Don’t be like Jonah. God sent Jonah to warn the city of Nineveh; instead he ran away. Let’s not be like Jonah.
A fishy tale
Jonah is well-known as a tall tale of a fish (or whale) swallowing a man. It isn’t meant to be taken literally—how many times have you heard that from a professing Christian? I don’t pretend to know every motivation for the statement. I guess some are taught this in books or Sunday school.
I like to ask: “Why don’t you believe it really happened?” I suppose modern Christians have a hard time in believing biblical miracles. But if God created the entire cosmos, became a man, died and came to life—the fish miracle is pittance in comparison…
And if you don’t believe God did all this, you’re an atheist.
My quick snapshot of Jonah
I recently read through the book again. God commanded the prophet to warn Nineveh to repent of their evil or incur His pending wrath. But Jonah didn’t want them to repent, so he ran away. He got on a ship to Tarshish and God sent a mighty storm after him.
You can’t run from God.
The terrified sailors tried a bunch of things to save the vessel, to no avail. Then they cast lots which pointed to Jonah. He basically fessed up and said: “Yeah, you got me. I’m the culprit. Just toss me into the sea and she’ll be right.”
At first they didn’t want to do it because—well, he was God’s prophet, after all. But as the storm grew worse, they prayed; and into the sea he went. Meanwhile, Jonah was swallowed by a large fish. He was in it for three days and three nights (sounds familiar), where he uttered his remarkable prayer.
Long story short, the fish regurgitated the prophet, and this time Jonah obeyed God. But when evil Nineveh repented, he got his angry nose out of joint. I can just imagine what went through his mind: “See, I knew this would happen!”
Chapter four gives an account of the prophet sulking in the distance. God grew a plant to give him shade, but then he sent a worm to wither it. Moreover, God ordained a scorching wind. Job is angry and confesses it to the LORD.
God responded,
“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. And should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”
Modern-day Jonahs
Jonah is a deep book. Aside from the Messianic message, one can spend a lot of time contemplating verse 10. But, given the state of this world, I think it speaks a warning to modern-day Christians; certainly to me.
I’m constantly tempted to be like Jonah and run away from it all. I’m reminded of Psalm 2 and various imprecatory Psalms. We live in a world that hates the true God and His followers. It exults in prideful sin, kills babies, loves immorality, and wants to be its own god. It can make Christians cynical and bitter.
Yet there, but for the grace of God, go I. And think about our unbelieving loved ones.
Let’s not be like Jonah. Let’s pray for the salvation of this world.
But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matt 5:44
...bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:28
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph 6:12
Maranatha
More reading
David Guzik’s Commentary on Jonah
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