The Waters, The Depth and The Weeds Jonah 2:5

As Jonah prayed from the “belly” of the “great fish” which “the LORD” “prepared” for him, he described what it was like to be “in the deep”, “in the midst of the seas” with “floods” compassing him about and the “billows and waves” of the LORD passing over him. He also “said, I am cast out” of the LORD's “sight” which motivated him to “look again toward” God's “holy temple”. In chapter two and verse five of this prophesy, Jonah continued to describe his troubles as he shared concerning the “waters, the depth and the weeds”. We read:

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about,

the weeds were wrapped about my head.

The verse begins, “The waters compassed me about, even to the soul:” The writer began with the words, “The waters” or “dangerous and violent waters” “compassed me about” which means “surrounded and encompassed Jonah”, “even to the soul” which refers to “Jonah's self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion and passion”. As Jonah was in the “great fish's belly”, the “sea waters” “surrounded and encompassed” him from every side.

The verse goes on to say, “the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.” The writer continued, “the depth” or “the deep places and abyss of the sea” “closed me round about” which means “surrounded, encircled, changed direction and encompassed Jonah”, “the weeds” which refers to “rushes and water plants” “were wrapped about” or “tied, bound, saddled, restrained, bandaged , girded and governed over” “my head” which means “Jonah's head”. In addition to the “sea waters” surrounding him, Jonah experienced the “abyss” and “depth” of the sea as the “seaweed” tied and bound him inside the fish.

When we consider the words of this verse, we can imagine how miserable Jonah's conditions were as he indwelled the “great fish”. Salty sea water and “seaweed” wrapped around him as he sloshed within the stomach of the fish, and more than likely the “great fish” swam to a depth of the sea that was intolerable as well. It is a marvel how horrible conditions have to become before some people will “cry out” to God. They fail to realize Jesus Christ has his arms open wide to receive anyone who will surrender their lives to Him. How miserable do we have to become before we realize that being with Jesus is the only way to have true peace in this world? In Jesus' words, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Next time we see Jonah describe “the mountains, the earth and corruption”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.