Adrian Simancas was kayaking with his father, Dell, off the coast of Chile, when he was suddenly swallowed by a humpback whale, who quickly released him from his mouth unharmed. This account made me think of a disobedient prophet named Jonah who was sailing on a boat bound for Tarshish, the opposite direction from Nineveh, his God ordained destination. After a storm arose, he explained to the captain that he was the cause of the storm and if they would throw him overboard the storm would cease. They did and it did. Jesus referred to this historical event in his dialogue with some religious leaders (Matthew 12:38-41). Let me point out three things from this passage.

First, there is the signature wisdom of Jesus. Matthew 12:39 reads, "But He answered and said to them, 'An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." After Jesus concluded His sermon on the mount we read, "And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes" (Matthew 7:28-29). Someone explains, "Rabbis typically cited previous teachers or traditions to validate their teachings. Jesus, however, spoke with inherent authority, suggesting a direct connection to divine wisdom."

Second, there is the significant wonder of Jesus. Matthew 12:40 reads, "For 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." This is an unusual picture of the resurrection. One commentator explains, "The 'sign of Jonah' would turn out to be Jesus' greatest miracle of all. Jesus' resurrection from the dead would be God's chief sign that Jesus was Israel's long-awaited Messiah (Acts 2:23–32) and establish Christ's claims to deity (Romans 1:3–4)."

Third, there is the signal warning of Jesus. Matthew 12:41 reads, "The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here." Of course, Jesus referred to Himself. The Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonah but many of those who heard the preaching and teaching of Jesus did not repent. Paul addressing the Areopagus in Athens said in part, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:30-31). Peter writes, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey of Robertsdale, is the author of "Don't Miss the Revival!" Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah.