The Sign of Jonah examined

The Scripture

Matthew 12:39, 40 But he 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: 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.

Mark 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

Prophetic Symbols Ship

Genesis 6:14-17 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die.

Prophetic Symbols Animals

Daniel 7:17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

Daniel 7:23 The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom

Parallel 1 Jonah went onto a vessel heading in the wrong

direction

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Parallel 1 Jesus came to the nation of Israel

John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Romans 3:1-2 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

Matthew 3:7 (John the baptist); 12:34; 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Parallel 2 Jonah was thrown out of the vessel into the sea

Because of Jonah’s presence on board the ship a storm arose to quiet the storm the men had to throw Jonah out

Jonah 1:12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

Parallel 2 Revelation 12:1-5 And there appeared a great wonder in

heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Parallel 2 Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was

mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Parallel 2 Luke 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a

message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

John 19:15 But they cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him.’ Pilate saith unto them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’

John 18:8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

Parallel 3 Jonah was in the belly of a whale (great fish) for three

days and three nights

Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that [is] in the sea.

Jesus’ Life in Prophecy Daniel 8:11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the

prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

Christ in prophecy Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy

people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

70 Weeks Prophecy Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy

people and upon thy holy city,

Ezekiel 4:6 I have appointed thee each day for a year.

Total Time 70 weeks or 490 years

70 weeks Prophecy Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from

the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks:

Here two time periods are presented to us

Seven weeks

Three score and two weeks (3 x 20 + 2 = 62)

70 weeks Prophecy First Time 7 weeks or 49 years

Second time 62 weeks or 434 years

This of course leaves us with 1 week

7 weeks or 49 years

62 weeks or 434 years

Total Time 70 weeks or 490 years

From the Decree till Messiah (anointed one) is 483 years

1 week 7 years

70 weeks prophecy The seventy weeks begins with the decree by

Artaxerxes I in 458/7 BCE which provided money for rebuilding the temple and Jerusalem and allowed for restoration of a Jewish administration (Ezra 7)

The end of the 483 years is pinpointed in Luke 3:1

7 weeks or 49 years

62 weeks or 434 years

Total Time 70 weeks or 490 years

From the Decree till Messiah (anointed one) is 483 years

1 week 7 years

End 27 ADBegin 457 BC

The Midst of the week Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with

many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease

Matthew 12:40 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

Mark 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

The Midst of the week Hebrews 10:8-9 Above when he said, Sacrifice and

offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Midst of the weekThe midst of the week is the midst of seven years not the midst of the literal week.

Jonah in line Jonah was swallowed by a big fish

Isaiah 27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that [is] in the sea.

Daniel 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Jonah in line Revelation 12:3, 4 And there appeared another wonder in

heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Isaiah 66:6, 7 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that renderethrecompence to his enemies. Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.

Jonah in line Jonah 1:12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and

cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

John 11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

Time Not Yet Come Luke 4:28-30 And all they in the synagogue, when they

heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way.

John 7:6, 30 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come. Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

His Time Was Come John 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall

I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Mark 14:41 it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Luke 22:53 this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

John 18:8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

The Passover and Related Feasts

• Day of Nisan 14 Passover Lamb slain at time of evening sacrifice

Night of Nisan 14 Passover Eaten in families

• Day of Nisan 15 Feast of Unleavened Bread

Night of Nisan 15 Ceremonial Sabbath begins

• Day after the Sabbath when wave sheaf is presented

Night After the Sabbath

Jesus fulfilled these feasts Passover – 1 Corinthians 5:7 For even Christ our

passover is sacrificed for us:

Unleavened bread – Christ was without sin the bread

Wave Sheaf - John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Parallel 3

• Day of Nisan 14 (trial and crucifixion) Good Friday

Night of Nisan 14 (Time of arrest and secret trial)

• Day of Nisan 15 Sabbath in the tomb

Night of Nisan 15 (resting in the tomb

• Day of Nisan 16 Dawn resurrection on 1st Day of the week

Night of Nisan 16 Still in tomb

Why The Jonah Prophecy

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,

In search of Jesus in the scriptures.