When Jonah was swallowed by the great fish, what kept him from being digested, and where did Jonah get air to breathe by? — Ruben of Oberwunsch, Germany

Dear Ruben,

The answer to your question is found in this verse: "now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah" (Jonah 1:17). It wasn't just any fish that swallowed Jonah (like a hungry shark); it was a fish that God prepared especially for that purpose. God worked it out so that Jonah would be able to live inside of the great fish. It was a miracle, just like Jesus' walking on the water, or raising the dead.