The Book of Jonah chapter 1

God chooses Jonah

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Who is Jonah?

2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” Not a repentance or forgiveness.

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. why did he leave? he could’ve just stayed at home and just pretend like nothing happened. i guess nobody would have even noticed or it could have been a different narrative.

(i work in construction and i remember we were installing a 16ft support post and I had a little torpedo level. so I checked and the bubble was right in the middle. so I put bolts and nails everywhere so it was sturdy and well installed. when my dad showed up he called me and said “come look at it from here” and It was the tower of Giza’s twin.

4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

-tempest just like abundance never change us, what it does is that it brings up what we really are. it might help us grow in faith or it might show how little faith we have.

5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.

Jonah Was not expecting anything to happen, Jonah left to tarshish thinking that God of Israel was only in Israel thinking that God wasnt there. (behaving at Church tendency) God knows and still Loves us.

6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”

Here is the beginning of the satire, pagans telling the prophet to pray,

7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Jonah was still unaware of what was going on or that he was the reason all this was happening

8 Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” they ask 5 specific Questions about him

9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

This is arrogance and Ego at its finest. He is Bragging about God and his faith.

10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. Men wanting to know about God, They got afraid not fear (see the difference) Jonah unwillingness made God Look like the bad one in this situation, Other gods would punish people for doing something that would not please them. God wrath was because Jonah was not willing to announce Gods mercy, (Jonah Knew God would forgive them)

11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

they wanted nothing to do with God, just wanted to save themselves

12 He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” instead of praying to repent he decided to suicide

13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

pagans acting more like the good samaritan than the prophet of God

14 Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.”

15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.

16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

A Great Fish Swallows Jonah

17  And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

- Instead of choosing Amos and Hosea he chose Jonah

-Not his first Prophecy 2kgs 14:25

-Nineveh capital of Assyria ( Enemies since the Sin of Ham}

-God’s message wasn’t about repentance or forgiveness

Jonah found a ship to tarshish (so basically he was trying to find going the furthest possible) *here is where it reminds me of Jesus

matt. 21:28-32