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CHAPTER 32 – Jonah: Approx. 790 B.C.

Jonah is the thirty-second book of the Bible. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible is Yonah meaning “dove.” The English title comes to us from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate which has the title Jonas, “Jonah”.

Authorship

The prophet Jonah is the author of the book of Jonah. It was written no earlier than about 790 B.C.

Summary

The book opens with Jonah being commanded by God to go to the city of Nineveh and announce their doom because of their wickedness. In response, Jonah decides to flee to Tarshish from the presence of God. So, he boards a ship at Joppa whose destination is Tarshish.

A great storm comes upon the ship at sea and the sailors are afraid, so they cry unto their so-called gods. But Jonah is fast asleep in the ship. The sailors wake Jonah up and tell him to call upon his god. They then cast lots to see who on the ship has caused this trouble to come upon them and the lot falls upon Jonah.

The sailors then question Jonah, and Jonah tells them that he is a Hebrew (Jew), that his God made the sea and the dry land, and that he has fled from God. The sailors then ask Jonah what they should do to him so that the sea would become calm. Jonah tells them to cast him into the sea.

Nevertheless, the sailors row hard to bring the ship to land and they fail. Therefore, the sailors pray to God asking God not to charge them with Jonah’s innocent blood. They then cast Jonah into the sea and the sea becomes calm. In fear, the sailors offer a sacrifice to God and make vows to God.

God prepares a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah is in the fish’s belly three days and three nights. While in the fish’s belly, Jonah prays a prayer of repentance to God and God causes the fish to vomit out Jonah on dry land. God then commands Jonah a second time to go to Nineveh and preach to its people. This time Jonah obeys God and he goes to Nineveh.

Jonah preaches to the people of Nineveh of the city’s doom and the people believe God. So, the Ninevites repent and, therefore, God does not bring His judgments upon the Ninevites as He had intended.

However, Jonah is displeased and very angry. He prays to God saying that because he knew God would turn away from His judgments if the Ninevites repented he, Jonah, had fled to Tarshish. Jonah then asks God to take his life for it is better for him to die. God then asks Jonah if it is well for him to be angry and Jonah goes out of the city, makes himself a shelter, and waits to see what will happen to Nineveh.

God then causes a plant come up to shelter Jonah for which Jonah is exceedingly glad. The next morning, God prepares a worm and it damages the plant so that the plant withers. Therefore, when the sun rises and it beats upon Jonah’s head, he faints.

Jonah again wishes to die and God asks Jonah if he does well to be angry about the plant. Jonah says to God that he does well to be angry. Then God says to Jonah that Jonah has pity on the plant and should not He, God, spare Nineveh, a great city of more than 120,000 people that do not have discernment concerning good and evil and which has much cattle?

Themes

• A reluctant and disobedient prophet.
• The conversion of unbelievers to God.
• Miracles of God.
• The repentance of a nation.
• A prophet’s displeasure and anger at God’s mercy.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God who is willing to save non-Israelites (non-Jews).
• God who is merciful to unbelievers.
• God who is merciful to a reluctant and disobedient prophet.
• God who gives sinners opportunities to repent.
• God who turns away His punishment from those who repent.
• God who deals patiently with people.
• God who does miracles.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

The prophet Jonah’s ministry was in about 790 B.C., 45 years before the start of the prophet Isaiah’s ministry. At least one of his prophecies was fulfilled. For “he [Jeroboam II] restored the coast [boundary] of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake [spoke] by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher [in Israel].” 2 Kings 14:25.

When God called Jonah to preach to the city of Nineveh, Jonah’s mind was, “Whither [where] shall I go from thy [God’s Holy] spirit? or whither [where] shall I flee from thy [God’s] presence?” Psalm 139:7. But God says, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I [God] shall not see him? saith the LORD [God]. Do not I [God] fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD [God].” Jeremiah 23:24.

As a result of Jonah’s attempt to flee from God, “Jonas [Jonah] was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly.” Matthew 12:40. Now when God calls us to ministry, “if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation [a stewardship] of the gospel [God’s plan of saving humanity from eternal death (annihilation by God )] is committed unto me.” 1 Corinthians 9:17.

For God says, “At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.” Jeremiah 18:7, 8.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Titus 2:11. “Of a truth…God is no respecter of persons [does not indulge in favouritism].” Acts 10:34. “God…[has] to the Gentiles [non-Jews] granted repentance unto [eternal] life.” Acts 11:18.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Do not be reluctant or disobedient to do God’s will.
• Believe in God’s miraculous power.
• Do not be displeased or angry at God’s mercy towards others.
• Believe that it is possible for an entire nation to repent.
• Know that God is willing to save every human being.
• Do not delay to repent of your sins.
• Know that God deals patiently with every human being.

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