313. JONAH THE PROPHET
"Salvation is of Yahweh"
Following the reign of Jehu, King of Israel, the throne was occupied by Jehoahaz, Jehoash (known also as Joash) and then Jeroboam II: During the reign of Jeroboam II the prophets Jonah, Hosea, Isaiah, and Amos prophesied to the nation. Jonah had noted the prosperity of the nation of Israel at a time when the Assyrian power was in decline. Though Israel was prospering politically and economically, Jonah had endeavoured to stem the tide of spiritual decay.
When instructed by Yahweh to preach repentance to the Assyrians, Jonah saw the inevitable result € that they would be used to bring retribution upon Israel, his beloved people. Motivated by what would have seemed the best of intentions, he sought to evade the command of Yahweh.
The aim of this lesson is to see that no man can thwart God's purpose and election: those who repent will receive mercy, but the rebellious will be destroyed.
Jonah
THE MAN JONAH (Jonah 1:1).
Jonah himself was of Gath-hepher, a small village in Galilee about five kilometres north-east of Nazareth. He was the son of Amittai (from "Emeth" meaning "truth"). His name, meaning "dove", suggests that he was the "dove of truth". He was one who showed great concern for the welfare of his brethren, a quality to be desired in a follower of God. In this, however, he became over-zealous and endeavoured to deflect God's righteous judgment from them.
JONAH STRIVES FOR NATIONAL REFORM (2 Kings 14:23-29).
The events of the book of Jonah occurred during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel (B.C. 799-759). The history of the times is recorded in 2 Kings 14:23-29. Israel had been reduced by affliction and God purposed to give them a final chance, that they might reform and turn again to Him. His purpose demanded that they should not be blot ted out (Mai. 3:6). So He raised up Jeroboam II, the son of Joash, but he refused the way of Yahweh spoken by Jonah, and instead chose the path of Jeroboam I, son of Nebat (v.24). Nevertheless Israel was saved from her enemies "by his hand" (vv.26-27), and during his long, powerful and stable reign the nation prospered and the borders were extended. Jonah had prophesied this (v.25). To the north the border was extended to the "entering of Hamath", Syria being invaded and Damascus recovered, while to the south Jeroboam conquered as far as "the sea of the plain", a possible reference to Edom (v.25; Deut. 3:17; 4:49).
JONAH'S COMMISSION (Jonah 1:2).
Whilst Israel was in a state of moral decline Jonah was commissioned to preach repentance to Nineveh, capital of the Assyrian Empire. He had to warn the people that the city would be overthrown within 40 days unless they repented.
JONAH FLEES FROM YAHWEH (Jonah 1:3-16).
Jonah realised that Assyria's decline stemmed from their sins and also that if they repented, they would recover and prosper. He feared that they would then threaten Israel's security.
Although Israel had forsaken God, the Assyrians were proud, superstitious and cruel. He could see no reason to promote the well-being of Assyria. So he tried to evade God's charge by fleeing to Joppa and taking a ship to Tarshish (v.3). Perhaps he imagined that if Nineveh's repentance could be deferred for 40 days it would be destroyed (3:4). He had not perceived that God's grace will be extended to all people and that no man has the right to limit His mercy (cp. Matt. 20:15). God desires men of all nations in His Kingdom (Gen. 12:1-3; Acts 10:28, 34-35). Jonah had to learn that God would have all men come to repentance, even though He had given Israel special privileges (1 Tim. 2:4).
When the ship set sail, Jonah went to sleep below. He must have been exhausted for he slept while a tremendous storm arose. The ship was in danger of breaking up (v.4). The sailors worked hard and threw overboard the ship's tackling to lighten it (v.5). Each implored his god for help. Finding Jonah still asleep, they woke him that he might also plead (v.6).
They suspected that one of their number was responsible for their plight. Lots were cast and Jonah was taken as the cause of the trouble (v.7). Questioned by them (v.8), he revealed that he was an Hebrew and worshipped "Yahweh, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land". As such He controlled the elements and could calm the sea (Psa. 65:7; 89:9; 107:25-30; Matt. 8:26). He told them that he had fled from Yahweh's presence. They asked him how the sea could be calmed (vv.9-10), and when he suggested that they cast him overboard, they were horrified. But Jonah perceived that the great tempest had been sent because of him and he was prepared to sacrifice his life for those on the ship. Moreover, he would thereby escape the obnoxious commission of bringing mercy through repentance to Israel's foes (4:3). Israel would be saved through his death.
They endeavoured to bring the ship under control with oars, but their task was hopeless (v.13). They concluded that the only means of salvation was through the death of Jonah, but did not want to be held accountable for his death (v.14). Compare them with Pilate, who desired to be innocent of the blood of Christ.
After Jonah had been cast into the sea, the storm abated (v.15), and the sailors were convinced of the power of Yahweh. They sacrificed to Him and vowed to serve Him.
JONAH'S LIFE PRESERVED (Jonah 1:17; 2).
Jonah was thrown into the raging sea. He quickly sank and the depths closed about him and weeds wrapped round his head. Reaching the bottom, he considered himself doomed to a watery grave, when an amazing thing happened. A great fish, specially prepared by God, swallowed him: He remained in its belly for three days and nights, until, at Yahweh's decree, the fish vomited him out upon dry land. Jonah 2:2-9 records his prayer of thanks for his deliverance from death. In his utter despair, "out of the belly of hell" (Heb. "sheol" = the grave), he cried to God and his voice was heard. Yahweh had become his salvation: "Thou hast brought up my life from corruption", he said. This death, burial and resurrection of Jonah was an enacted parable, for Jesus spoke of it as the "sign of the prophet Jonas". He said, "as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:40; Jonah 1:17).
JONAH PREACHES TO NINEVEH (Jonah 3).
Upon the dry land, Jonah was recommissioned by Yahweh, "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee" (vv.1-2). This time he obeyed and set out for the city of Nineveh, which was so great that it took three days journey to compass € perhaps 100 kilometres in circumference (v.3). Proceeding into the very heart of Nineveh he cried out: "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (v.4). He called upon them to turn from their wickedness and to serve Yahweh.
This plain, forthright message was just what the people required. It made such an impression upon them that the response was immediate and widespread, reaching from the common people to the King upon the throne. He published a decree calling for general repentance and repudia tion of evil and violence (vv.6-9). Seeing their repentant attitude, God turned from His purpose and spared Nineveh (v.10). This is His consistent manner of dealing with man (see Jer. 18:6-10). When man is prepared to repent of his evil ways, Divine mercy is available. Reject His mercy and judgment comes swiftly, as it did later upon Nineveh in the time of Nahum the prophet.
JONAH'S DISAPPOINTMENT (Jonah 4:1-3).
Jonah had conveyed God's message to Nineveh, but he was bitterly disappointed at the success of his preaching (v.1). His heart was really with Israel for whose reformation he had worked so hard. The humble repentance of Nineveh yielded God's mercy and forgiveness, but caused him to become angry. He remonstrated with Yahweh, saying that he would rather die than see Nineveh repent! This was why he had fled away in the first place, he said (v.2). He had feared that Yahweh would change His mind and not destroy Nineveh, Israel's enemy.
What a strange twist of prejudice we see in Jonah's mind. He could not conceive that God could ever have dealings with another nation. Israel in his eyes had exclusive right to God's mercy. He had to learn that Yahweh, "which hath made the sea and the dry land" (1:9), was the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews (Rom. 3:29).
JONAH LEARNS A LESSON € THE PARABLE OF THE GOURD (Jonah 4:4-11).
Yahweh replied to Jonah in a way which challenged his motives, "Doest thou well to be angry?" Jonah retired from the city, made himself a booth (a temporary dwelling such as Israel made of boughs during the feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:41-44), and waited to see the fate of Nineveh. God caused a large plant to grow up alongside Jonah which afforded him extra shade, and he was pleased to have it. But overnight the gourd was eaten by a worm. God was, in a wonderful way, preparing circumstances whereby Jonah would appreciate the folly of his prejudice as well as the greatness of Yahweh, as God of Jew and Gentile. On the next day the sun arose and God caused a vehement east wind to blow. Jonah mourned the loss of the protective gourd and wished that he was dead. Catching Jonah in an unrepentant mood, God again questioned him, "Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?" Jonah with hardened heart maintained his position: "I do well to be angry, even unto death". God's questions implied that he should adjust his thinking. He had brought repentance to the Ninevites, but he himself was unrepentant (cp. 1 Cor. 9:27).
The folly of his position is then brought out before him in the statement of God that concludes the book. "Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night and perished in a night: and should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?"
Jonah had more pity for a plant, because it afforded him pleasant shade, than for men. Man was the last creature made by God, the crown of His creation, made in His image and likeness. Jonah, in effect, was condemning God for saving man that He had made. The gourd, which Jonah had not laboured to make and which, unlike man, only lasted a short span, he would prefer to see spared. The lesson is obvious. God is the saviour of all men: He is not willing that any should perish, but that they should come to Him in REPENTANCE, as Nineveh did, and live (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9; Ezek. 18:23, 32).
THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAS (Matt. 12:38-41).
When the Pharisees demanded a proof that Jesus was Israel's Messiah he replied, "A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of the prophet JONAS". He proceeded to enumerate two ways in which Jonah was a sign.
(1) V.40. Jonah's 3 days and 3 nights in the great fish was a sign that he, too, would be in the heart of the earth for the same period.
(2) V.41. In this verse he contrasts the reception that the men of Nineveh gave to Jonah's message with the way in which he had been received.
The Ninevites had repented, but they were "an evil and adulterous generation" (v.39), and would at length crucify him. And the Jews in Jesus' day had every reason to repent, for they had already been given many signs, which in themselves proved that he was Messiah (Jn. 15:24). For these reasons they would be condemned by the Ninevites in the day of judgment.
It is interesting to compare Jonah with Jesus and Peter.
JESUS AND PETER
As a dove the Holy Spirit, the source of Truth, descended upon Jesus (Matt. 3:16; Jn. 16:13). Peter, or "Simon son of Jonas" (Jn. 21:15), was commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles from Joppa (Acts 10:5). He was prejudiced against the Gentiles (Gal. 2:12). The Gentiles repented (Acts 10:48). Jesus warned Israel and 40 years later (A.D. 70) judgment came. So did the Lord.
JONAH
1. Jonah (= Dove) Son of Amittai (= Truth)
2. Commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles, he left from Joppa. He was prejudiced against the Gentiles.
3. The Ninevites repented.
4. Jonah warned the Ninevites to repent within 40 days, or face judgment.
5. Jonah "died" and rose again after 3 days and nights.
LESSONS FOR US:
€ We cannot run away from our responsibilities to God and prosper.
€ It is foolish to think that we can change the will of God.
€ Jonah tried, but found out through bitter experience that "He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou?" (Dan. 4:35).
€ God has made man and will have all men come to repentance.
€ No man has the right to limit the extension of God's merciful hand.
€ We must preach the saving Word and not hide our lamps (Mk. 16:15-16).
REFERENCE LIBRARY:
"The Story of the Bible" (H.P. Mansfield) € Vol. 5, No. 8
"The Goodness and Severity of God" (H.P. Mansfield) € Pp.2-50.
PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:
1. How did Jonah try to thwart God's purpose?
2. What was wrong with Jonah's attitude towards the Ninevites?
3. Make a list of the miracles which took place in the story of Jonah.
ESSAY QUESTIONS:
1. Briefly outline the story of Jonah. What lessons can we learn from the life of Jonah? Jesus said to the men of his day: "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas". In what way was Jonah a "man of sign"?