18, 19. What happened to Jonah in the depths of the sea, what kind of creature was involved, and who was behind these events? (See also footnote.)

¹⁸ But wait! There was something moving nearby​—an immense, dark shape, a living thing. Looming close, it darted at him. A great maw opened over him, engulfed him, swallowed him down!

¹⁹ This must be the end. Yet, Jonah sensed something astounding. He was still alive! He was neither crushed, nor digested, nor even suffocated. No, the breath of life was still in him, though he was in what should rightly be his grave. Slowly, Jonah became filled with awe. Without a doubt, it was his God, Jehovah, who had “appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah.”c​—Jonah 1:17.

20. What can we learn about Jonah from the prayer he uttered inside the great fish?

²⁰ Minutes passed, stretching into hours. There, in the deepest darkness he had ever known, Jonah composed his thoughts and prayed to Jehovah God. His prayer, recorded fully in the second chapter of Jonah, is revealing. It shows that Jonah had extensive knowledge of the Scriptures, for it often refers to the Psalms. It also shows a heartwarming quality: gratitude. Jonah concluded: “As for me, with the voice of thanksgiving I will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed, I will pay. Salvation belongs to Jehovah.”​—Jonah 2:9.

21. What did Jonah learn about salvation, and what valuable lesson may we remember?

²¹ There, in the unlikeliest of places​—the “inward parts of the fish”—​Jonah learned that salvation is something that Jehovah can bring to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Even there, Jehovah found and saved his troubled servant. (Jonah 1:17) Only Jehovah could keep a man alive and well for three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish. It is good for us to remember today that Jehovah is “the God in whose hand your breath is.” (Dan. 5:23) We owe our every breath, our very existence, to him. Are we grateful? Do we not, then, owe Jehovah our obedience?

22, 23. (a) How was Jonah’s gratitude soon put to the test? (b) What can we learn from Jonah when it comes to the mistakes we make?

²² What about Jonah? Did he learn to show his gratitude to Jehovah through obedience? He did. After three days and three nights, the fish brought Jonah right to the shore and “vomited out Jonah onto the dry land.” (Jonah 2:10) Imagine​—after all that, Jonah did not even have to swim ashore!