Jonah

Jonah

Historical Background and Purpose

The book of Jonah demonstrates God's love for all people - not just the people of Israel.  In this book, God commands His prophet, Jonah (son of Amittai), to "Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh.  Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are" (Jonah 1:1-2).  However, Jonah "got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD. . . [Jonah was] hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish" (see Jonah 1:3).  Why did Jonah head in the opposite direction toward Tarshish rather than toward Nineveh as the LORD directed?  It is historically significant to point out the fact that Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrians at this time.  The Assyrians had been attacking and conquering various kingdoms and they were now threatening to attack and conquer the northern kingdom of Israel as well.  In the process, the Assyrians had earned a reputation for being evil and wicked, violent and cruel.  Jonah knew that the Assyrians were evil and wicked and he wanted them to be destroyed.  However, Jonah also knew that God is a "compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love" and is "eager to turn back from destroying people" (see Jonah 4:1-3).  Jonah understood that God would not destroy the Assyrians if they truly repented.  Further, Jonah understood that the Assyrians would not truly repent if he did not obey the LORD and warn them of God's impending judgment upon them.  The book of Jonah demonstrates that God loves all people - not just the people of Israel.  God desires every person to know the Good News of salvation.  God desires everyone to know Him.

Character and Nature of God

The book of Jonah demonstrates that God loves all people and God desires every person to know the Good News of His salvation.  In this book, God commanded His prophet, Jonah, to go to the city of Nineveh and tell the wicked people living there of His impending judgment upon them (see Jonah 1:1-2).  God knew that they would repent and they did so; therefore, God “did not carry out the destruction he had threatened” (see Jonah 3:10).  This action by God demonstrates that Jonah was correct in saying that God is merciful, compassionate, slow to get angry, filled with unfailing love, and eager to turn back from destroying people (see Jonah 4:2-3).  This action demonstrates that God loves all people.  God loves His chosen people, the Israelites; however, God also loves the people of Nineveh.  God loves all people from all nations. 

God’s Redemptive Plan for Mankind

God is love and God loves all people.  God desires all people to know Him and to love Him.  God desires all people to come to a saving knowledge of Him.  God wants all people to know the Good News of salvation.  God wants all people to know that God and God alone can save them and God desires to save them.  Further, God wants people to know that they cannot save themselves.  God is all knowing.  God is all powerful.  God knows the hearts and minds of each and every person on earth.  God also knows how to reach people.  For example, God knew how to reach the wicked people of Nineveh.  God knew that if he sent His prophet, Jonah, to warn them of their impending judgment, the people of Nineveh would repent; therefore, God sent His prophet, Jonah, to warn the people the people of Nineveh with this message, “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” (Jonah 3:4).  In response, the king of Nineveh and his people repented (see Jonah 3:6-9).  God saw how they stopped their evil ways and did not carry out the destruction He had threatened (see Jonah 3:10).  God knew how to reach the sailors.  The sailors were in the midst of a terrible storm and cried out to their gods for help; however, their gods were not able to save them.  The sailors learned from Jonah that he worshiped “the LORD, the God of heavens, who made the sea and the land” (see Jonah 1:9) and he was the one at fault for the terrible storm that was threatening their lives.  The sailors then asked Jonah what they needed to do in order to stop the storm.  Jonah told them that they simply needed to throw him into the sea.  Initially, the sailors “rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it.  Then they cried out to the LORD, Jonah’s God” (see Jonah 1:13-14).  The sailors then did what Jonah had told them to do and picked up Jonah and “threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the LORD’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him” (see Jonah 1:15-16).  God also knew how to reach Jonah.  God commanded Jonah to warn the wicked people of Nineveh of His impending judgment.  When Jonah disobeyed, God arranged it so that Jonah would be in the midst of a terrible storm and thrown overboard into the raging sea.  Further, God arranged Jonah to be swallowed up by a great fish for three days and three nights (see Jonah 1:17).  God knew how to get Jonah’s attention!  Jonah 2:1-9 then records Jonah’s prayer from within the fish.  Once Jonah’s heart had returned to a right place with God then the LORD ordered the fish to spit out Jonah onto the beach (see Jonah 2:10).  Once again, the LORD commanded Jonah to go and warn the people of Nineveh.  This time, Jonah obeyed! God knew how to reach the people of Nineveh.  God knew how to reach the sailors.  God knew how to reach Jonah.  God knows how to reach people.  God desires all people to know that God and God alone can save them.  God wants all people to know that they cannot possibly save themselves.  God wants to save all people so that they can be with Him forever.  God is love and God loves all people.  God wants all people to know that God loves them and God wants all people to know Him and to love Him in return.  God wants all people to be in an intimate love relationship with Him - both now and forevermore!

Personal Application

As I was reading and re-reading the book of Jonah, I became increasingly aware of just how much God loves people.  God loved Jonah.  God loved the sailors.  God loved the people of Nineveh.  God loves everyone.  Not only does God love everyone, God will go to extraordinary lengths to demonstrate His great love for them.  As I reflect upon my own life, I more clearly recognize that God has gone to extraordinary lengths to demonstrate His great love for me.  As a son of God, I recognize that I am to be like my Father.  My Father has gone to extraordinary lengths to demonstrate His great love for me.  In response, my desire is to go to extraordinary lengths to demonstrate my great love for Him as well. Additionally, our Father demonstrates His great love to all people.  As believers, we are His sons and His daughters.  We are to be like our Father.  Our Father loves all people.  We are to love all people.  Our Father, help us love you and love others as you love us and love others.  Help us be more like you.

Point of Passion

My point of passion is to know God and to make God known – especially to teenagers and young adults.  As I was studying the book of Jonah, I became increasingly aware of God’s great love for people – all people.  I became increasingly aware of God’s great love for me.  My desire is to love God more fully and to love others more fully as well.  May my words and my actions clearly communicate to God and to others that I love them!