And God prepared a Great Fish, to swallow up Jonah. 

Shipmates, the sin of Jonah was in his disobedience of the command of God.

He found it a hard command.

And it was, Shipmates, for all the things God would have us do are hard.

If we were to obey God, we must disobey ourselves.

But Jonah still further flouts God, by seeking to flee from him.

Jonah thinks that a ship; made by Men, will carry him into countries
where God does not reign.

He prowls among the shipping like a vile burglar, hastening across the Seas.

As he comes aboard, the Sailors mock him.
 

The Ship puts out.
 

But soon the Sea rebels. It will not bear the wicked burden.

A dreadful storm comes up, the ship is like to break.

The Bo'sun calls all hands to lighten her.

Boxes, bales, and jars... clattering overboard.

The wind is shrieking, the men are yelling.

"I FEAR THE LORD!" cries Jonah, 
"the God of Heaven who has made the Sea and the dry land". 

Again, the Sailors mock him.

Wretched Jonah; cries out to them, to cast him overboard.

For he knew, that for his sake, this great tempest was upon them all.
 
 

Now behold Jonah. 

Taken up as an anchor, and dropped into the sea. 
Into the dreadful jaws awaiting him.

And the Great Whale shoots through all his ivory teeth; 
like so many white bolts upon a final prison.

And Jonah cries unto the Lord, out of the viscious belly.
 
 

But observe his Prayer Shipmates.

He doesn't weep and wail.

He feels his punishment is just.

He leaves Deliverance to God.
 

And even out of the belly of Hell, grounded upon the Oceans utmost bones, 
God heard him when he cried.
 

God spake unto the Whale, and from the shuddering cold and blackness of the Deep, 
the Whale breached into the Sun... and vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

And Jonah... bruised and beaten, his ears like two sea shells; 
still multitudinously murmuring of the Ocean...

Jonah DID THE ALMIGHTY'S BIDDING... and what was that Shipmates?
 
 

To preach the TRUTH in the face of falsehood.
 

Now Shipmates... woe to him that seeks to pour oil on the troubled waters 
that God has brewed into a gale.

Yea, woe to him, as the Pilot Paul has it, while preaching to others 
is himself a Castaway.
 

What Delight is to him; who against the Proud Gods and Commodores of this Earth, 
stands forth...  his own inexorable Self.

Who destroys all Sin, tho he pluck it out from under the robes of Senators... 
and JUDGES.

And ETERNAL Delight shall be his, who coming to lay him down may say: 
 

"O Father... 
Mortal, or Immortal... 
here I die".

"I've striven to be Thine, more than to be this World's... 
or mine own."

"Yet this is nothing."

"I LEAVE ETERNITY TO THEE."
 

For what is Man that he should live out the Lifetime of his God?

Though WE may not believe our power limitless,
we ENGAGE all who suggest it is not.

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