We run from Godjust as our first parents did in the garden (Genesis 3.8-10). We are all runaways. It is true, however,that not everyone is willing or able to be corrected. Then the LORDcommanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land (Jonah 1.10). 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. Could it mean something other than burial? Until Christs blood was shed all the people that had died were held in the heart of the earth Hebrews 10:4. Jesus referencedJonah as a prophecy and type of His resurrection. God knows everything. They were aghast at Jonahs behavior in fleeing God (Jonah 1.10). The other suggestion is in the paragraph Salvation to the Gentiles, in your Conclusion. Oct 7, 2019. His eye was evil but God was good. Note that Jonahs defiance also endangers others. They were enemies! 2 questions. They were saved. All things are His. He then asked the laborers if he did not have the right to do what he wanted with his own money. and less costly as well. There is abortion, disease, teenage pregnancy, children with no fathers, and all the grief and pain that come from broken or malformed families. The passage reveals Jonahs thinking and motivation in fleeing God. Gamble against God and youll lose. Thanks so much. To defy means to resist what one is told to do, openly and boldly. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 2. The next thing Hill knew, he was waking up in the . Their gods had failed. The city walls did not encircle this entire areaas archaeology has discovered. The Bible is replete with examples. He gave this wayward prophet a second chance to fulfill the commission that was given. The word means fish but the scope of meaning of is unclear. The sailors were noble. He said to them, Pick me up and throw me into the sea. The great majority of it. 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. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. This was a large army, even by modern standards. He spends three nights in the belly of the fish and with nowhere left to run, not even death, he finally repents. What are your thoughts on this? Such was the case of Peter who reluctantly went to Cornelius house (Acts 10.28). Fresco of Jonah being thrown into the sea - Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome. They tried to turn the ship to land but the storm only worsened. A raging Jonah leaves the city that is actively turning to God (thanks to his prophecy) and wanders into the wilderness. Now he had gone down into the sea monster to the depths of death (Jonah 2.6). A gigantic storm was raging. God controls and uses nature to achieve His ends. He pouted and expressed anger. He said, , nto Your holy temple (Jonah 2.7). I knew You would find a way to spare and bless these pagans. 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 had experienced peace, fast asleep in the hold of the ship, pleased with his decision to sail to Tarshish. Whether he did or not does not affect the Lords statement of his own death. God's Lesson in Compassion. If only we had the faith of Jonah, evangelism might leap forward into warp drive. 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. Or whither shall I flee from thy face? But the entire city of Nineveh responded to Jonahs message. Then the LORD commanded the fish to spew Jonah upon the shore. Jonah had wanted to die rather than face his mistakes and complete his mission, but God wont permit it. Theb. 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. The teaching is clear: persistent and unrepentant sin brings storms, disturbances, and troubles. Such objections impress only the weak minded. Now, with a quick divine reminder, the reluctant prophet heads straight for Nineveh and delivers the intended prophecy: Nineveh is wicked and will be destroyed in 40 days. What is your country, and to what people do you belong? Jonah answered them, I am a Hebrew, I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, How could you do such a thing? They knew that he was fleeing from the LORD, because he had told them. 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. In the end, the men must hand Jonah over to the Lord. The lot falls to Jonah, and he is finally forced to go public. In effect, Jonah says to them, Kill me. 11While given star billing, the sea creature was a prop, not an essential player in the drama. During this time, God prepared () a gourd to grow and shade Jonah from the sweltering Mideast sun.10 The gourd made him happy (Jonah 4.6). Jonah, sent to Nineveh, flees to Tarshish. He was a hard case, preferring death to life (Jonah 4.3, 1.12). Do you have any idea how your behavior, your sins, are affecting the rest of us? The storm was so violent they knew their ship was about to shatter. The Abrahamic Covenant established that all Gentile blessing would come through Israel. Copyright 2023 Catholic Standard He did not care for the hundreds of thousands of Ninevites, their children, or their animals. Do those who doubt Jonah think the God who created the universe and raised Jesus from the dead cannot cause a sea creature to swallow Jonah? book of Jonah is the old outline which accents the word running. He could have told the crew to turn the ship back to Joppa. Apparently he had no problem traveling quickly to hop a boat headed the opposite direction. Nineveh was probably the greatest city in the world in Jonahs day. Jonah is to warn the Ninevites that because of their sinfulness they now face divine destruction. But God would have us reach out to the sinner, to correct with love. the story told by Cicero of Diagoras (de Nat. Rob, Its a technical point. recognized Gods mercy. On account of selfishness and sexual misbehavior, many families have been torn apart. Tarshish is widely held to refer to the coastline of modern-day Spain. Jonah did his best to escape one great fish, only to be swallowed by another. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple (Jonah 2.4). I just re-read this article Monday. Jesus told the Jews the Ninevites would judge them because they had repented because of Jonahs preaching and that He was greater than Jonah. Of all the prophets, Jonah is perhaps the most reluctant; his struggle with sin is not hidden. If I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I descend into hell, thou art present. Jonah is now on his way to Nineveh, and the word of the Lord has come to him a second time. Yom Kippur in the Community. They now knew they were dealing not with nature alone but with supernature. 8Those who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness, 9But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. Everyone from the street sweeper to the king heeded Jonahs warning. The Bible has no shortage of characters who heed divine calls. How much of our trouble comes from our sin? If you wont do it for your own sake, then do it for oursbut call on the Lord! But leave the deal to God and you will prosper much more. The phrasing of the order emphasized individual accountability and personal responsibility: that each may turn from his wicked way. The text reads: 7He issued a proclamation and it said, In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. In fact, he is furiously angryand directs his outburst at God. In four short chapters, the story of Jonah reveals God's consistent, unchangeable character and is a testament to his relentless love and abundant mercy. 270, 271.) 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. Jonah tried to run away from God in the opposite direction of Nineveh and headed by boat to Tarshish. Hence Jonah is not just insubordinate; he is unbelieving and untrusting. And this is not to mention all of the Biblical prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and more than a dozen others who immediately act on Gods command. Parallel Commentaries "Pol minume miror, navis si fracta est tibi, Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural, Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural. Water, whale, withering wind: Jonah wished to die (Jonah 4.8 cf. In Jonahs responses, he encountered non-Jews: the sailors and the captain and the Ninevites and their king. The bottom line (if youll pardon the financial pun) is that sinful choices are usually very costly. Jonah is now beginning to come to his senses, In effect, Jonah says to them, Kill me. Deor. Reading: Jonah 14. In chapter 4, Jonah was in Nineveh and in the desert. A story about prophecy and repentancebut not in the way you think. Hmm, now why does this description seem so familiar? Jonah hit the warm waters of the sea with a splash. Externally, Assyria was threatened by Arameans and Urartians and suffered famine and revolts internally. I understand much more of this book now than previously. . Patient-Home-4877 1 yr. ago Gods will and plan operates within and accommodates human volition. So I am trying to gain understanding here. Proverbs 16:33, "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord" (comp. The Lord upbraided their lack of faith (Mark 4.40; Luke 8.25) but Jonahs sailors became believers. So, too, are we when we defiantly indulge sinfulness. Here, Jonah a prophet who likely understood what was happening might, indeed should have taken responsibility for the storm and prayed to his God to save the innocent sailors. If you want to experience spiritual growth, if you want to cultivate a heart more like God's, or if you want to better understand God's priorities, I . (Comp. Nineveh was located on the eastern bank of the Tigris river, opposite the modern city of Mosul in Iraq. Waves roiled the ship, smashing into its sides and onto the deck. It will begin after God completes His Church, the body of Christ. Maybe, just maybe, God would change His mind and destroy the city. But God would not leave him alone. It is too easy for us to wish to destroy those who have harmed us, returning crime for crime, sin for sin. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not. The kings proclamation indicated that like Jonahs sailors he had abandoned his gods and recognized Jonahs God (). This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I agree that Christ was the first to be permanently raised from the dead. Let us cast lots. b. But both Elijah and Elisha raised a person from the dead. Despite his rebellion, Jonah kept his testimony and spoke the truth: I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. God honors His word. What they feared is unimportant. The gourd was Gods mercy to Jonah. d. To defy means to resist what one is told to do, openly and boldly. Jonah hated this idea because Nineveh was one of Israel's greatest enemies and Jonah wanted nothing to do with preaching to them! 1 From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God, 2 saying: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. I just knew it. In the second section, chapters 2 and 4, Jonah was alone with God. The Ninevites werepagan, idolatrous Gentiles. Worldly sorrow brings death (2 Cor 7:10). Where do you come from? that grows ever deeper. Charles Reade, the English novelist, wrote, Jonah is the most beautiful story ever written in so small a compass.2The story has a clearly defined structure and is replete with figures of speech: puns, hendiadys, merism, chiasm, parallelism, etc. Jonahs defiance sends him and others headlong into a storm. The sailors wrenched to and fro and the wind howled so that the crew screamed to be heard. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple., ut You have brought up my life from the pit, O, Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple (Jonah 2.4). Ephesians 4 :8-10 First Peter 3:19,20 4:6 reveal where Jesus went during his three days in the grave. After his whale of a ride, a ride in which he must experience the full depths and acidic truth of his sinfulness, Jonah is finally delivered by God right back to the shore of Joppa where it all began. Too many wander around in a kind of delirium, a moral sleep, talking about their rights and insisting that what they do is nobody elses business. Yet all the while the storm winds buffet and others suffer for what they do. He falls asleep, and then is thrown down into the sea. Nineveh is the capital of Syria, the mortal enemy of Israel. In an attempt to absolve themselves . Jonah slept. What is important is they believed God. Yes, sin is usually very expensivebut many seem quite willing to pay the price. 1The etymology of the name is literally wine-press of the digging and is mentioned in Joshua 19.13 and 2 Kings 14.25. 2, 26-30. 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). But their rowing is futile and the storm continues to rage, so they reluctantly toss Jonah into the sea, instantly calming the waters. To deny the historicity of Jonah is to deny Christs resurrection. The text states 120,000 did not know their right hand from their left (Jonah 4.11). God has restrained judgment for 2,000 years and given men and women an opportunity for eternal life by believing Pauls gospel of grace (1 Corinthians 15.1-4). Jonahs repentance is expressed in a long, strange, and beautiful poem that is spoken within the fishs belly, and the language indicates that he is ready to change direction: The bars of the earth closed upon me forever. Jonah was an enigma. Throughout the story, Jonah uses the Socratic method . ; 1 Samuel 14:41; Acts 1:26). God replied to Jonah:Do you have good reason to be angry (Jonah 4.4)? Something was not right. When they heard these words they began to scream, Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live (Acts 22.22)! Too many wander around in a kind of delirium, a moral sleep, talking about their rights and insisting that what they do is nobody elses business. Yet all the while the storm winds buffet and others suffer for what they do. Jonah could not understand Gods mercy to Israels enemies. His remembering is not that He forgets but that he gives heed to something. God sends a giant fish to swallow Jonah. 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.. If you wont do it for your own sake, then do it for oursbut call on the Lord! But Sennacheribs entire army would have been much larger.8. The simplicity of holiness is often far less onerous. He tried to kick up to the surface, but no air was foundonly waves and water. That fear had been realized. In many American courtrooms, upon the pronouncement of a death sentence, the judge says. In a remarkable turn in the story, those who are not believers in the God of Israel dress down Jonah, who is to be Gods prophet, unto repentance! In Jonahs day, they were Israels great enemy. Jonah's Commission Was Clear But Distasteful "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." a. 372. . Yes, God works with the sinner, drawing him back. Jonah thought he would drown when thrown into the sea. In response to Jonahs flight, God hurled () a storm onto the sea. , Joshua 22:16-20 Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD? Hill had his arm out the window when the car flipped mid-joyride. They needed to be destroyed! Reputation of wicked Nineveh well-known. Solomon wrote, the lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD (Proverbs 16.33). One of the great cities of the ancient world, it was finally destroyed by a coalition of Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Chaldeans, Scythians and Cimmerians in 612 B.C. c. Proclamation was one of Judgment. 2002-2023 My Jewish Learning. But if only resuscitated, I would think Jonah was not really dead; he was just unconscious or had stopped breathing. Determination-Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you. Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-3). Meanwhile, the gales grow stronger and civilization continues to crumble. Why was Jonah disappointed in the repentance of the Ninevites? Some things must ultimately be left to God. Jonah's story reveals God's missionary heart to us as well as Jonah's prejudice toward foreigners. IX. Judges 7:13,14 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along, Isaiah 41:6,7 They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage, Joshua 7:14-18 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man, Judges 20:9,10 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; , 1 Samuel 10:20,21 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken, Joshua 7:10,13 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Julie Rogo. The Lord was the first to be resurrected. First, I do not have an opinion on this right now; I have not studied it enough. Under the intolerably beating sun, Jonah cries out to God in anger, and this time simply begs for death. This is another important lesson: in our sin, our defiance, we often bring storms not only into our own life but also into the lives of others. This is what every sinner, whether outside the Church or inside, needs to hear:wake up and look at what youre doing; see how youre affecting yourself and all of us. Each response was internal (were afraid, believed), spoken (cried to god, proclaimed a fast), and active (cast wares, put on sackcloth). Does he change his mind? Exodus 25.9; Hebrews 8.5). Salvation is from the Lord.. 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?. Deor.,' 3:37). Jonah repented from fleeing God to obeying Him. The sailors, captain, king, nobles, etc. This mercy is available for nothing. His case is never resolved. 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. This time, Jonah obeyed. Thanks be to God! It is a luscious, heartfelt piece depicting the repentance of the Ninevites. Each man had cried to his own god (Jonah 1.5). The silo was located in a remote area, surrounded by large farms. In other words, man rolls dice but God makes the spots come up. Finding him asleep, the flummoxed captain said: How is it that you are sleeping? This will be the Day of the Lord, first revealed in Psalm 2 and expanded upon in detail by the prophets. : Od. 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. He is good and acts accordingly. At the end of the day, 6 p.m., his foreman paid each man a denarius. Jonah 3 God gave His commission to Jonah a second timeand this time, Jonah was ready to obey. This is why God makes statements such as 2 Chronicles 7.14. jonah has had lots of dti will attend to directions well PO Box 2732 Taren Point NSW Australia 2229 +612 9525 3181 info@hassonprojects.com.au jonah has had lots of dti will attend to directions well Monday-Friday: 8:30am to 5:30pm Copyright 2016 Hasson Projects - Design by secrets (tv show 2019) As our defiance deepens, the headwinds become ever stronger and the destructive forces ever more powerful. The other worker, with whom he made no contract (whatever was right), received pay according to the landowners heart. Commentators cite the story of Diagoras told by Cicero ('De Nat. In the 20th century, we often like to doctor up the word of God. I wonder if (and hope that) the young people who sang it understood its significance for them, too. The book of Nahum prophesied and described its doom. I have a question on your comment above: If Jonah did die, he was resuscitated, not resurrected. The book of Jonah ends with God having the last word: 10Then the Lord said, You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. Sign up for a special email series here. Somewhat like Judas, Jonah and many other sinners do not repent to the Lord but rather are merely ashamed of themselves. Nineveh survived for another 150 years after it heeded Jonahs message. Luke 16:19- reveals Abrahams bosom. Jonah is a scientist who becomes a business theorist and helps Alex save his plant. Jonah could not win. The Ninevites repented from wickedness to righteousness. Tell us, they said, what is your business? Who could endure without them? Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days walk (Jonah 3.3). 6The Hebrew reads, , a great fish. If I take my wings early in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there also shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. Many people today talk about victimless sins,actions that supposedly dont hurt anyone. 7Charles Halton. God does not save us merely for our own sake, but also, for the sake of others with whom our life is intertwined. We read: Then Jonah began to go through the city one days walk; and he cried out and said, Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown (Jonah 3.4).9. Could God not leave well enough alone? Jonah 's Flight. He realized he could not escape God and looked to Him for deliverance. He did not want the city to be spared, because he knew that the Assyrians would eventually conquer Israel. 8But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands (Jonah 3.7-8). Despite brevity, it is a powerful story of Gods grace to Gentiles and a reflective study into Gods character and mercy. at least not as the first recourse. Mr. Reade went on to say, "It contains forty-eight verses and 1,328 words. Jonah repented from fleeing God to obeying Him. Yes, what are you doing? Both messages resonate on Yom Kippur: repentance is staggeringly hard but Gods mercy is generous and swift. Guaranteed. Great work Sir Samdahl! It may be that he is trying to die again (first time by drowning, now by dehydration). In this sovereignly enacted covenant, He declared His blessings to Gentiles would be mediated through a new race of people, the Jews. This would mean the metroplex was about 60 miles in diameter (comparable to modern Dallas-Ft. Worth). These and many other sins unleash storms that affect not only us but others around us as well. All but Jonah. The great majority of it. No one is merely an individual;we are also members of the Body, members of the community, whether we want to admit it or not. I do not see Jonah as having fear, or being scared or afraid. God pursues each of us to restore our broken relationship with Him (Genesis 3.8-10). In a remarkable turn in the story, those who are not believers in the God of Israel dress down Jonah,who is to be Gods prophet, unto repentance! Did he fear that their redemption would make a mockery of his prophecy (that the city would be destroyed)? Jonah doubtless had meantime complied with the captain's request, but, as the sailors saw, without visible effect. Jonah Scott will no longer be appearing this year. Two books of the Bible speak of Nineveh. "Little I wonder if the ship is wreckedWhich carries thee and thy ill-gotten wealth." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Their story highlights Gods benevolence, the quickness with which God wishes to forgive people who want to make a genuine change, whatever their motivation. She taught her how to rinse dishes and put them in the dishwasher, how to wipe counters, and how to sweep. When spoken, it brings men to salvation. Rather than heed this call, Jonah flees in the opposite direction on a ship to Tarshish, across the Mediterranean Sea (in ancient terms, this is basically the other side of the world). We read: 5Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. A tough case. No worries. Meanwhile, the gales grow stronger and civilization continues to crumble. III. He plays with loaded dice. And if swallowed, revive him? The king hoped for survival. The message couldnt be clearer: Jonah is going in the wrong direction. Jonah decided it was better to live than to die, due to his discomfort. Isaiah 2.2-3, 49.6; Zechariah 8.23). IV. They were threats! It is rife with wickedness. Get up, call on your god. I do not deserve to live.This is not repentance; it is despair. Struck with great fear of the LORD, the men offered sacrifice and made vows to him. They were terrified. Jonah provides instructive lessons. All the while, they continue to ramble on about their right to do as they please. It is a story of repentance. But Jonah is not pleased. As a result, they cast lots to learn about this strange man. God prefers mercy to judgment. If the plan of God was NOT to go to the Gentiles even as in the Gospels, Jesus said NOT to go to the Gentiles but only to the lost sheep of Israel, WHY did Jonah go to the Gentiles Nineveh? Extra-biblical sources such asDiodorus Siculus (1st century B.C. Here is a video of a performance of the Peccavimus (we have sinned) from the oratorio Jonas, by Giacomo Carissimi. 8Then they said to him, Tell us, now! Thank God for second chances! The angel of the Lord killed his expeditionary force of 185,000 soldiers (2 Kings 19.32-6; Isaiah 37.36-37). Implicit in Jonahs message was that God was displeased with their behavior. Under normal population distribution, this would mean a population of about 3,000,000. In most cases, He allows man to do as he will and manages His plan behind the scenes. He did not provide sunlight for it. Through Jonah, the Ninevites received salvation. 1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. Students of rhetoric can find no better example of the art than this literary gem. He has declared the first shall be last, and the last first (Matthew 20.16). The point of Jesus parable and the point of Jonah is that grace is greater than law. We are all fools. Ask Nebuchadnezzar. Often the last one to know or admit the damage he does is the sinner himself. God asked Jonah if he should really be angry about the plant, and Jonah said he should be angry, even to death. The Lord said he was three days and nights in the belly of the sea monster. Some think God is absent from the worlds affairs, that the world goes on unnoticed by Him. So much suffering, so much expense, so much extra mileage could be avoided if we just obeyed God. This number is reasonable. Abraham bargained with God not to destroy Sodom if the city had ten righteous people (Genesis 18.32). But he gives no response, risking the lives of everyone onboard. And boats are wrecked; true men and thieves, HOR. In this case, He commissioned Jonah to address the evil of the Ninevites. Paul raised Eutychus (Acts 20) from death but Eutychus died later. The sailors repented from following false gods to trusting the one true God. Jonah pouted. Even his forced timeout in the belly of the fish does not affect true repentance. I cannot see where the text states Jonah actually died or not. Our present age, the Church age, which has lasted for nearly 2,000 years since the Apostle Paul, exemplifies this fact. Few examples of Gentile salvation exist in the Old Testament. Jonah is now beginning to come to his senses,but not with godly sorrow, more with worldly sorrow. In effect, God says to Jonah, Now, where were we?. Note that he also puts down good money in order to flee. 8Sennacherib boasted hemade Hezekiah a prisoner in Jerusalem, his royal residence, like a bird in a cage (Magnus Magnusson,Archaeology and the Bible, 1977, p.186). Jonah knew he had lost. God commanded Jonah to travel northeast to Nineveh. God not only plays dice, His dice are loadedand invisible. Alex, Jonah's former student, reconnects with Jonah randomly in an airport. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple. 5Water encompassed me to the point of death. iii. Verse 2 of chapters 1 and 3 contain the same three Hebrew verbs: (arise), (go), and (cry). Once Gd commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh, one of the largest cities of that time and foretell its destruction, because the evil of its inhabitants had reached the limit. Despair-They asked, What shall we do with you, that the sea may quiet down for us? For the sea was growing more and more turbulent. No, I am not a pastor. that not everyone is willing or able to be corrected. Jonahs experience in the sea-beast, this living submarine, must have been terrifying. They seem to fear God more than he does! The story has four parties: the sailors, the Ninevites, Jonah, and God.11 How God dealt with each demonstrated His nature and character. The Assyrians were a fearsome people who worshiped false gods and idols. It presents two very different stories about repentance. if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Jonah was one of only four writing prophets that Jesus mentioned by name during His earthly ministry (Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah were the others). God sent a great storm upon the ship and the men decided Jonah was to blame so they threw him overboard. That Jonah thought he could run from God shows his foolishness, typifying mans foolishness in thinking he can escape God (Jeremiah 23.24). 2. Wake up from your delusions. Chapter 2 recounts Jonah in the belly of the sea monster where he prayed and gave thanks to God. Stop with your self-justifying slogans and look at whats really going on! Surprisingly, the men are not willing to kill him,at least not as the first recourse. When God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah fled as far as he could from God. Once again, God wont permit him to perish without facing his mistakes and, where previously God sent a giant fish to save him from the water, this time God sprouts a plant to shelter Jonah from the burning sun. The arks lid was called the mercy seat (Exodus 25.17-22; cf. Not so, Jonah. He was not helping to lighten the ship or praying for deliverance: a total slacker. Why did the storm intensify if the men were trying to row to land? Gods statement to Jonah reminds one of Jesus parable of the laborers of the vineyard (Matthew 20.1-16). I cried for help from the depth of Sheol;You heard my voice. Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. 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. 3For You had cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current engulfed me. Our age is characterized by Gods grace. Turn back to God lest we all perish. God knows everything about us all the time (Psalm 139). We read: So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of theLORD. Jonah has provided his 'Leading Man' voice to many video games and serials including Leads in Dying Light 2, Beastars, Attack on Titan . Comp. In many American courtrooms, upon the pronouncement of a death sentence, the judge says,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. Its always a longer journey when you disobey God. Online and in the booth, he has done voice work with studios in Tokyo and across LA. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; All Your breakers and billows passed over me. I tend to think that the heart of the earth may have a broader meaning. He belonged to the tribe of Zebulon and ministered during the reign of King Jeroboam II (c.786746 BC). Amid the commotion, the captain finds Jonah, wakes him, and demands that he join the effort to save the ship by calling on his God. How much of our trouble comes from our sin? but Jonah is the only book of the Bible that begins with it. 2016 Don Samdahl. Despite his death wish, Jonah is relieved to have the plants protection. Note that Jonahs defiance also endangers others. (On the Christian view of "lots," see Dr. Pusey's Commentary, pp. Same God. AEschylus, 'Electr.,' 1354; 'Theb.,' 598; Horat., 'Carm.,' 3:2, 26, etc.) John, Thank you. But on particular occasions, He reveals Himself and acts. This idiom indicates a child under the age of two. But he gives no response, risking the lives of everyone onboard. Chapter 1 ends, And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights (Jonah 1.17).6 This verse fits more appropriately as the beginning of chapter 2 which contains Jonahs prayer to God. God repeated his command to Jonah. From the belly of the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD, his God. That was Jonah. The centralandmost important piece of furniture in its design was the ark of the covenant. God was gracious and Jonah peevish. At this point, Jonah has not only disobeyed Gods command to go to Nineveh, he has willfully endangered a ship full of innocent strangers. 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. Yet You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God! 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