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Introduction
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1) |
Historical Background of Israel When Jonah Prophesied: |
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a) |
Jonah prophesied concerning Israel, and while I cannot be sure
of when he prophesied, his prophecy about the restoring of the
boundaries of Israel was accomplished during the reign of
Jeroboam, the son of Joash (2 Kgs. 14:25). It was also during
Jeroboam’s reign that Hosea and Amos prophesied (Hos. 1:1; Amos
1:1). I can find no specific scripture as to whether they were
contemporaries with Jonah. |
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b) |
Evidently Jonah ministered prior to the reign of Jeroboam or
during it. Those early days of Jeroboam were days of bitter
affliction and weakness in Israel. Their land had been
conquered by Assyria. In those dark days the ministry of Jonah
seems to be that of encouragement (2 Kgs. 14:25). |
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2) |
Interrelationship with other prophets. |
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a) |
Being as accurate as
possible,
with Biblical dating Jonah’s ministry to Nineveh was
approximately one hundred years before the prophecy of Obadiah.
Both deal with the same people who, despite the revival at this
time, ultimately became depraved as ever again. |
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b) |
He was the first Hebrew prophet/missionary who was sent to a
heathen nation. (Jon. 1:2) |
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c) |
Jonah and Nahum present balancing truths. Both were taken up
with Nineveh but Jonah deals with the mercy of God and the
spiritual revival of the people, whereas Nahum deals with the
justice of God. |
Author
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a) |
Jonah came from Galilee. This shows the very distinct
exaggeration of the Pharisees when they said: “Search, and
look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet” (Jn. 7:52), for
they knew Jonah was a Galilean. Galilee was a despised place,
perhaps that which we would call a slum area, and in amazement
the question was asked: “Shall Christ come out of Galilee?” (Jn.
7:41) |
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b) |
In the scriptures Jonah is given two names, Jonah (Jon. 1:1) and
Jonas (Matt. 12:39), both which mean "a dove". Jonah, the son
of Amittai, was from the town of Gath-hepher in Zebulun in
Galilee (2 Kgs. 14:25). Apart from the scriptures and according
to Jewish tradition, Jonah was the son of the widow of Zarephath
whom Elijah raised from the dead (1 Kgs. 17:17-24); he was the
servant who went with Elijah when he fled from Jezebel (1 Kgs.
19:3); and he was the young man who was sent to anoint Jehu by
Elisha (2 Kgs. 9:1-10). Whither these things are true or not we
cannot tell, and had they been important the Lord would have
told us of them in the scriptures. |
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c) |
Being a prophet who prophesied of the prosperity of Israel, for
him to go to Nineveh was a very hard task. He disobeyed God!
Why? Was he a coward, a bigot? |
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i) |
It would be easy to say it was because he was a coward, but
whatever else he was, he was not a coward! I wonder how many
today would go into the middle of London, Los Angeles, Auckland,
etc., and stand alone and preach the gospel? This man did not
care what others thought of him. He knew the command of God. |
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ii) |
He was a man who knew Isaiah had prophesied that Assyria would
come and destroy Israel. I wonder how many would go to a people
to warn them to repent or the judgement of God would fall if
there was the knowledge that these same people would soon come
to destroy his own people? |
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iii) |
Jonah was a man who was aware of the wickedness of the
Assyrians. They were feared due to their brutality. They
skinned people alive and had a pyramid of sculls outside the
city. Jonah saw them as a people who deserved God’s punishment.
Surely
righteousness demanded they be punished, yet God was sending him
to preach repentance to them! This was going against everything
that seemed right and just. |
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iv) |
Furthermore, going to preach salvation to them would be viewed
as a traitor by his own people whom he loved. By going to the
Assyrians it was as if he was turning his back on his people in
supporting the ultimate enemy. |
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v) |
He himself gives us one
reason why he disobeyed. He knew the character of God. Read
again his words: “Was not this my saying, when I was yet in my
country? Therefore I fled into Tarshish: for I knew that Thou
art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great
kindness, and repentest thee of the evil” (ch. 4:2). He knew
that if the people repented God would be gracious. |
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vi) |
I can understand Jonah getting angry but who did he get angry at
(ch. 4:5)? He got angry at the God who in grace was sparing
these people who were enemies of Israel. Thus, despite being a
prophet of God, this man very naturally failed to recognise the
fulness of divine love, and had no interest in the spiritual
welfare of the people. To him the justice of God should have
cancelled out the love of God and not spare such an evil
depraved people even if 120,000 could not discern between their
right hand or left (ch. 4:11). |
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d) |
There can be no doubt that Jonah was a real historical figure
and his experience with the great fish was not a myth or
parable. The Lord would never have used a myth or hypothetical
figure to give evidence of His own experience. (Jon. 1:17 with
Matt. 12:39-40; Lk. 11:29) |
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e) |
Israel was never meant to be an isolated community. They were
to be separate from the heathen but not isolated. They were to
be a “light to the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:6). Paul uses the same
scripture and applies it to himself (Acts 13:47). God will seek
to manifest His presence, power, and grace to the whosoever
will. He did it to the Egyptians through Moses (Ex. 4:2, 8:8);
the Babylonians throughout Daniel and the three Hebrew servants
(Dan. chs. 2, 3, 4, 5); the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39); and
Cornelius (Acts 10:2; 25-48). |
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f) |
It is only from Jonah’s experience that we know the Lord was in
the earth three days and nights (Matt.12:40). |
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g) |
God calls Jonah. Some times we are told what God said to the
individual, but we are very seldom told how they knew it was God
calling. We are told about God’s calling to Abram (Gen. 12:1);
Moses (Ex. 3:10); Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:1 - 2:1); Jeremiah (Jer.
1:2-3). God deals with us as individuals as is seen in our
conversion. I expect that
most of us have heard possibly hundreds of conversions, yet not
one is the same because God treats each as an individual. |
Key Verse
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a) |
In my understanding there are several key verses: |
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i) |
“They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But
I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I
will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord” (ch.
2:8–9). |
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ii) |
“I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in
my country? Therefore I fled unto Tarshish: for I knew that
Thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of
great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil” (ch. 4:2). |
Key Words
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Words |
No. of References |
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Believed God |
1 |
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Sackcloth |
3 |
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Repent |
3 |
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Great |
9 |
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The word “great” is used in the following connections: |
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a) |
“That great city” (ch. 1:2; 3:2, 3) |
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b) |
“A great wind” (ch. 1:4) |
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c) |
“This great tempest” (ch. 1:12) |
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d) |
“A great fish” (ch. 1:17) |
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e) |
“Great kindness” (ch. 4:2) |
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As well as those listed above,
certain words in Hebrew also have “great” associated with them: |
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“exceedingly afraid (Heb. “with great fear” ch. 1:10) |
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b) |
“nobles” (Heb. “great man” ch. 3:7) |
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c) |
“exceeding glad” (Heb. “great joy” ch. 4:6) |
Key Concepts
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We must never think that God can be halted in His method of
functioning and need a “Plan B”, for “Known unto God are all His
works” (Acts 15:18). God has ways to bring the most
disobedient, unwilling individual back to the place of glad
obedience. There are several lessons for our encouragement in
this situation: |
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a) |
Even when we are disobedient to God He still cares for us. When
the children of Israel were idol worshippers in Egypt (Ezek.
20:5-8) He still cared for them. When there was opportunity to
go back to Israel many stayed in Babylon under the Medo-persian
Empire, and when their lives were in danger Esther was in the
Palace to supplicate for them (Est. 7:1-6). One of the most
difficult things to do when we are away from God is to see
calamities for what they are, which is
God speaking to us. They are not just random acts of “that's
the way things happen”. |
Aspects of God
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Jonah may have had a distorted concept of God, thinking that God
was selective in His love and care. I thank God that He “will
have all men to be saved” (1 Tim. 2:4). The scripture still
stands true: “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked”
(Ezek. 33:11). Nineveh was a wicked city (Jon. 1:2; 3:8). Such
is the tender love of God that He sent His messenger with the
message of salvation. Sadly Jonah had no heart for the unsaved
of Nineveh. Despite being a prophet and knowing about God and
speaking for God, Jonah knew little of the grace, mercy, and
love of God. What a lesson for each of us. |
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b) |
God is ever seeking to teach His people lessons. He provided
the great fish for Jonah for his preservation. Jonah learnt
that God was the master, not only of the seas, but of the
creatures that live in it.
This
was a lesson Peter learnt when He cast in a line and caught the
fish with the coin in its mouth (Matt. 17:27). God also
prepared a gourd, but this was
for
to teach Jonah that his priorities were wrong (ch. 4:9-11). |
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c) |
The sailors acknowledged that this was no ordinary storm. It
was one sent by the God of the Universe. God is the Master of
the sea. |
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i) |
It is He who determines their extent (Psa. 8:29) |
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ii) |
He is their source (Neh. 9:6); and determines their duration
(Rev. 21:1) |
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iii) |
They are under His feet (Job 9:8) |
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iv) |
And He rules over them (Psa. 89:9) |
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Satan can also use the wind and the seas (Lk. 8:24) for had it
come from God, He never would have rebuked it. |
Notes
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1) |
The book of Jonah has a number of doublets which are set in
contrast to each other: |
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a) |
There are two repentings. |
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The first is the repentance of an individual, Jonah (ch. 2:3-9) |
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ii) |
The second is that of a people (ch. 3:5-10). |
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b) |
Twice over Jonah wants to die. |
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i) |
In ch. 4:3 he wants to die because he is not pleased with that
which the grace of God has done |
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ii) |
In ch. 4:8 he is not pleased with the goodness of God’s ways
toward him. |
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The man was thinking of himself and immediate comfort and wanted
God to be gracious to him and save him from the heat of the
sun. He was not happy with God’s gracious dealings in giving
the people salvation. |
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c) |
There are two recognitions of the Godhood of God by pagans (ch.
1:14, 16; 3:5-9) |
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The first was by the supernatural change in nature |
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The second by the simplicity of the message and sincerity of the
preacher. The preacher had experienced the reality of divine
judgment and therefore with earnestness would warn others of its
reality. |
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d) |
The wind is twice mentioned (ch. 1:4; 4:8) |
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i) |
While both were acts of divine judgment, the first was used to
teach the unsaved about the true God (ch. 1:14, 16) |
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ii) |
The second was to teach Jonah lessons about himself (ch.
4:9-11) |
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e) |
Jonah was called twice by God (ch. 1:2; 3:2) |
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i) |
The first call resulted in his disobedience and a hard lesson
for himself, but God kindly used it to bring pagans to the
knowledge of Himself. |
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ii) |
With the second call Jonah obeyed and it brought pagans to
repentance toward God and a hard lesson for Jonah which showed
his error in priorities. |
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f) |
God prepared two things for Jonah (ch. 1:17; 4:6) |
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In the first case it was to convict Jonah that his service was
not yet done. |
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ii) |
In the second it was to convict Jonah of his wrong attitude and
priorities. |
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2) |
Jonah became a shadow of the Lord in death and resurrection. |
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a) |
Did Jonah actually die? Many are the teachers of the scriptures
which side one way or the other on this matter. With either
teaching there are several problems which are not easy to
answer. If Jonah died, is there the indication here that there
is
a place for prayer beyond the grave? Does this bring into
question the parable of the rich man (Lk. 16:24) and whither it
is a parable or a real situation? If Jonah did not die then in
what way would he be a fitting type of the Lord in
resurrection? Such questions are beyond the scope of this paper
but certainly matters to consider in due time. |
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b) |
His coming out of the fish certainly prefigures resurrection.
When Paul wrote concerning the Lord: “He rose again the third
day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:4), I am sure he had
several shadows and prototypes of the Old Testament in view, as
well as plain scriptures. Among those Old Testament pictures
are the figurative resurrection of: |
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Isaac (Heb. 11:19) |
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Jonah (Jon. 3:10) |
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The live bird (Lev. 14:7) |
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And the man whose body touched the bones of Elisha (2 Kgs.
13:21) |
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c) |
The resurrection of Jonah also has a prophetic perspective as
regards to Israel. The words of Hosea ring out: “After two days
will he revive us: in the third day He will raise us up” (Hos.
6:2). In the present dispensation Israel is viewed as being
dead, but there is a future for Israel and God will raise them
to be “the head, and not the tail” (Deut. 28:13); then as the
valley of dry bones and the sticks, Israel and Judah shall be
reunited and live (Ezek. 37:1-14; Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2). |
Suggested Structure
It is evident that the book is in two distinct sections each beginning
with a commission from God (ch. 1:1-2; 3:1-2). The first section ends
with amoral creation responding to the dictates of God (ch. 2:10), and
the second ending with moral man responding to the dictates of God (ch.
3:4).
Putting it in table form:
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Section 1 |
Section 2 |
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chs. 1:1 - 2:10 |
chs. 3:1 - 4:11 |
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First commission |
Second commission |
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Jonah’s disobedience |
Jonah’s obedience |
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God’s executed judgment on Jonah
blended with mercy |
God’s pronounced judgment on Nineveh blended with mercy |
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Prayer of Jonah for mercy |
Prayer of Jonah for death |
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Have mercy on me by deliverance |
I do not want you to have mercy on them |
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Ch. 1
“I don’t want to go” |
Ch. 2
“I will go” |
Ch. 3
“I’m here” |
Ch. 4
“I did not want to come” |
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Practical
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1) |
Every geographical journey either takes us further in fellowship
with the Lord or from the presence of the Lord. |
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a) |
Since God is everywhere, how can one flee from His presence? |
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i) |
Adam and Eve tried to hide from “the presence of the Lord”
(Gen. 3:8) |
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ii) |
Cain went out from “the presence of the Lord” (Gen. 4:16) |
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iii) |
Satan went forth from “the presence of the Lord” (Job 1:12;
2:7) |
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Jonah is the only individual of whom it is said: “from the
presence of the Lord” three times (Jon. 1:3 (twice), 10). When
the Lord comes to the earth He will take vengeance on them that
know not God . . . and shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from “the presence of the Lord” (2 Thess. 1:8-9). |
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2) |
When God calls us to do a work, and if He has deemed that we do
it, if we fight He will come very heavily against us. He will
make us of our own volition, even if totally against our will,
to
do His bidding. |
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3) |
I wonder how Jonah preached? He had no heart for the people,
and that which caused the stirring was not the result of the
yearnings of his heart for the people. That which he did have
was a belief in the enablement of God to punish and the grace of
God in giving repentance. |
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4) |
When the Lord told Jonah to go and preach in Nineveh he went the
direct opposite. Nineveh is northeast whereas Tarshish is
west. I am sure that most of us can relate to this
characteristic for
has there not been times when the Lord has prompted us to
witness to an individual, and like Jonah, we found something
else convenient to do and failed to obey. Peter did the same
thing. |
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5) |
How can we run from “the presence of the Lord”? Cain went out
“from the presence of the Lord”. How? We can never hide from
God for He is omnipresent and omniscient. The Old Testament
teaches this clearly: “Whither
we go to heights or depths, east or west we cannot get away from
the presence of the Lord” (paraphrase Psa. 139:7-8). “The LORD
he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath” (Deut.
4:39). Can any hide himself in secret places, that I see him
not? Do not I fill the heaven and earth. (Jer. 23:24) |
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6) |
When in the great fish Jonah cries: “I am cast out of thy sight”
(ch. 2:4). It is a cry many a saint feels as a result of the
discipline of God because of disobedience. Life is ever so dark
and guilt lies heavy upon them. They know God forgives but it
is so hard to forgive themselves. I am sure Jonah must have
asked himself, “What was I thinking of when I tried to run away
from God?” Many a saint has asked the same question. |
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May God grant us good understanding as He, by His
Holy Spirit, deigns to guide us into all truth.
John 16:13
Rowan Jennings, Abbotsford,
British Columbia
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