Jonah

For excitement and drama, few Old Testament stories compare with the record of Jonah and the “whale.” Jonah’s survival in a fish’s belly is a source of amazement to young Sunday School scholars every time a teacher recounts the incident. Older readers shudder at the audacity of this prophet and his open opposition to God’s com­mand to, “go to Nineveh…and cry against it.” Jewish readers derive comfort from this short book and read it regularly on the day of atonement (Yom Kippor). They see the mercy that God granted to the Ninevites as a hopeful sign that they will receive God’s mercy at their latter end.

Jonah’s background

Although Jonah’s prophecy begins abruptly, from elsewhere in scripture we learn that Jonah prophesied in the days of Jeroboam II some 60 years be­fore the end of the northern kingdom (or about 780 B.C.). Jonah was the son of Amittai and lived at Gath­hepher which is thought to have been near Nazareth in Galilee (II Kg. 14:25).

If this location is correct, it raises some question about a statement made by the Pharisees: “Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet” (Jn. 7:52). It would be most fitting if the Pharisees discounted Jonah as a prophet since he was a wonderful type of the Lord Je­sus, whom the Pharisees also rejected.

The defiant prophet

The prophecy of Jonah is the ac­count of a defiant prophet of Israel who was sent by God to cry against the wicked people of Nineveh (capital of Assyria). Instead of obeying God’s call, he departed for Joppa and there boarded a ship bound for Tarshish. A tempest, sent by God, frustrated his escape and he was thrown overboard by the ship’s mariners, albeit against their will, to calm the sea.

After being swallowed by a great fish, Jonah remained in its belly three days during which time he prayed to God for his deliverance. In answer to his prayers, God commanded the fish to regurgitate Jonah upon the dry land. Whereupon, God again commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh.

The obedient prophet

This time, Jonah reached the great city and delivered God’s message. “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (3:4). The Ninevites then “turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them” (3:10).

This positive outcome angered Jonah, for he feared God would show mercy to these Gentiles if they should repent. As he waited outside the city to see what would happen, God provided Jonah with a plant for shade. Jonah was glad of the shade; but when it was removed, he was despondent. God then explained to Jonah His tender feelings for Nineveh. Unfortunately, the story ends abruptly and we are left wondering what eventually became of this unusual prophet.

Scripture authenticates the book

Because Jonah was swallowed by a “whale,” critics have labeled this book as a folk tale. Yet the Biblical evidence for its authenticity is exten­sive. Several times, the prophecy claims that the word of the Lord came to Jonah (1:1; 3:1,3; 4:4,9,10). An earlier prophecy of Jonah had evi­dently been fulfilled (H Kgs. 14:25) assuring his contemporaries that God spoke through him (Deut. 18:22). And Jesus took the events as being wholly literal. He refers to the historical fact of the repentance of the Ninevites and claims his own death and resurrection was foreshadowed by Jonah’s stay in the fish’s belly (Matt. 12:40-41).

Why did Jonah rebel?

Apparently Jonah’s opposition to God’s command did not reflect total rebellion against the God of Israel for he proudly proclaims to the mariners: “I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD” (Jonah 1:9). Furthermore, he was not afraid of the Assyrians for, af­ter God’s second command, Jonah bravely proclaims in Nineveh: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be over­thrown” (3:4). Jonah’s reluctance was evidently based on a fear that the Ninevites would repent. After they did so, he says, “I knew that thou art a gra­cious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repen­test thee of the evil” (4:2).

The Ninevites were a bloody people who were a real threat to Israel (Nah. 3:1). If they repented, Jonah no doubt believed the danger would in­crease and his nation would suffer. Being convinced his preaching to Nineveh would result in eventual harm to his people, he chose rather “to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD” (Jonah 1:3).

This is not possible, however, for as it is testified in the Psalms: “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Psa. 139:7-10). If Jonah had forgotten this scripture, he would soon learn its truth.

Jonah disappointed at Nineveh’s repentance

Unfortunately, Jonah’s rescue from the great fish seems to have had a bet­ter effect on the Ninevites than on Jonah. Although in his prayer he promises to be thankful (2:9), once the Ninevites repent, Jonah reverts to his old ways. His feelings are so strong, that he wishes to die: “O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” (4:3).

While he sits outside the city wait­ing for something to happen, God provides Jonah with a gourd to shade his head (4:5,6). Sheltered from the burn­ing sun, Jonah is grateful for the gourd and very upset when a worm causes it to whither (4:5-8).

This demonstration should have given Jonah a better appreciation of God’s desire to save the Ninevites. He was saddened at the loss of the gourd because it had given him momentary pleasure. He should have been able to equate his feelings for this gourd with God’s pleasure in seeing some respect for Yahweh among the Ninevites.

As we reflect upon this prophecy, we realize that, like the gourd, our life is brief. It is also our destiny to be consumed by a worm. God is still granting the Gentiles a little more time for repentance. Because of this, we have been blessed in our ability to associate with the Truth. Whatever time we still have, let us use it ever more wisely in His service. And let us sub­ject our personal preferences or comforts to fulfilling the will of our Lord.