Lesson 36 Washing at the Cross: Buried and Risen, Illustrated
Questions 3 and 4
Ah, now we see that the story of Jonah was designed to illustrate for us the central teaching of the Bible--the gospel of Jesus Christ! Jonah was a “sign” pointing forward to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So let’s look at it that way, and let’s see how believing this message is what frees us from all habitual sin.
Question 3. From Jonah 1:14-15, what happened when Jonah was thrown into the sea?
Jonah had volunteered to be thrown into the sea, willingly giving up his life to save the men on the boat. After Jonah was thrown into the waters, the wrathful sea that was raging, grew calm. The sailors were saved. On the third day, Jonah was raised up!
Do you see the good news here? Let’s think about it:
Jesus was nothing like Jonah; Jesus is spotless, sinless, completely holy, never rebellious. Even so, we can see the parallels: Jesus volunteered to go to the cross. He willingly laid down His life for us (John 10:18). And when He went to the cross, the sea of God’s wrath swallowed Him up and left us with peace. The storm of God’s wrath grew calm. We are saved!
Picture for a moment, if you will, how Jesus was hurled into the raging sea of your sins. When Jesus was uplifted on the cross the wrath of God ceased raging, the storm was calmed, and now you have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).