Jonah, whose experience with death typified that of Christ, had his home about 3 miles from Nazareth. Because he preached to Gentiles, the Jews did not like to accord him the title of prophet. So they said that no prophet arose out of Galilee, denying Jonah as a prophet. See John 7:52.

Jonah was given a commission which he did not like. He did not want Nineveh to repent, for she was an enemy of Israel. So he tried to evade the task by fleeing from the presence of the Lord.

Jonah went down to Joppa, paid his fare and went down into the ship, went down into the sides of the ship and went to sleep, was thrown out and went down to the bottoms of the mountains. He died in the belly of hell, but after he had made a prayer there.

Jonah has been a subject of debate for many centuries. Some have doubted that a fish did swallow Jonah. Probably, they would have believed if it had said that Jonah swallowed the great fish. As if to silence the doubters, a great fish or monster was thrown up on the beach at Joppa years ago and we have heard that its skeleton is in a museum there. It is very hard for men to make excuses to disbelieve what God has said.

Jonah was thrown up by the fish on to dry land. Someone might say that the fish could not stomach a backslidden prophet. But the Word says that God commanded the fish to throw Jonah up on dry land.

Jonah is the center of this account. One would think that the destruction of Nineveh was to be the main thread of the story. But God was also dealing with Jonah. Jonah had a lesson to learn.

Jonah was angry when the city repented and God did not destroy it. He was angry when the gourd died which had furnished him shade. It seems that nothing suited Jonah at all. Some would say that he was born in the objective mood.

Jonah was made to realize that God is a God of mercy. It is probable that the repentance of the city had more influence for good on Israel than their destruction would. And God's mercy also embraced 120,000 little children who could not tell left from right. And the whole book ends up with the words, and much cattle. God is merciful.

Feature Book

Become an Outreach Partner! You can help Believer.com share God's Word by having a Believer.com Email Address.

Bookstore

To make a donation to this Believer Sponsored Ministry
Click Below


Or Mail To: Believer.com
PO Box 500
Sutherlin, OR 97479