20160121 Thursday, January 21 2016
Jonah 02: Jonah's Prayer

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"For Thou hadst 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 ... When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thine Holy Temple"

The English-language words "prayer" and "pray" originated a Latin word, precari, that meant to ask with humility. The English word "precarious," meaning depending on the will of another, originated from the same root word. The English word accurately defines what prayer must be, if there is to be any hope of a favorable answer from God - a humble request, not a demand.

The English words "pray" and "prayer" are used to translate a number of original Hebrew and Greek words of the Holy Scriptures. All have the same applied meaning as the English word - a humble request.

the Hebrew word, pronounced nawh, which means to beseech, or to plead

the Hebrew word, pronounced paw-lawl, which means to make supplication i.e. a humble request for help

the Greek word, pronounced pros-yoo-khom-ahea, which means a worshipful request

the Greek word, pronounced deh-om-ahee, which means a request to an authority

Prayer is what the righteous have a right to do. Those who reject the Law of the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) should not expect the LORD to accommodate their ways unrepentance (see the Fact Finder question below).

"5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." (James 5:9-20 KJV)

When the prophet Jonah found himself deep in the waters of the sea (see Jonah's Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea), he prayed to the LORD with the attitude that made a favorable answer possible, according to the Will of the LORD.

"2:1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, 2:2 And said,

I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 2:3 For thou hadst 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. 2:4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 2:5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. 2:6 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.

2:7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. 2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 2:9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

2:10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land." (Jonah 2:1-10 KJV)

Fact Finder: What does the Word of God in the Holy Scriptures actually teach about how to pray?
See How To Pray: 12 Biblical Principles Of Personal Prayer