Out of the Belly of Hell

Today, I want to share with you a story about a prophet that you may or may not know whose name is Jonah. God told Jonah to go preach to a city called Nineveh. Nineveh was a sore enemy of the nation of Israel. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, and it was infested with evil. During the life of Jonah, the evil of Nineveh caused God's wrath to be kindled against the city. However, God wanted to give the city a chance to turn from their evil ways before concluding to destroy it. Nineveh was rivaling city that troubled the nation of Israel with evil and abusive behavior.

It is for this cause that Jonah was infuriated with the mission God gave him. Jonah was upset with God, because he knew that Nineveh would repent of their evil if he preached the message God wanted him to preach. Since Jonah was in disagreement with God's plan to save Nineveh, he disobeyed God's direction and decided to go the exact opposite direction. Jonah planned to sail to Tarshish as far away from Nineveh as he imagine. But as the story goes, Jonah did not make it to Tarshish. It so happens, God sent a strong wind on to the water as the ship traveled. The storm and winds were so terrifying that the sailors feared for their lives and prayed to their gods for relief. While the storm was going on, Jonah was in the bottom of the ship asleep. Finally, the men decided to cast lots to see what man caused such a storm, and the lot fell on Jonah. When Jonah told the sailors who he was and why he was there. Jonah told the sailors that the only way the storm would leave is if they threw him overboard. They attempted to at least land the ship until the storm was over. But the storm was so boisterous that they were unable to land. Although they were reluctant, they finally decided to throw Jonah overboard lest he stay aboard and they die. They prayed to God asking for mercy so that the blood of Jonah wouldn't be held to their charge.

The Bible says, "God prepared a fish to swallow up Jonah, and he was in the belly of the fish." There was also an instance during Jonah's prayer when he describes being in the belly of the fish, and Jonah's description of being in the fish's belly was similar to the descriptions of hell. The experience was so grievous in the fishes belly where Jonah was being held captive, that he called that place the "the belly of hell." He describes being cast into the deep. He describes being casted out of the sight of God. He also describes going down to the bottom of the mountains; a pressure so tormenting that his soul fainted with him. For Jonah, that place was a type of hell.

Jonah testified that even in the belly of hell he cried unto the Lord. He eventually asked God for forgiveness, and he promised to preach for God as he has vowed. The story of Jonah resonates with me in the sense that sometimes this world is so distant from God, that it has become a type of hell. So many people have rejected God, Death is at an all-time high. Deception and greed bleeds the nations dry. Abortion has become commonplace. They say, “ I’ll just get rid of it, and move on with my life.” There is no regard for human life. The police will shoot and kill black children without the blink of an eye. There is no trust in the criminal justice system, because greed and corruption has robbed the poor people of their faith and trust in the law. The mindset of anarchy is spreading across the land. Hatred has permeated society. Black people and brown people are born into poverty and a little more than decade later, they are cast into prisons.

As a result of our sins, plagues have come. Hundreds and thousands of people are falling dead. This world has transformed itself into a type of hell. And the current state of this world has caused me to understand what causes one to reside in hell even while among the living. What causes one to find themselves in a living hell? Sometimes its just the storms of life. Sometimes there are storms that are made to make you stronger in your walk with Christ. May I submit to you that there are some storms that we have caused? Jonah is not the only person who has rejected God. Jonah is not the only person who has been mad at God. Jonah is not the only person who has disobeyed and even ran away from God's plan. As human beings, we have all rejected God and disobeyed God. Many of us ran away from God. We must willing to admit the evil we have done. As nations, and countries and governments, we must be willing to confess the evil that we have done. We must be willing to admit that sometimes, the storms and the hell that we go through in life is because of the ways in which we have rejected God.

That's what I love about Jonah. I love that he cried out to God from the belly of hell. He promised to God that he would keep his vow and that he would preach to the great city of Nineveh. Many people love to read Jonah, and they automatically judge him. But this was the moment Jonah got it right. And we must learn to do as Jonah has done. We must learn how to be sorrowful and ask God to forgive us of the evil that we have done, and accept the new covenant that Jesus Christ gave us by his blood. 1John 1:8-9 says, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness." We must be willing to confess to the Father the evil that we have done, and He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.

We must confess, but I’m afraid that we as a human race have become too proud. We have become too proud to tell God that we are sorry for the things we have done. We have become too proud to change our ways. I believe that if Jonah could preach to this generation, he would tell you to cry out to God Most High. He would tell you to cry out to the God of heaven from the belly of this hell. Jonah would tell you to fast and pray. Jonah would tell you to ask God Almighty to forgive you of your sins. Jonah would tell you that crying out and true repentance is how God is inspired to save you from the belly hell .

I know that right now your life may seem like a living hell, but I encourage you to cry out to God. Ask God to forgive you with a sincere heart. Turn away from your sins with a sincere heart, and be holy before the Lord. Right now, I want us to pray together. Lets cry out to God and ask Him to forgive our sins.

Heavenly Father,

Deliver us from this hell Oh Lord. We have done you wrong Lord. We have rejected your plan for our lives. We have disobeyed your command to be holy. Forgive us Oh Lord! Make us holy Lord. We accept the new covenant that Jesus Christ offers to us with His blood. We accept the new life you have given us. We believe that Jesus Christ shed His blood and died for our sins, and that you raised him from the dead. We accept you as our LORD, God, and Master. In Jesus Christ mighty name, Amen.