“I tend to think of culture as the sea we live in. Fish don’t notice the sea nor can they escape it. Clearly Christians are meant to live in the sea (in the world) but unlike fish we must be able to differentiate ourselves from it. Hence we’re more like dolphins or whales. We’re in the sea but ultimately derive our oxygen from the world above.”
I heard this statement (written by David McDonald, a pastor and professor) quoted on the Everyday Disciple podcast and my mind responded right away. I thought of Jonah and the whale (see Jonah 2). Of course I did! The closing words also reminded me of Paul’s admonition to reflect “on things above” (Colossians 3:1-2).
I didn’t realize these chapters (Jonah 2 and Colossians 3) deal with similar subjects. That was new to me! The themes of these sections are alike? How so?
Let’s take them in reverse order and begin with Paul’s letter.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” – Colossians 3:1-10
The apostle encourages Christians to distinguish between two realms of life. There’s the world below, filled with sin and degradation. And then there’s the world above, overflowing with the presence of Jesus and all His blessings. Given these alternatives, which one should we pursue? Kind of a no brainer!
The funny thing is, these realms aren’t separated by distance. They’re within us. Yes, Jesus rules in heaven (see verse 1). But He also dwells in our hearts. He is our life (see verse 4). We’re to function “down here” as Christ did when He walked the earth.
It’s not the natural world we have to fight; it’s the flesh and its culture. The pervasiveness of sin makes holiness seem unrealistic, but it’s God’s call on our lives. We can live in the world but not be of it. Like Pastor McDonald said, we resemble whales or dolphins. We live in the water but we don’t breathe it. In the world but not of the world. That’s a distinction believers like to make.
But a prophet named Jonah didn’t agree. Told by the Lord to preach to the Ninevites, he took off in the opposite direction. Safe aboard a ship in the Mediterranean, he thought he’d escaped his responsibility. But God knew where he was and caused such a storm that Jonah knew the situation was hopeless. “Toss me overboard and you’ll be okay,” he told the sailors. And he was right; it worked (Jonah 1:12-15).
Now what? Jonah would drown unless God intervened. And the Lord was gracious, but not in the way the prophet expected!
“Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 1From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2He said: ‘In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. 3You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4I said, “I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.” 5The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit. 7When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 9But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, “Salvation comes from the LORD.”’ 10And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” – Jonah 1:17-2:10
Like Paul, Jonah wrestles with issues of life and death, but from quite a different position! Whether it was a whale or a fish that gobbled him, we’re not sure. It could have been a whale–just ask Michael Packard! But regardless of what kind of sea creature it was, the animal preserved him.
This reluctant prophet pondered about life and death in physical and spiritual forms. The physical is obvious, but the spiritual touches his heart. There’s a big difference between the God of the Temple and the “worthless idols” who draw people away from the Lord. Idols can’t save, deliver or rescue; but God can! And if we, like Jonah, are to have life, it will have to come by the hand of God.
But He can use creatures. And if the Lord made use of an air-breathing animal, that would illustrate a point. That creature and Jonah could relate to each other. They both need air to survive in the ocean. Housed within the whale (or sea reptile or whatever it was), Jonah was safe. But this was temporary. He had a mission to fulfill.
And so do we. Secure within the church, we get to enjoy the help of those who understand our experiences in the world. They’re engaging with the culture (the sea), too. But they can’t carry out our mission. We have to share the gospel with our Ninevites and Colossians in the way the Lord has prepared us.
Jonah didn’t remain in the belly of the beast; he got a second chance to preach, and he went straight to Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-4)! I know I would have! Am we as zealous to labor where Jesus has us?
We have no excuse for our hesitation, because He’s been in the same spot as us.
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” – Matthew 12:40
Christ’s ministry cost Him His life, but He didn’t stay dead. As Jonah returned to land, so Jesus rose from the grave. And this applies to us, too. We, like whales, seals, and turtles, can live in the sea even while we breathe air. And if as humans we find ourselves submerging, God will rescue us and give us a miraculous fresh start.
So let’s dive in!
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