The Sign of Jonah?
A lot of people ask, why doesn't God (YHVH) do great signs and wonders as He did in the Old Testament through Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Elisha, and other prophets? It is true, Jesus did many great miracles when He walked the earth, but the Christians today aren't walking on water, raising the dead, and healing lepers. Why isn't God showing His mighty hand to the world?
This article attempts to explain why, and it is mostly by the words of Jesus Himself (God in the flesh):
Matthew 12:38-41 KJV - Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. [39] But he (Jesus) 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 (Jonah): [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.
Jesus was not only prophesying about His own death, burial, and resurrection, but He is also telling us an important detail of the New Covenant through Christ Jesus and the shedding of His blood for our sins as being the sign.
Sign of Jonah?
One may ask, what is the sign of Jonah, and how does that relate to Jesus? If you study the Book of Jonah in the Bible, it says he was cast overboard after fleeing from God's command to warn Ninevah. In the process, God sent a storm to Jonah and the ship crew members where afraid of God and threw him overboard, only to be swallowed by a great fish (whale). After Jonah repents and God gives him a second chance, God caused the whale to spew Jonah up to preach on the dry land and warn Ninevah of the impending judgment (Read Jonah 2-3).
Jonah 2:1-3,10 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. [10] And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
It seems Jonah died and went to hell (Sheol) during this time and the LORD revived him so that he could warn Ninevah:
Jonah 3:1-6 KJV - And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, [2] Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. [3] So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. [4] And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. [5] So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. [6] For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
The Jesus Parallel
The same way that Jonah was in the whale's belly, which is also symbolic of hell, so Jesus (Yeshua) was in the belly of the earth while His physical body was in the tomb after the crucifixion for THREE DAYS.
The New Testament Apostles actually revealed that Jesus descended into hell (Hades) upon His death:
1 Peter 3:18-19 KJV - For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: [19] By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.
One can only assume that the "spirits in prison" references the souls in hell (the pit in the belly of the earth). This is confirmed in the next paragraph:
1 Peter 3:20 KJV - Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
Jesus Himself tells us He has the keys to hell and of death:
Revelation 1:18 KJV - I am (Jesus) he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
I believe that Jesus the Messiah (Christ) died for every man, and whosoever will accept Him as LORD and Savior will be saved. I believe that includes those who were born and died before and after the Promised Messiah came, died, resurrected, and ascended to Heaven around 30-33 AD.
* It's most likely that just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale (hell) for 3 days, so was Jesus in Hades for 3 days:
Matthew 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.
* Book of Ephesians also tells us Christ descended into Sheol/Hades:
Ephesians 4:7-9 KJV - 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?
So, we can safely say that the "Sign of Jonah" is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ! It is by repentance, water baptism, and faith in Him that we are saved (Romans 10:9). This is the sign or miracle that God (YHVH) gave to this "evil and adulterous generation" - meaning this last dispensation age from Jesus' ascension to Heaven until the fullness of the Gentiles and the rapture of the dead in Christ and those who are alive and remain (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
Plague of Darkness
The final and 10th Plague of judgment upon Egypt was after the 3 Days of Darkness and when an additional night of darkness fell upon Egypt - the killing of the firstborn of every household. Yet, God commanded Moses to tell the Children of Abraham to sacrifice a lamb without spot on the tenth day, eat its' flesh, and put the blood on the door post of each house of the Children of Abraham. Then the wrath of God will Passover them (Exodus 12).
The three days of darkness plague hit just before the Passover, and it is possible it could happen again around this day and age as a sign to the entire world, just as Jonah was in the belly of the world for three days and nights, and Jesus was in the belly of the Earth for three days and nights.
Exodus 10:21-23 KJV - And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. [22] And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: [23] They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Some speculate and prophesy (Acts 2:17) that a new plague of darkness will cover the land soon, and perhaps even in 2020. Perhaps this darkness will be blamed on a worldwide power outage, Coronal Mass Ejection, Electromagnetic Pulse, and or alien invasion? Yet, aliens are actually demonic forces, Nephilim hybrids, and fallen angels.
• 3 Days of Darkness
God YHVH will be able to protect those who are covered by the blood of Yeshua Jesus, the Passover Lamb of God, who are born again by the Spirit and keep His commandments and are set apart and sanctified by the New Testament truths. The darkness will Pass Over us! Perhaps the fact that the Three Days of Darkness was before the Mass Exodus by the Passover Lamb, is a shadow of what is to come in terms of another Three Days of Darkness and then an New Exodus by means of the rapture?
Beware of Lying Signs and Wonders
I suppose Jesus is not going to give us great signs and wonders in this age, it is by His finished work on the cross that we are saved (John 3:16-19). Yet, Jesus warned us by His own mouth and His apostles that there will be many lying signs and wonders, false prophets and false Christs in the last days before His return. I suppose, in His mercy God Almighty could send us another Three Days of Darkness in this final generation so that more people may see the hand of His doing and repent?
Matthew 24:3-5 KJV - And as he (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? [4] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. [5] For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Jesus tells us specifically, for those who are not taken in the rapture, to not be decieved in the final 7 year Tribulation period before His return:
Matthew 24:23-27 KJV - Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. [24] For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. [25] Behold, I have told you before. [26] Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. [27] For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Apostle Paul also tells us that during the great falling away, the departure from sound doctrine, many will be decieved by the AntiChrist and lying signs and wonders:
2 Thessalonians 2:9-13 KJV - Even him (the AntiChrist), whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, [10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. [13] But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
For articles concerning the coming deception, the rapture, and the persecution of Christians, please see these links:
• Alien Deception
• Rapture Vs Return
• The Persecution
The Book of Revelations also tells us that the False Prophet (Pope Francis) will decieve the world through false miracles:
Revelation 19:20 KJV - 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.
So in these last days, we must be vigilant and be rooted in Jesus Christ and the doctrine first delivered to us by the New Testament Bible and founding Apostles appointed by Christ.
Please see some of these other disciple resources:
• Who is Jesus?
• Disciple of Jesus?
• Spiritual Warfare
• Religion or Relationship?
• The True Church
• Want to Be Saved?
• A New Creature
• Grace Alone By Faith Alone?
• Not Under the Law
• God or Money?
• Unplug
• Interfaith Movement
• Identity of God
• The Church
• The Narrow Way
• Run the Race - Overcome!
• Spotless Bride
• Is Satan Real?
Another Spirit (Demonic)
Apostle Paul feared in his day that God's children would be deceived by a false Holy Spirit, another Jesus, another gospel doctrine:
Apostle Paul feared in his day that God's children would be deceived by a false Holy Spirit, another Jesus, another gospel doctrine:
2 Corinthians 11:1-4 KJV - Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. [2] For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. [3] But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. [4] For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Kundalini Spirit in "Churches"
https://youtu.be/qZHVTEsJcr4
There are many false Jesus movements today, whether it is a dead church, a new apostate revival, or merging with the Vatican and the One World Religion of the AntiChrist. How much more should we be vigilant and sober in the time of the great falling away before the AntiChrist:
The true Holy Spirit has very certain Characteristics and will not make people fall on the ground laughing, bark like a dog, or things that are ungodly:
Galatians 5:22-25 KJV - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. [24] And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. [25] If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Steven Bancarz - Spiritual Deception
https://youtu.be/n3hm3FFGdIA
Before going to a "Church" or seek a "spiritual experience," please make sure that it is rooted in the truth of the Bible. It is very important to understand the true doctrine of the Bible by study and prayer. Also, there are fundamentals to Christianity such as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being one (John 14, 1 John 5:7 KJV), repentance and following the commands of Jesus and the letters (epistles) of the New Testament Bible. We must also realize that the true Jesus of the Bible is God Almighty who came in the flesh, born of a virgin, and died for our sins, rose again three days later, and ascended to heaven with all authority over Heaven and Earth (Matthew 28:18-20), and that He will return with vengeance upon all the ungodly and to judge all (Revelation 19, Enoch 1, Jude 1). Water baptism is for the remission of our sins and turning towards godliness and becoming a new creature in Christ, and we then must be filled with the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ.
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