Jonah, The Reluctant Prophet — An Introduction

Text: Jonah 1:1-2

Theme: An introduction to the book of Jonah.

Date: 04/17/2021 Title: Jonah21_01 ID Number:

The Book of Jonah is perhaps to most criticized book in the Old Testament. Some have even referred to it as the Achilles’ heel of the Bible. It certainly can’t be literal, can it? A huge fish swallows a man who survives for three days in its belly. No one can take such a fantastical story literally. Surely it’s an allegory and must be taken as such. Even the 16th century Protestant Reformer Martin Luther had serious reservations as to the literalness of the book.

And thus the debate rages over the Book of Jonah. Among modern biblical scholars there are three ways of interpreting the book. Liberal scholars say it’s about the evils of race and nationalism. Others — particularly Evangelical scholars — say it’s about mission; going into all the world with the good news, and not being afraid to do so. Others contend that it’s a story about grace. Certainly the other two themes can be found in the book, but, if I had to make a choice, I’d throw my hat into the ring of grace. Jonah’s struggle is How can God be both just and merciful to such a wicked nation as the Assyrians? It’s a problem that is not resolved for Jonah. In fact, it’s a problem not resolved until we arrive at the cross in the New Testament. Until then, grace is something of an i

Jonah is the greatest fish story ever told. ILLUS. Anyone who has ever fished has their own “fish story.” I have my own fish story. (fishing with Mark Watts). Almost everyone has heard the story of the huge sea creature that swallowed the prophet, and about his prayer for deliverance while inside its stomach. But the real fish story takes place in chapter 3. To understand this, consider an event that would transpire some seven centuries later in northern Israel. “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.” (Matthew 4:18–20, NIV). In this passage Jesus taught that the “fish” God is looking to catch are sinful men, and the real “fishermen” are soul winners. In Jonah chapter 3, after the prophet’s preaching, one of history’s greatest spiritual awakenings takes place. In other words, Johan caught more “fish” in his net then every before — thus the greatest fish story of all time.

In one of the great ironies of history, a fish made it possible for Jonah to become a fisher of men.

This evening we’re going to begin a series of messages from the Book of Jonah. It won’t be a long series simply because it’s a pretty short book. As we will discover there are some important lessons to be learned from the prophet’s life. Tonight is a short introduction to the life of the prophet and a brief overview of the events.

I. JONAH, THE MAN

“The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:” (Jonah 1:1, NIV)

1. Jonah is a historical character and the book narrates the story of the Prophet’s call to go preach God’s impending judgment upon the city of Nineveh

a. it’s the only prophetic book that narrates a story about the prophet’s life rather than recording the prophet’s prophecies

b. in fact, there is only one prophecy in the book

“Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”” (Jonah 3:4, NIV)

2. our text tells us several things about Jonah the man

a. he is the son of Amittai whose name means trustworthy while Jonah’s name means dove

b. he is from the village of Gath-hepher which is in the tribal area of Zebulan in the province of Galilee and a mere three miles from the town of Nazereth

c. he’s a prophet, but when God calls him to go to Nineveh he become a reluctant prophet

ILLUS. Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC calls Jonah the prodigal prophet.

d. another implication is pretty clear from the text — Jonah’s attitude toward the religiously and racially different ... well ... it stinks

1) in refusing to help one set of pagans (the Ninevites) Jonah runs away, putting another set of pagans (the sailors in the boat) in danger

3. Jonah first appears in 2 Kings 14 and he is considered something of a national hero

A. THE SETTING

1. the command from the Lord came to Jonah about halfway through the eighth century BC when Jeroboam II is king over Israel — the Northern Kingdom

a. Jeroboam is a wicked king, but under his reign Israel expands its boarders and become materially prosperous

“In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. 24 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.” (2 Kings 14:23–24, NIV)

2. during Jeroboam’s ascendency, the Assyrian Empire was experiencing a period of decline

a. Nineveh, located on the Tigris River (in modern day Iraq), was one of the oldest and most important cities in the middle east

“Cush was the father of Nimrod, who became a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh, in Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah” (Genesis 10:8–11, NIV)

1) its name came from Nina, the river goddess whose emblem was ... wait for it; a fish!

ILLUS. Think about it; a fish makes it possible for Jonah to go to a city named after a fish so he could become a fisher of men.

b. in the third millennium B.C. Nineveh was a major cultural and religious center

1) it became a political and military powerhouse when Sennacherib made the city his capitol

a) he repeatedly appears as a central player in Israel’s history in 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and the Book of Isaiah

2) it was under his leadership that, first Israel, and then Judah became vassal states having to pay large tributes to essentially be left alone

c. after Sennacherib’s reign a series of weak kings ascended to Nineveh’s throne, eternal rebellions broke out, and the power of the Assyrian Empire declined

d. then, in June of 763 BC Assyria experienced a total solar eclipse

ILLUS. Most of you remember in 2017 when Missouri experienced a total solar eclipse. We all thought it was cool. All across the state, work stopped, and government stopped, and businesses closed so we could all watch. We had eclipse parties. It became something of a holiday.

1) the citizens of Assyria regarded it as an ominous omen

ILLUS. We know from Assyrian historical accounts that this eclipse caused considerable anxiety and trepidation among the populace. Soon there were predictions and prophetic utterances of disaster overtaking the nation. Once such prediction said, “A deity will strike the king and fire consume the land.” Another prophecy was directed directly at Nineveh; “The city wall will be destroyed.”

e. then, three years later in 760 BC a major earthquake struck the Middle East and caused extensive damage throughout the region — including Israel

ILLUS. Archaeologists have found evidence of the quake throughout the region and geologists say it may have registered at 8 or above on the Richter scale.

1) today we may not be able to predict earthquakes, but we know why the occur — the ancients did not and the people of Nineveh would have considered it one more omen that the gods were angry and doom was fast approaching

2) clearly, life was difficult for the Ninevites by the time of Jonah’s visit

a) with political struggles and natural calamities still fresh on their minds, the Ninevites had a sense of spiritual urgency and were sensitive to signs and omens

3) these events tell us that Assyria was ripe for spiritual awakening

3. it was during this decline that Jeroboam II began to expand his nation’s boundaries

a. Jonah played a key role in this

“He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Dead Sea, in accordance with the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher. 26 The LORD had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; there was no one to help them. 27 And since the LORD had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.” (2 Kings 14:25–27, NIV)

b. Jonah is considered a faithful prophet and a natural hero

II. JONAH, THE CALLING

“The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”” (Jonah 1:1–2, NIV)

1. the story of Jonah is about a rebellious Jewish prophet who hates God for loving the enemies Jonah hates

A. THE SITUATION

1. the story opens as does so many of the Jewish prophetic books ... The word of the Lord came to Jonah ...

a. what’s the message? “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.””

b. it’s a prophecy similar to other Old Testament prophecies — God is about to destroy a wicked nation that has afflicted the People of God

1) you would think that Jonah would relish a face-off with the citizens of Nineveh

2) “God has sent me to tell you that He’s going to destroy you. Have a nice day!”

2. but Jonah runs from God’s appointed mission for him

a. why?

b. we find out in chapter four when Jonah accuses God of being too merciful

1) the story reveals that after Jonah preaches his one-sentence sermon that from the King on down to the peasant, the Ninevites repent and turn to God

2) Jonah tells God that he knew this would happen — that God would forgive the Ninevites

c. Jonah would have just as soon see God wipe the city from the face of the earth

1) he actually throws Scripture in God’s face, quoting Exodus 34:6

“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,” (Exodus 34:6, NIV)

2) he then goes outside the city and sits down waiting to see if God would change His mind and destroy the city anyway

3) when he doesn’t he actually asks God to strike him dead for Jonah would rather die than worship a God who forgives his enemies

“But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”” (Jonah 4:10–11, NIV)

3. then ending of Jonah is the proverbial “cliff-hanger”

a. the story ends with God rebuking the prophet, and we’re left wondering if Jonah ever repented of his attitude

b. this is purposeful

c. the readers — who would have been Jews — are forced to ask the question, “How would I respond in Jonah’s place? How do I feel about God saving tens-of-thousands of my traditional enemy? Why would God offer grace to them?”

III. LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF JONAH

1. The Story of Jonah Is a Sign of Christ’s Resurrection

a. Jesus specifically drew a parallel between Jonah’s experience and his own

“He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.” (Matthew 12:39–41, NIV)

b. Jesus is clear — the pagans of Nineveh responded more favorably to God’s gospel of grace then the Jewish nation is

1) at the end of time, when nations are condemned, Nineveh will be a witness against the Jews of Jesus’ generation

2. The Book of Jonah teaches that salvation is not by works, but by faith which leads to repentance

a. the way to God is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by the blood of a substitutionary sacrifice provided by the Lord

b. the most significant statement in the Book of Jonah is in the second chapter ... “Salvation is of the LORD” (Jonah 2:9)

1) He is the author of salvation; He erected the great building of our salvation; He is the architect

3. The Book of Jonah Teaches That God’s Purpose of Grace Cannot Be Frustrated

a. Jonah refused to go to Nineveh, but God was still going to get the message to Nineveh, and God would do what was necessary in Jonah’s life to bring the prophet in line with His will

4. That God Will Not Cast Us Aside for Faithlessness

a. He may not use you, but if you are truly one of His, He will not cast you aside

5. The Book of Jonah Teaches That God Is Good and Gracious

“He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” (Jonah 4:2, NIV)

a. it is simply wrong to say that the Old Testament reveals a God of wrath and the New Testament reveals a God of love

b. He certainly is no vengeful deity in the Book of Jonah

6. The Book of Jonah Teaches That God Is the God of Gentiles

“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.” (Romans 3:28–30, NIV)

a. the Book of Jonah reveals that even in the Old Testament God did not forget the Gentiles