"JONAH STUDY"-WEEK ONE

JONAH 1:1-2 “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.””

Three main characters are introduced in these verses: the LORD (Yahweh), Jonah, and Nineveh.

The plot is God sending Jonah to preach to Nineveh

THE LORD (YAHWEH)

The book starts out w/a command from the LORD.

The LORD is “Yahweh”-personal name of God for only His people-could not be spelled completely because of His holiness.

*Personal name of powerful God.

*Has all authority

The LORD comes to Jonah w/ a command to go call out against Nineveh.

*“Call out” means “proclaim/challenge/oppose”

*The LORD is addressing the sin of Nineveh-risen/come to His attention.

*(v.2) The specific intentions of the LORD’s command is for Jonah to rise to his feet and move toward Nineveh(“arise”, “go”, “call out against”)

JONAH (THE PROPHET)

Jonah was a prophet of God

*Briefly seen in 2 Kings 14:25 predicting restoration of Israel.

(v.2) commanded by God to preach to Nineveh

NINEVEH (WICKED CITY)

Major city in Assyria-large (v.2)

(v.2) Known for their evil (morally objective behavior).

*Worshiped false gods

*(3:8) Were evil and violent

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Biblical Relevance)

These reliefs display the conquering of Lachish; they depict naked Judaeans impaled on poles, siege ramps built by conscripted Judaean slaves (who were forced to attack their own kinsmen), and lines of deportees being dragged along, overseen by an Assyrian guard wielding a truncheon. Assyrian reliefs depict the cruelty with which Assyrian forces treated defeated people groups. Assyrians commonly impaled, dismembered, decapitated, and disfigured defeated peoples. These reliefs also provide insight into the life of ancient Palestine at the time of Assyrian dominance. The Assyrians were ruthless and harsh overlords.

God was aware of their evil.

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JONAH 1:3 “But Jonah rose 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, away from the presence of the Lord.”

Jonah flees

*“rose” is same as “arise” but Jonah did opposite

*does not speak-no interaction (does not talk until v.9)

*Actions implied opposite will toward God

JONAH’S WILL CONTRASTED GOD’S COMMAND.

Decides to go to Tarshish

*Joppa was transport harbor

*Precise location is unknown but suggested locations are opposite and far away from Nineveh

“Presence of the LORD”-Passage clearly states Jonah trying to escape God’s presence.

*God’s presence is meant to be enjoyed.

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Presence of God)

Much of the OT discussion of the presence of God centers on the fact that God is utterly free to be where God wills but constantly chooses to be with His people to give them life.

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Presence of God)

The church is called to be a manifestation of God’s presence. That community is fed by the presence of God found in communion between worshiper and God.

*Presence of the LORD exposes hearts. Something in Jonah was being exposed.

*Similar response to God’s presence was Adam and Eve.

*Jonah treated God’s presence as something physical.