THE HISTORIC BACKDROP TO JONAH'S MISSION
We need to fully understand the deep patriotism of the minor Prophet Jonah. Jeroboam the Second became King of the northern ten tribes called Israel. The remaining three tribes in the south are called the Kingdom of Judah. The northern ten Israel, had made some progress in returning to God. They trapped and eliminated the priests of Baal that the previous queen Jezebel had installed.
2 Kings 10:23-27 NKJV 23 Jehu went and said to the worshipers of Baal, "Search and see that no servants of the, LORD are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal...."Go in and kill them; let no one come out!" And they killed them....26 And they brought the sacred pillars out of the temple of Baal and burned them. 27 Then they broke down the sacred pillar of Baal, and tore down the temple of Baal and made it a refuse dump to this day.
Bringing evil paganism to Israel with its child sacrifices and Temple prostitution also using children in prostitution was a death penalty crime in Israel. Justice prevailed finally. However the leadership still held on to the counterfeit religion with false dates for the Feast, keeping their people away from the full true worship of God. Yet Jeroboam the second was greatly strengthened when he was told that God would reward his ambitions to restore Israels power and borders by a Prophet of the true God. He would be blessed to regain territory and borders almost as great as those in days of David and Solomon. The prophet said God would use him and give him success.
2 Kings 14:25-27 NKJV 25 He restored the territory of Israel... according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath Hepher. 26 For the LORD saw that the affliction of Israel.... 27 And the LORD did not say that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
Jonah observed that Israel was being blessed by God and moving somewhat in the right direction. However over time Jonah, also realized that Israel success against Syria had another source. It was the attacks on the other side of that nation from Assyria. This warlike nation was the rising threat to his nation. It would be like France's fear of German militarism in 1914. This is why Jonah ran away from God's mission for him.
THE FUTILITY OF RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD'S CALLING
Jonah was not going to help the nation that was a threat to Israel to repent. No, he wanted Nineveh the capital of the Assyrian Empire, destroyed not repentant. He hoped for it. He boarded a ship to Spain in the very opposite direction from Assyria. God would have to send someone else. He refused to answer this call.
Jonah 1:3 NKJV 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
The question is can we flee from God's calling? Obviously, if God is determined to use us no matter what our attitude the answer is, No! However surely there are times when God will just send someone else and that person might lose a great spiritual opportunity or even lose their salvation. One thing that seems clear is that Jonah was already a committed Prophet of God and it was too late for him to say No to the Eternal God.
Jonah 1:17 - 2:2 NKJV 17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly. 2 And he said: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice.
Jonah repented while in the fish air pocket and God gave him grace and forgiveness for God is very gracious. Jonah knew that God would save him and he committed to complete his assignment. We also should help finish our calling as best we understand it in a society that will drag us in other directions.
THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IS ALSO A GOD OF VAST GRACE
Some believe that grace is a New Testament doctrine only. The world does not know that the same Deity is in both testaments and grace exists in both eras. God gives a lot of grace to Jonah but also to the violent, warlike people of Nineveh. Being Germanic, they followed their leader into repentance. The warnings from the cleric who was delivered to their Empire by a humongous fish got his attention. People now have discovered a 5,000 pound fish with a mega mouth who could swallow a man.
Jonah 3:10 NKJV 10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
Jonah the patriot was not happy. He wanted this dangerous rival of Israel smashed.
Jonah 4:1-3 NKJV 1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3 "Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!"
So what did the Prophet Jonah know about the true God? He was certain that God is very gracious and slow to anger. He loves forgiving people who repent. Jonah knew all that. God wants believers to be more like him. We should not enjoy or wish to see our rivals and enemies fall.
WHY DID THE PHARISEES NOT REPENT LIKE NINEVEH ?
Scholars like to say the record of Jonah is false. It is just a parable. Jesus himself verifies the record of Jonah. It was the only sign Jesus gave to the leaders and the crowds.
Matthew 12:38-41 NKJV 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." 39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Jesus validates the record of Jonah and the great fish and they validate Christ in the grave. Jesus was in the grave from Wednesday near sunset to three days later Saturday near sunset. He was clearly resurrected before Sunday sunrise. See John 20:1-2.
40 "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 "The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
Christ had to be in the grave three days and three nights the three nights proves it could not be just an idiom. Jesus probably used this record also because it is one almost every Jewish person would be familiar with like Daniel and Lions Den.
Luke 11:29-32 NKJV 29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 "For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.
During the judgment periods in the age to come, Christ says it will be better for these gentiles who repented than for the stubborn Pharisees who had the Messiah Himself and still refused to repent.
31 "The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 32 "The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
Paul says Bible knowledge can puff up but, whatever the cause, the self righteous Jewish leaders of Christ day did not repent. God does not want us to fall into the same trap. Believers must remember to repent , repent!
Luke 10:12 NKJV 12 "But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.
