JAMES BARTLEY AND THE WHALE?

Is the story of Jonah having been swallowed by a large sea creature actually true? Could a fully grown man be swallowed by a whale or large fish, and live to tell about the experience? How could a person survive such an ordeal? It’s too problematic to be believed! Over the years, biblical accounts have come under attack for one reason or another, yet no one has proven beyond reasonable doubt, that any biblical story has been the result of a carefully planned deception. Case by case, the Bible has vindicated itself against the best of charges.

Yet to be substantiated is the story of James Bartley: “In February 1891, the whale-ship “Star of the East” was in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands, and the look-out sighted a large sperm whale three miles away. Two boats were lowered, and in a short time one of the harpooners was enabled to spear the fish. The second boat attacked the whale, but was upset by a lash of its tail, and the men thrown into the sea, one being drowned, and another, James Bartley, having disappeared, could not be found. The whale was killed, and in a few hours the great body was lying by the ship’s side, and the crew busy with axes and spades removing the blubber. They worked all day and part of the night.

Next day they attached some tackle to the stomach, which was hoisted on deck. the sailors were startled by spasmodic signs of life, and inside was found the missing sailor, doubled up and unconscious. He was laid on the deck and treated to a bath of sea-water which soon revived him; but his mind was not clear, and he was placed in the captain’s quarters, where he remained two weeks a raving lunatic. He was kindly and carefully treated by the captain, and by the officers of the ship, and gradually gained possession of his senses. At the end of the third week he had entirely recovered from the shock, and resumed his duties.

During his sojourn in the whale’s stomach, Bartley’s skin, where exposed to the action of the gastric juice underwent a striking change. His face, neck, and hands were bleached to a deadly whiteness, and took on the appearance of parchment. Bartley affirms that he would probably have lived inside his house of flesh until he starved, for he lost his senses through fright and not for lack of air. Barkley is also said to have explained that after being hurled into the sea, the waters foamed about him, evidently from the lashings of the whale’s tail. Then he was drawn along into darkness and found himself in a great place where the heat was intense. In the dark he felt around for an exit and found only slimy walls around him. Then the awful truth rushed into his mind, and he became unconscious till the sea-water bath revived him on the ship’s deck.”

“Now the LORD had prepared a great sea creature to swallow up Jonah.
And Jonah was in the belly of the sea creature three days and three nights.”
Jonah 1:17