paarsurrey, I am sorry that this thread has descended into a personal slanging match. The subject matter is important.
Let's look at each of the points you raise, one at a time.
'1. Jesus did not fulfill Sign of Jonah. Please read the argument from post # 109.
In post 109 you say that Jonah:
1. entered in the belly of the fish alive;
2. remained in the belly of the fish alive,
3. came out from the belly of the fish alive and
4. went to his people and they saw him alive; just in the same body in which he was before he went into the belly.
So must Jesus.'
Jesus said that this was a sign, which means that there is a connection, and that connection is to do with his [Jesus'] death. I think we agree that Jesus does not have to enter the belly of a great fish to fulfil the prohecy!
The words of scripture do not tell us whether Jonah died when he was thrown into the sea by the mariners on board the ship. But the mariners did say,'O Lord we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood:' [Remember these words when you think about Jesus]
It then says, 'So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.' It then goes on to say that Jonah was swallowed up and remained in the belly of the fish for three days and nights.
At this point we may not be certain as to whether Jonah was dead or alive. The next verses, however, can give us absolute certainty that Jonah MUST HAVE DIED when he entered the belly of the great fish.
Jonah 2:1,2 says that Jonah prayed to the Lord out of the belly - 'out of the belly of hell cried I'. This means he was in the grave, in sheol, the place of dead souls. The symbolism of death continues with the words, 'For thou hast cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas: and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.' For those familiar with the book of Revelation, the picture of the new heaven and earth is one where 'there was no more sea' - no more death.
Is that enough to convince you of the truth? If you need further persuasion, then look at verse 6. It says, 'I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.'
Now don't be dishonest, paarsurrey. Look at these words and take them in. Does it say that he was in a state of CORRUPTION? It does. This means that his body was dead. It was his SOUL that was calling out to God from the grave. And God, who hears these prayers, raised him to life.
'And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.' (Jonah 2:10)
Now Jonah is ALIVE again. Hence it says, 'AND the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time...'
So, to reinforce the truth of this scripture. Jesus must DIE, be in the grave for three days and nights, and be raised to life again. This is the sign of Jonah.
paarsurrey, I'm not willing to move on to the next point until I have confirmation that you accept this reasoning. If you do not accept it, I want to know exactly what it is you disagree with.
