once a year, to present the blood of an animal sacrifice to God for the remission of the people’s sin.  When Jesus died, that veil ripped open.  No animal sacrifice would be necessary anymore.  The blood of Jesus was enough for the forgiveness of man.  Anyone could from that moment on go by himself directly to God for forgiveness of sin.”

“Can I do this?” asked Karim sincerely.

“Yes, just as the Israelis in Egypt had to take the lamb into their bodies, you have to take Jesus into your heart, accepting His sacrifice, thanking Him that He died for you and accept Him as your Saviour,” explained Abou. “You invite Him into your heart by saying these words:

“Jesus, I agree that I am a sinner.  I confess my sins and ask you to forgive me.  I understand that You died in my place and washed my sins away with your blood.  Jesus, I accept You as my Saviour.  Take control of my life and be my King.”

Tears rolled down Karim’s cheeks after he had prayed the prayer. “Do you think He accepted me?” he asked.

“Yes on the basis of His word that says:  But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; and if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.9 

“This is wonderful.”  Karim’s eyes were shining with a new light.   “Can you tell me more?”

“Yes, let me tell you about the town Bethlehem where Jesus was born,” said Abou. “Seven hundred years before Jesus was born the prophet  Micah, prophesied the following:

  “ But you,O Bethlehem  Eph’rathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”10

 “Why Bethlehem?” asked Karim.

“This was in God’s eternal plan.  The word Bethlehem means House of Bread.  Jesus said of Himself:  I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world, is my flesh.”11 

“This last part is very difficult to understand,” said Karim.  “Why did Jesus say: ‘…the bread that I shall give for the life of the world, is my flesh’?”

“Consider what God commanded the Israelis to do.  In Egypt God told the Israelis to eat unleavened bread with bitter herbs for a week.

 “What is unleavened bread?” Karim asked.

“It is bread baked without leaven because leaven symbolizes sin.  God called them away from the sins of Egypt  because He had made a blood covenant with Abraham to bless the nations.  The bitter herbs reminded them of the bitterness they experienced under slavery in Egypt.  Here is the interesting fact.  As from that first Passover they began to place three pieces of unleavened bread in a small bag with three compartments – one piece in each compartment.  During the meal the middle piece would be passed around the table.  Each member would break off a piece and eat it. They believed these pieces of bread represented Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The middle piece symbolized Isaac being offered as a sacrifice although he was not really sacrificed.” 

“What then is the real meaning of the piece in the middle?” Karim wanted to know.

“Jesus gave us the answer,” explained Abou.  “At the last Passover Jesus sat at table, and the apostles with him.    And he said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;    for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’  And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me’.”12

“So you mean this bread was actually a sign of Jesus?”

“Yes.  The same with the cup they drank from at the Passover.  Jesus gave them the cup after supper saying: ’This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood’.”13

“I understand much better now,” said Karim.  “God made a blood covenant with Abraham to bless the nations.  He promised that He would give His life for the Salvation of man.  So when Jesus gave His blood, God fulfilled His promise.”

“Yes, and now we can talk to God anytime we want to talk to Him, because the way to the Throne Room   is wide open.  The Scriptures put it like this:

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord:  “I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their misdeeds no more.”  Where there is forgiveness of these,   is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,... let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith...14

                                   

1Mathew 12:39-41;  2Jonah 1:17;  3John 1:29;  4Rev 5:9,12;  51 Peter 1:19-20;  6John 19:32-33;  7Luke 2:9-16;  8Mathew 27:11-24;  91 John 1:19; John 1:12  10Micah 5:2;  11John 6:35;48;51;  12Luke 22:14-16,19;  13Luke 22:20;  14Heb 10:16-22.