The Reluctant Prophet

Tell others the Word of the Lord. Constantly we hear that message; Jonah heard it instantly. He was called to go to the very enemies of his people – the enemies of God’s people – and lead them to repentance.

Not only did Jonah not want to tell them, he complained to God why he didn’t want to preach repentance. “I knew that You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” (4:2)

The grace of God was the reason Jonah didn’t want to preach! He wanted his enemies damned, not saved. He wanted God to destroy Nineveh, not forgive them for their sins.

As you read this book, you will soon discover it’s not so much about a fish swallowing a man as it is about a man who needs to swallow his pride.


God’s Grace in Jonah

God’s grace is to all nations is the topic of Jonah. Including the Gentiles in the grace of God is a teaching found elsewhere in the OT (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 2:2; Joel 2:28-32), but the book of Jonah is one of the clearest expression of God’s grace for all people.

From the Lutheran Study Bible:

Blessings for readers:

·  As you read Jonah, reflect on God’s purposes for your life. Day by day we make decisions and plan our future, but the prophet Jonah describes just how far the Almighty will go to fulfill His plans for us and through us. Turn to Him in prayer, seeking His blessing. As you pray, remember that He is a “gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

Challenges for readers:

·  History or Parable. Modern critical scholars regard the story of Jonah as a fictional lesson, chiefly because of the miraculous provision of the “fish” by which God rescued Jonah. However, every other aspect of the story conforms to the historical setting. And when Jesus cited the story (Matthew 12:39-42), He did not treat it as a parable but as history.

·  Sign of Jonah. Mentioned three times in the Gospels (Mt 12:39, Mt. 16:4, Lk 11:29), the “sign” does not refer exclusively to Jonah’s deliverance from the fish, which acts for Jonah’s punishment and for his delieverance. When Jesus referred to the “sign of Jonah,” He meant the paradox that He would soon be under both His Father’s judgment and His Father’s salvation. Based on Mt. 12:40, the parallels are these: 1) Jonah’s descent into Sheol (the grave) and our Lord’s experience of death, and 2) Jonah being “driven away” from Yahweh’s presence (2:4) and Jesus’ crying out on the cross when the Father abandoned Him (Mt. 27:46). Jonah and Jesus had to go through judgment, condemnation, and death before they experienced new life.

In Ten Words or Less:

Since God is merciful to His enemies, shouldn’t you be?

Summary of Jonah

Ch. 1 – The mission, flight and

chastisement of Jonah

Ch. 2 – Jonah’s prayer of repentance

Ch. 3 – Jonah’s message to Nineveh

and its result

Ch. 4 – Jonah’s envious impatience and God’s

rebuke

(This outline is from The Book of Books, by Prof. John Schaller, available through Northwestern Publishing House.)

Reading Plan for Jonah

Only four chapters, 11 minutes to read aloud. Either read it in one or two sittings, giving yourself enough time to meditate on the message.

Feel free also to listen to the Bible and follow in the text. The Bible is on tape in our church library. There are numerous CD’s available on the web at various prices. (Be sure to pick the translation you want to listen to.)

Listening online? I personally have found this a very nice practice. This is one resource: biblegateway.com. At the website, click on “Listen to the Bible.” You have the option of several translations (such as the King James, the NIV, or the English Standard Version). You may choose either format: Real Audio or Flash Player.

Whole Book:
Day 1 / Chapters 1-2
Day 2 / Ch. 3-4
Total chapters: / 4
11 minutes / Total time to read the book aloud.

Do you have questions?

If you are reading in Jonah and questions arise, feel free to email Pastor Ewings () and send your question in. Unless it is a question of a personal nature, the reply will both be sent to you and posted in our weekly enews. The questions you raise are a very important part of learning and inwardly digesting the Scriptures!