So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Jonah Ch 1 v 15
Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah Ch 1 v 17

Although spoken of here as 'a great fish' Jesus Himself referred to this as a Whale.

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Matthew Ch 12 vv 39,40

Jesus was showing clearly a picture of what was to come. He was showing forth His own death and resurrection when He spoke of Jonah and his encounter with the whale.

Jonah was swallowed up by the whale. To all intents he was as one dead.
But God delivered him from death when the whale spat him back on to the shore.

And Jesus spent three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. He was dead!
But God raised Him from the dead by His mighty power - just as Jesus said He would.

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