In | A Symbol for Jonah

Our symbol for Jonah is a dove inside a fish. We all know that Jonah is swallowed by a great fish, but you may not know that his name means “dove.” His name’s association with a bird hints at the irony and comedy of the book. While we are familiar with birds eating fish in nature, the story reverses things. A fish eats a bird. 

This reversal is one of many reversals in Jonah. Jonah will go the opposite way he is commanded to go, but that too is reversed. He preaches judgment, but the Ninevites receive mercy. 

From inside the fish, the “dove” (Jonah) prayed to the LORD his God. He said:

In my distress I called to the LORD,
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,
    into the very heart of the seas,
    and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
    swept over me. 
Jonah 2:1-3 NIV