Book Of Jonah

Book of Jonah

Even non-Christians have heard about the story of Jonah and the whale. Usually non-Christians just think it’s a fantasy story that you can ignore. However, we know Jonah was a real person, and this is not just an allegory or a fantasy. Jonah shows up in 2Kings14 and also Jesus talked about him as a real person in the NT.

Jonah was a suspect prophet. In 2 Kings 14:23-25 he made a prophecy that God’s favor was with Jeroboam II, however, Amos in Amos 7:10-17 says God reversed his prophecy ends up saying the opposite and contradicting Jonah would lose territory because he was horrible. So in Jonah’s time it did come true but later in Amos’ time his prophecy came true so it’s a little weird but it’s just a timing thing each came true in their own time revealing different sides of God’s character.

Matthew and Luke have Jesus saying that Jonah is a sign for a wicked and adulterous generation. So we know Jonah relates to Jesus - however, when you read it, you sort of realize In some ways Jonah is a symbol and in other ways Jonah is almost like the direct opposite of Jesus. The whole book of Jonah is like a “subvert your expectations” book!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bartley - actually swallowed by a whale for two days - found after two days alive - was white and shriveled and blind from the gastric juices! Don’t know if it’s true and there seems to be some doubt but interesting if true. Regardless, God can do anything even if this may or may not be plausible.

The Ninevites were evil Assyrians who were barbaric brutal wicked killers and were notoriously known for being ruthless brutal killers, and other unspeakable crimes. (Nahum 3:1-7) Are such people worth saving? God says he has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them: ‘As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?’

Chapter 1

God called Jonah to cry out against the wicked Ninevites.

Jonah noped out of there, found a boat, and went the other way to Tarshish! (I think Tarshish just means “far away land”, some say it’s like Spain - so far on the other side of the Mediterranean. (Jesus did what the Father asked) (Sing the Gilligan's theme song? - A three hour tour… The weather started getting rough… )

As the storm raged Jonah was asleep? How do you do that?

The sailors drew lots to find out who was at fault and it fell on Jonah! I don’t put faith in lots but in this case, it was probably a divine miracle, not just a coincidence. They didn’t want to but they threw Jonah overboard, and behold the storm went calm!

Jonah sort of would rather die than prophecy to the Ninevites! Weird.

Jesus also slept during a storm, but then woke and said Peace be still! - sort of similar.

Now this part is sort of weird. We know Jonah was swallowed by a big fish. In the book of Matthew, Jesus calls it a monster. What was it? Who knows, but God can do anything. It doesn’t have to be anything we know about, God could have created this kaiju just for this purpose.

3 days and 3 nights is specific and Matthew and Luke record Jesus saying that it’s a sign and we know that it corresponds to Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Some people say this is literal 72 hours and some say any part of it can be counted as a day, and that’s why you have some people say Good Friday, some Good Thursday, and some Good Wednesday as they were all some sort of high day so it’s hard to know for sure but most people say Friday so we sort of go with that.

Matthew 12:40

for just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

Chapter 2

This is a weird chapter as it is Jonah’s prayer during the 3 days and 3 nights.

It almost sounds like Jonah died (depth of Sheol) but then it sounds like he didn’t and no one seems to know for sure. If nothing else it more relates to Jesus’ burial. The seaweed on his head might be a symbolism of Jesus’ burial clothes?

Anyway, it’s sort of a prayer of repentance and sort of not - still a weird prayer for a prophet of God - but he appears to commit to God.