I was having a conversation with a friend recently who is struggling with some of the things he finds in Scripture. I reminded my friend that we do not get to pick and choose that which we will believe in God’s word. You see my friend is struggling with, among other things the story of Jonah. Can’t possibly be a real account of an actual event…right? I disagree!
Stay with me for a second and I will tie this all together! My Sunday School class is in a study of Proverbs and Song of Songs focusing on Solomon. Well, during my studies, I was reminded of Matthew 12:38-42 (ESV) which reads as follows:
“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”
While preparing for our series in Proverbs and Song of Songs, this little reminder pops up that ties Jesus, Solomon, and Jonah all together in a single passage! Here’s the hook folks: you can’t say you accept Jesus and then deny the things that He affirmed! It simply doesn’t work and honestly, it is really bad theology. I love how God weaves everything together for our good!