It is a well known story for obvious reasons, not least of which are a disobedient prophet, an obedient fish and a wicked nation that starts out bad, yet ends up good. One way we do this is through tangible acts of love such as financial generosity, hospitality, sharing of resources and personal possessions, and advocacy on behalf of those in need. He is the central figure of the book of jonah, in which he is called upon by god to travel to nineveh and warn its residents of impending divine wrath. Although the book of jonah is not about world missions, the theme of gods mission to the world is definitely present in the book. He went down to the port of joppa and found a ship headed for tarshish. For one thing, it is a book artfully constructed, with one chapter devoted to a psalm. Jonah was a prophet in the land of israel about 800750 bc. Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary.
Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, why hast thou done this. Certainly, god desired jonah to proclaim a message to nineveh in the hopes that they would turn from their wicked ways. God does not desire that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance 1 tim 2. Jonah is commanded to go east to nineveh but flees toward the westernmost possible point 1.
It is a mistake to assume that events and actions of the book are. Jonah, whose name means dove, was chosen by god to take a very important message to the assyrian people. Go to the great city of nineveh and proclaim the message that i will give you. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. So he goes a safe distance outside of town and pulls up his lawn chair to watch the fireworks 4. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to tarshishas far away from god as he could get. By providing this link, the united states conference of catholic bishops assumes no responsibility for, nor does it necessarily endorse, the website, its content, or sponsoring. Dec 19, 2015 the lords final proclamation to jonah 4. The sailors pray to their gods, but jonah is asleep in the hold 1. Jonah was resurrected from the whale to pursue gods path that he had laid before him, which was to rebuke nineveh into repentance. To conclude that someone else wrote the book is difficult since the information about jobs experience in the fishs stomach and in chapter 4 requires firsthand knowledge.
Jonah and the whale amazing bible timeline with world. The book of jonah includes the famous story of the great fish often erroneously thought of as a whale has led many to dismiss this book as merely a biblical fish story. Set in the reign of jeroboam ii 786746 bc, it was probably written in the postexilic period, some time between the late 5th to early 4th century bc. Jonah or jonas, in the hebrew bible tanakhold testament, is a prophet of the northern kingdom of israel in about the 8th century bce. I knew it when i was back home, i knew this was going to happen. Jonah is the most widely known of the minor prophets, the last 12 books of the old testament. Jonah represents jesus as the resurrection and the life. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. The simple, expansive story of jonah thin difference.
Intro to jonah biblica the international bible society. By accepting this message, you will be leaving the website of the united states conference of catholic bishops. The book is about a prophet, some sailors and the inhabitants of the city of nineveh who. Its the first time in the book that jonah is happy. Jonah bible study outlinecontents by chapter and verse. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. Jonah, book of webbible encyclopedia christiananswers. Nineveh was an enormously large city a three days walk across. In view of its many similarities with the narratives about elijah and elisha, however, it may come from the same prophetic circles that originally composed.
Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of nineveh. The book of jonah introduction to the book of jonah in the bible. Mar 16, 2019 written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. Its a bit warm, even under his umbrella, so god sends a plant that grows up overnight to shade the pouting prophet. As he points out, the story of jonah is the only one in which the story is about the prophet. As jonah so jesus is the fine comparison made by our lord. He was the earliest of the prophets and close behind elisha in his place in the old testament. Holy bible, new living translation 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by tyndale house foundation. Theyre in a bad way and i cant ignore it any longer. Jonah started out and made his way into the city the distance of one days walk, and proclaimed. The book of jonah, written primarily in the third person, does not explicitly name the prophet as the author of his own account, but we have no reason to doubt either the inspiration or the historical veracity of the book. Jonah is the book of the bible which perhaps has been criticized more than any other. The lords compassion is not only for insiders like jonah and israel but also for outsiders like the ninevites.
Oct 23, 2016 sometime after the fish vomited jonah onto dry land, the word of the lord comes to him yet again, arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that i tell you. Jonah therefore is the only prophet of the ot revealing the grace of god towards the heathen. The author of the book is the prophet jonah who wrote his own autobiography. At this the men greatly feared the lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the lord and made vows to him. Though the book does not identify its author, tradition has ascribed it to the prophet himself, jonah son of amittai.
Jonah s experiences form the main contents and purpose of the book. The prophets preaching is a minimum message of destruction, while it is the king of nineveh who calls for repentance and conversion 3. The book of jonah is read by the orthodox jews on the great day of atonement yom kippur. He was the son of amittai from the town of gathhepher, about 3 miles ne from nazareth 2 kings 14. Jonahs story is told in the short just 48 verses but powerful book of jonah. Now he obeys and goes to nineveh, the capital of israels ancient enemy. Jonah 14 msg running away from god one day long bible. And jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. His word came in visions, oracles, dreams, parables, and the like. But the lord provided a great fish to swallow jonah, and jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. There is a book in the bible that bears his name and he.
God is free to bestow his mercy on anyone and anywhere he wills. The book of jonah is more than just a delightful story for children. This summary of the book of jonah provides information about the title, authors. Summary of the book of jonah the story of the bible. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. The book is replete with irony, wherein much of its humor lies. Jonah went at once to nineveh in accordance with the lords command.
It is one of trei asar the twelve prophets in the tanakh, and in christian tradition as oi dodeka prophetai or ton dodekapropheton, greek for the twelve prophets. During this time, an important event happened to israel. The book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who. It tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to prophesy the destruction of nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission. The book of jonah presents a beautiful type of the resurrection of christ from the dead. Full text in english of the book of jonah my jewish. The main message of the book of jonah is that our god is a loving god. The book is named after its principal character, whose name means dove. The book is about a prophet, some sailors and the inhabitants of the city of nineveh who are about to be destroyed because of their sin. Used by permission of tyndale house publishers, inc. Full text in english of the book of jonah my jewish learning. The global message of jonah for today the message of jonah is an urgent call for the global church to extend to others the compassion they themselves have received.
The purpose of this book is to show that god is a merciful and gracious god. Jan 02, 2020 jonah was the son of amittai, who came from gathhepher in zebulun called gittahhepher in joshua 19. Some explain that jonah is evidence that no one can escape the presence of god, even while trying to run from the almighty. Gods determination to get his message to the nations. It is an important book to both religious traditions christianity and jewish. Since jonah prophesied during the reign of jeroboam ii 782753 b. It concerns a disobedient prophet who rejected his divine commission, was cast overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and returned to his starting point. This link is provided solely for the users convenience. No writer in the bible tells such a bad story about himself. Jonah s displeasure at gods merciful decision, and the. It is a book that will reward careful reading and meditation. This is all part of my personal ministry and dedication to jesus. At the bottom of the sea9then jonah prayed to his god from the belly of the fish. This would give the assyrians time to respond to jonahs message, for a new generation or two to come along, who would decline spiritually, and become bad guys again and a threat to israel.
I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness. Jonah was the son of amittai, and he is a prophet who lived in israel in the 8th century b. But in the book of jonah, the focus is not so much on the. Though some modernists argue that the concept of a bodily resurrection of christ from the dead was unknown in old testament times, jesus demonstrated otherwise. Pastor tullian enlivens a short book in the bible with strength and context which delivers meaning for us today. The theme of jonah is gods saving mercy toward the nations of the world. In most of the prophetic books of the bible, the focus is the message of the prophet.
Jonah is identified as a prophet and servant of god during the reign of king jeroboam ii of israel 2 kings 14. Although the book is written in the third person, the traditional view is that jonah is the author of the book, and there is no persuasive reason to theorize about an unknown author. Apr 12, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Jonah is a perfect example of privileged hypocrisy and merciless pride. But jonah still holds to his hope that god will blast the city. A reluctant prophet, jonah originally ran from god before delivering a message of repentance to the nation of nineveh. The book of jonah is the fifth book in the christian canons and the jewish tanakh. The book of jonah is mostly remembered for its oddity. Others believe jonah is read on yom kippur with the hope that listeners would learn from jonah s mistakes. This is because the story is not very favourable towards jonah. Though the book does not identify its author, tradition has ascribed it to the prophet himself, jonah son of amittai, from gath hepher 2ki 14. Now the lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow jonah. Jonah was a picture of the death and resurrection of christ.
The prophetic significance of this book not only lies in the short message in nineveh but also in the entire history of jonah described in his book. When god had a message for the people, he spoke through the prophets. But in the book of jonah, the focus is not so much on the message, but on the prophet. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord. Literary characteristics unlike most other prophetic parts of the ot, this book is a narrative account of a single prophetic mission. Prophet jonah runs away, jonah in the belly of the fish, prays, obeys god, nineveh, bottlegourd, mercy. The book of jonah was likely written between 793 and 758 b. But, as every bible student knows, his plans were soon thwarted. Sometime after the fish vomited jonah onto dry land, the word of the lord comes to him yet again, arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message. The book of jonah recounts real events in the life and ministry of the prophet himself. Jonah vividly displays the heart of mercy god has for all people groups of the world, even those known for their godlessness. Written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. Although the wicked city of nineveh deserved to be crushed immediately, god was patient towards them. The audience of the book of jonah was the people of israel and all future readers of the bible and, typically, prophets issued warnings or gave instructions to the people of israel.
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