THOSE who assail the truths and teachings of the Bible have always sought to place the account of “Jonah and the Whale” in the class of not only the improbable, but of the impossible. In the first place, the Bible narrative does not say that it was whale, but a “great fish”, but even so-called scientists who claim that it would be impossible for a whale to swallow a man, have evidence against them.
“The Literary Digest” of New York, in Volume 12 No. 3, page 681, which was issued April 4th, 1896, shows that even in recent years whales have swallowed men.
In the month of February 1891, a whaling vessel cruising in the Mediterranean Sea, not far distant from the coast of Palestine, indeed, one might almost say in the very waters where Jonah was cast overboard, this whaling ship, “The Star of the East,” the account narrates, “launched two whale boats with an equipment of men to pursue an immense whale that was observed at some distance. The huge creature was harpooned and wounded to death. While it was writhing in its last agonies, one of the whale boats was struck by its tail and shattered in pieces. The sailors who were in it were thrown into the water. All but two were saved shortly by the other boat. The body of one was recovered, but the other, a man named James Bartley could not be found. When the monster had ceased moving, and its death was quite certain, it was hoisted alongside the ship, and the work of cutting it up began. A day and a night were devoted to this task. When it was ended, the stomach of the whale was opened. What was the surprise of the whaleman to find in it their lost comrade, James Bartley, unconscious, but alive!
The Captain of “The Star of the East” adds, that cases where furious whales have swallowed men, are not rare, but that this was the first time he ever saw the victim come out alive.
Scripture does not need to be proved true by external evidence: it is the Word of God and therefore true and infallible. Then let us not deny the Infinite, All Wise and Almighty Creator the power which He exercised in the preservation, transportation, and safe delivery of His prophet Jonah, so that he might obey the command given to him to deliver the message of warning to the city of Ninevah, and by heeding the Word of God and repenting of their evil ways, the people were spared from judgment.
Have you heeded God’s warning of judgment on account of your sins, and have taken refuge in Christ, the One who bore the judgment that you deserved while He was on the cross?
ML 02/26/1933