SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAH

If you arrived to this study by way of the Daily Bread program ... You probably feel encouraged to learn more because of your increased awareness of the Holy Spirit, and that's so exciting!

If not, you can learn more about the Holy Spirit at the end of this study by clicking the link to the Holy Spirit study provided.

If you've read about the Holy Spirit, you may have high expectations that each time you commune with the Holy Spirit you're supposed to get this intense feeling of euphoria. Well, that simply isn't the case. We may not have the administration which requires it like Moses or David or Elijah or Isaiah or Daniel, so don't start thinking that something is wrong if the clouds don't part and messages aren't written across the sky when you invite Him to be with you.

Let me explain it to you this way. You love your spouse more than anyone else in the world, yet you feel differently if you're sharing an emotional moment together than when you're putting away the groceries. That doesn't mean you love them any less or that they love you any less when they're stocking canned goods in the pantry. In fact, just knowing they're there is all the comfort you need and it's not necessary to have fireworks or even candle light dinners every night of your lives to make sure the other knows of your love for them.

If you don't feel shivers up and down your spine every time you pray, that doesn't mean you're not Spiritual. The Holy Spirit knows your heart. He knows your desire to know Him and to share His company. He's there, so don't worry.

Now with that in mind, let's go back to our story where Jesus was talking to the scribes and Pharisees. After Jesus explained again about how your fruits come from your heart, they asked Him to show them a sign (to prove that He was the Son of God).

Jesus answered, This evil generation wants to see a sign, but no sign will be shown to it, except the sign of prophet Jonas (Jonah). Just like Jonas was in the whale's belly for three days and three nights, the Son of man (Jesus) will also be in the heart of the earth.

When judgment day comes, the people of Nineveh will stand up and condemn this generation because they repented when Jonas preached warning to them, (Jonah 3:1-10) and you have one greater than Jonas preaching to you. The queen of the south will also stand up on judgment day and condemn this generation because she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and one greater than Solomon is here.

The queen of the south is the queen of Sheba. Sheba, also known as Saba was southern Arabia. The queen heard of the wisdom of Solomon and she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon because she didn't believe what she heard about Solomon being the wisest man that will ever live, but Solomon answered all her questions and she conceded that he was wiser even than what she had heard (2 Chronicles 9:1-9).

Jesus was telling them that He would die and rise again after three days and three nights, and even though He is greater than Jonah, the scribes and Pharisees still won't believe in Him, so Nineveh will be witnesses against them in the day of judgment. Likewise, they were testing Him, as the queen of Sheba tested Solomon, and even though He is greater than Solomon, they won't believe the wisdom that He speaks to them.

Then Jesus went on to say, When the unclean spirit is cast out of a man, the unclean spirit walks through dry places, looking for rest, but finding none. (You can study more about evil spirits which originated in the days of Noah's ark.) Then the spirit says to itself, I'll go back to my house (the person) who I came out of, and when he (the unclean spirit) arrives (returns), he finds it (the person) empty, swept and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself and they enter into the person and live there. Now the person is in worse condition than before. That's how it will be with this wicked generation.

In other words, when we allow an unclean spirit within us by partaking of the world and they are removed by our CHOICE to follow Jesus, the spirit wanders looking for another body to overtake and eventually comes back to the body he was in. IF it is clean, he can't get in so he goes and gets seven other spirits worse than himself to help him get into this person. They LURE this soul until they are allowed back in. Now fear not, cuz we have choice as to whether the spirit(s) are allowed back in or not. We will experience the lures but we can just say ... NO.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, these LURES come in all forms, whether it be television, thoughts, friends whispers, books, music, drugs, anger, money, etc. An unclean spirit will use any way it can to gain access to a person so they can feel again.

Aren't you so glad that you have the Holy Spirit to help you? You can't lock yourself in a closet to escape all the methods that satan uses to try and win your soul, but you do have the most powerful weapon in the world, the Holy Spirit. He doesn't contain uranium or have any kind of atomic, nuclear, biological or chemical capabilities, but He can sure whip an evil spirit!

The sign of the prophet Jonah prophecy was simply sharing that like Jonah ... Jesus would be in the darkness for 3 days and 3 nights when he died up until His resurrection. This prophecy proves yet again that Jesus is Lord.