Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. Maybe, just maybe, God would change His mind and destroy the city. The arks lid was called the mercy seat (Exodus 25.17-22; cf. Because He remembered Hannah, He remembered the Israelites. He did not provide sunlight for it. 10God prepared () a fish (Jonah 1.17), a gourd (Jonah 4.6), a worm (Jonah 4.7), and a violent east wind (Jonah 4.8). Like Jonah, though, many line up to pay the price and take the long, painful journey deeper into defiance and sin. It turns out that for wicked bad guys, the Ninevites are awfully good at repentance. Throughout the story, Jonah uses the Socratic method . While all these storms (which he caused) are raging, Jonah is asleep. 1 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying,2Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. In sure you have touched a lot of lives.. Keep doing what youre doing. What are your thoughts on this? Don, You provided great insight into the book of Jonah. Required fields are marked *. In other words, man rolls dice but God makes the spots come up. If only we had the faith of Jonah, evangelism might leap forward into warp drive. In response to Jonahs flight, God hurled () a storm onto the sea. With in-depth features, Expatica brings the international community closer together. Do you have good reason to be angry (Jonah 4.4)? Verse 7 - Finding the storm still violent, the crew come to the conclusion that it is sent by Heaven in punishment of some crime committed by one on board; and they proceed to cast lots to discover the guilty person. He belonged to the tribe of Zebulon and ministered during the reign of King Jeroboam II (c.786746 BC). The passage reveals Jonahs thinking and motivation in fleeing God. I am not sure if I've ever heard the prophet Jonah held up as a model of faith, but that might warrant a second look. he could not see beyond his fear of the Assyrians. Instead of fear, I thought a more appropriate word would be hatred. Water, whale, withering wind: Jonah wished to die (Jonah 4.8 cf. He expected to die. In this case, He commissioned Jonah to address the evil of the Ninevites. He is the God of the second chance. Suggestions for Teaching Be attentive to students' behavior and respond appropriately 1The etymology of the name is literally wine-press of the digging and is mentioned in Joshua 19.13 and 2 Kings 14.25. Delirium-Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep. Jesus used the word to refer to the sea creature which swallowed Jonah (Matthew 12.40). He then asked the laborers if he did not have the right to do what he wanted with his own money. Solomon wrote, the lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD (Proverbs 16.33). Perhaps because he cannot see a way out of this hole of wrongdoing, and perhaps because he would probably die anyway, Jonah tells the crew that their only option is to throw him overboard an act that will supposedly appease God and save the ship from the storm. God pursues each of us to restore our broken relationship with Him (Genesis 3.8-10). Often the last one to know or admit the damage he does is the sinner himself. 3 Albert Einstein said,God does not play dice with the universe. He hated the notion of a universe governed by probability, a fundamental concept of quantum theory. It is of course the children who suffer the most pain and injustice as a result of so much bad adult behavior. Many people today talk about victimless sins,actions that supposedly dont hurt anyone. In the 20th century, we often like to doctor up the word of God. He proclaimed the message that God gave him, " Yet forty days, and Nineveh will be overthrown!" (3:4). I have a question on your comment above: If Jonah did die, he was resuscitated, not resurrected. Waves roiled the ship, smashing into its sides and onto the deck. For the most part, Gentile salvation is rare. The king hoped for survival. God revealed His mercy not only by His words and actions but in the architecture of the Tabernacle. Jonah. If I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I descend into hell, thou art present. Finding him asleep, the flummoxed captain said: How is it that you are sleeping? They now knew they were dealing not with nature alone but with supernature. But Sennacheribs entire army would have been much larger.8. Their gods had failed. Jonah instinctively knows that if they repent of their sinfulness they will grow stronger. I cant explain how, but it brought everything into perspective. He slept in the ships hold. The men decide to draw lots to see who is responsible for the storm and the lot falls on Jonah. villains of the ancient world whose sins are so terrible they merit destruction. Thanks again for sharing your study and research with us. His words revealed his change of attitude: That which I have vowed I will pay. God commanded Jonah to travel northeast to Nineveh. However, God has declared, vengeance is mine; I will repay (Romans 12.19; 1 Corinthians 4.5). Charles Pope. In the belly of the fish, Jonah finally descends as far as possible and hits (literal) rock bottom the bottom of the sea. In other words, get back in touch with God, from whom youre running. Each response was internal (were afraid, believed), spoken (cried to god, proclaimed a fast), and active (cast wares, put on sackcloth). Turn back to God lest we all perish. Nineveh is the capital of Syria, the mortal enemy of Israel. Many people today talk about victimless sins,. God is sovereign. 2 I called out of my distress to the Lord, and He answered me. The great majority of it. Want to get to know more amazing, complicated, and relatable biblical personalities? The cartoonish image of animals fasting and wearing sackcloth is meant to emphasize the totality of the citys repentance. The Lord was the first to be resurrected. In that event, Jesus had slept through the storm. But unlike other prophetic books, what follows is not an account of the divine words that Jonah received, but instead a story about Jonah who, it turns out, was a very reluctant, even recalcitrant prophet. God not only plays dice, His dice are loadedand invisible. 7 And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Phantom, Thank you. The Ninevites repented from wickedness to righteousness. The silo was located in a remote area, surrounded by large farms. Dignity-still the men rowed hard to regain the land, but they could not, for the sea grew ever more turbulent. Twelve years ago, they found out that their baby boy, Jonah, was diagnosed with a fatal rare disease, Sanfilippo Syndrome. Jonah 4:7-11. By Msgr. Jonahs prayer was bitter: I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. I knew it. This revelation terrified the men even more. Reading: Jonah 14. The Ninevites werepagan, idolatrous Gentiles. Jonah was a typical Jew who wished to have no dealings with Gentiles. , 1 Samuel 14:38,39 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day. 5This raises interesting questions about the nature of reality. In the end, they DID finally turn to God in repentance. John, God set aside the Gentiles in terms of His direct contact and blessing. This is why He gave the order of ministry in Acts 1.8. Of all the prophets, Jonah is perhaps the most reluctant; his struggle with sin is not hidden. The book of Nahum prophesied and described its doom. Its another classic example of archaeology confirming the Biblical record. 6When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes (Jonah 3.5-6). They recognized Gods sovereignty: You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased. When Jonah hit the water, the storm ceased. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol;You heard my voice. Theres an irony here that cant be seen in the English. The lot fell upon Jonah. "Pol minume miror, navis si fracta est tibi,Scelus te et sceleste parta quae vexit bona.". He is good and acts accordingly. Fresco of Jonah being thrown into the sea - Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome. It is a luscious, heartfelt piece depicting the repentance of the Ninevites. If we had Jonah's faith, our evangelistic efforts might be multiplied exponentially. VII. 2. Disturbance-The LORD, however, hurled a violent wind upon the sea, and in the furious tempest that arose the ship was on the point of breaking up. Do not let them eat or drink water. Jonah hated this idea because Nineveh was one of Israel's greatest enemies and Jonah wanted nothing to do with preaching to them! Its a pretty bad day for a prophet when those whom he is supposed to address, must turn and call, First there comes the pointed question, What are you doing asleep?. God is aware of all man does. In those contexts, it strongly seemed as though God initially forgot.. Or were these just wrong use of language by the prophets or wrong presentation by the prophets because of their weak and limited understanding of God probably as a result of their spiritually dead nature. The Book of Jonah is read in synagogue on the afternoon of Yom Kippur. He did not plant, water, or fertilize it. All things are His. God bless you. VIII. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold. The sailors wanted to return to land butJonah didnt.5. Jonah was called to preach the word of warning to the city of Nineveh, but he ran in the opposite direction. He said, , nto Your holy temple (Jonah 2.7). When Jesus prayed on Thursday night that the cup of his suffering be removed from him in such earnestness that he bled, perhaps that degree of intercession had him in the heart of the earth, to some degree. I learned a lot. All Rights Reserved, Full Text (in English) of the Book of Jonah. First there comes the pointed question, What are you doing asleep?Yes, what are you doing? May Bob Pierece's prayer also be ours: "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God." Sometimes, to get a mans attention, God creates havoc. Jonah said to them, Pick me up and throw me into the sea, that it may quiet down for you; since I know it is because of me that this violent storm has come upon you.. Jonah 1:14-16witnesses that only reluctantly did the sailors cast Jonah overboard, as he had commanded them to do. The city walls did not encircle this entire areaas archaeology has discovered. 2The book of Jonah has received numerous accolades for it literary artistry. Even his forced timeout in the belly of the fish does not affect true repentance. Jonah has been able to grasp the situations they have been in all show but can't seem to grasp that Ben was putting the whole family/operation at risk and Wendy had to chose between him or everyone and everything else. To defy means to resist what one is told to do, openly and boldly. The simplicity of holiness is often far less onerous. The Bible is replete with examples. God was gracious and Jonah peevish. But he gives no response, risking the lives of everyone onboard. Our present age, the Church age, which has lasted for nearly 2,000 years since the Apostle Paul, exemplifies this fact. From what people are you? 9He said to them, I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land (Jonah 1.7-9). This was a large army, even by modern standards. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. Their change of heart is immediate and totalfrom the king on all the way down to the animals who fast and don sackcloth and ashes (signs of mourning and repentance) right alongside their human masters. The owner replied he had done no wrong. The earth with its bars was around me forever, but You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. "Little I wonder if the ship is wreckedWhich carries thee and thy ill-gotten wealth." It is too easy for us to wish to destroy those who have harmed us, returning crime for crime, sin for sin. They question Jonah more closely and though Jonahs responses are minimal and cagey, eventually the sailors are able to pull from him the whole story of how he has run away from a divine directive. Throughout the telling, Jonahs disobedience and iniquity is highlighted by repeated use of the verb down. Rather than follow Gods instruction, Jonah goes down to the port city of Jaffa, then down onto the ship on the way to Tarshish, then down to a lower deck. Tell us, they said, what is your business? May God have mercy on your soul. Even in the sad situation in which we can do little but prevent people from ever harming others, we ought to appreciate their need for Gods mercy as well as our own. His case is never resolved. What is your occupation? If Jonah did die, he was resuscitated, not resurrected. How much of our trouble comes from our sin? The word means fish but the scope of meaning of is unclear. Its always a longer journey when you disobey God. at least not as the first recourse. Hmm, now why does this description seem so familiar? Every crew member was praying to his god for deliverance. I. Defiance-This is the word of the LORD that came to Jonah, son of Amittai: Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and preach against it; their wickedness has come up before me. But Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the LORD. Jonah 1.12, 4.3, 9). Jonah pouted. He created a storm to ensure the ship never reached Tarshish and arraigned a great fish to swallow him. Wake up from your delusions. Jonah's prayer is a masterpiece of heartfelt emotion and reaching out to God for mercy and forgiveness. But Jonah received more than a mere mention. Literal vs. Figurative Interpretation of City Size, Faith vs. Works in James: Resolving the Problem, But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the. In order to avoid going 500 miles into Gods will, Jonah runs some 1500 miles away. Does God repent? 11Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals (Jonah 4.10-11). I do not deserve to live.This is not repentance; it is despair. And God, of course accepted them. And if swallowed, revive him? We run from Godjust as our first parents did in the garden (Genesis 3.8-10). On account of selfishness and sexual misbehavior, many families have been torn apart. Resurrection involves receipt of an immortal body that is not subject to death. Indeed, he never really repents, just continually runs from his mistakes even repeatedly prefers death over repentance. It is of course the children who suffer the most pain and injustice as a result of so much bad adult behavior. 601-604. Nineveh survived for another 150 years after it heeded Jonahs message. God sends a giant fish to swallow Jonah. This word is used for Gods hurling the storm, sailors tossing ballast from the ship, and Jonah being cast into the sea (Jonah 1.4, 5, 12, 15). Despite his sin, Jonah does not lose his dignity. Its a pretty bad day for a prophet when those whom he is supposed to address, must turn and call him to conversion. (Comp. Not so, Jonah. We are all runaways. It may be that he is trying to die again (first time by drowning, now by dehydration). . They were enemies! 3 For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me. Could it mean something other than burial? The book is divided into two sections: chapters 1 and 3 comprise one section and chapters 2 and 4 the other. This number is reasonable. 11While given star billing, the sea creature was a prop, not an essential player in the drama. Let us cast lots. Obviously, from their superstitious perspective, some god or gods are angry with somebody, and they are all suffering because of what this person has done. Jonah provided no details of the nature of their impending destruction but history records this was a period of Assyrian weakness. As our defiance deepens, the headwinds become ever stronger and the destructive forces ever more powerful. So easily they remain locked in self-deception and rationalizations, ignoring the damage they are inflicting upon others. Rob, Thanks as always for your helpful suggestions. Being a king, he understood authority and sovereignty (cf. The bottom line (if youll pardon the financial pun) is that sinful choices are usually very costly. And boats are wrecked; true men and thieves, HOR. The last thing Jonah imagined was that God would bring a great sea creature to swallow him! Jonah is now on his way to Nineveh, and the word of the Lord has come to him a second time. 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