Jonah was swallowed by a great fish and was vomited out of it (Jonah 2:10) for the spreading of God’s salvation to the Gentile Ninevites. Jonah is a type of Christ in His death and resurrection for the spreading of God’s salvation to sinners, even to the Gentiles (Matt. 12:39-41). Jonah’s staying in the great fish three days and three nights typifies Christ’s staying in the heart of the earth three days and three nights (Matt. 12:40 and note Matt. 12:401c). Christ died and entered into Hades in the lower parts of the earth (Acts 2:27a; Eph. 4:9). He came forth from there in resurrection (Acts 2:31-32), and in resurrection He became the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b) for the preaching, the spreading, of the gospel to all the Gentile nations, as seen in the book of Acts.
