Memory verse: Jonah 1:14Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish
for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
Introduction
Mention the name Jonah and chances are that
most people will know of that name.Some will associate that
name with bad luck or jinx.Others will think of it
as a character from a children’s story concerning a big fish that swallowed a man and after three days, vomited
him out alive.This story has been corrupted amongst pagans.For example, one pagan story tells of Hercules who entered the jaws of a sea monster into its belly and
stayed there for three days in order to save Hesione.Another story tells of a
musician by the name of Arion who was carried to the safety of the shore by a dolphin after being thrown into the
sea by some sailors.Is it any wonder therefore that some people
view the story of Jonah as a fable?
Why do people object to this book?Some do so because they do not believe the miracles described there.Human logic says that Jonah
could not have survived that 3-day sojourn in the belly of the fish.Surely Jonah would have
drowned, or be digested or otherwise suffocated in the fish’s belly? But they forget that what is impossible with
man, with God nothing is impossible.Surely it is no more difficult
for God to sustain Jonah then than it was for Him to sustain Moses during his 40-day stay on Mount Sinai? And it
would be just as simple for God to do so as it was for him to part the Red Sea.
That Jonah survived in the fish’s belly for 3 days is truly a miracle of God.History has shown that there
were approximately six other such documented miracles.Dr. Harry Rimmers, the author
of a book entitled “The Harmony of Science and Scripture” tells a story of a sailor who felled overboard and to
the horror of his shipmates, was swallowed up by a fish.Somehow that same fish was
sighted a day or two later and when it was caught and brought to shore, the sailors sliced open the fish’s belly
and to their utter amazement, found their missing shipmate alive.But something has changed.The surviving sailor’s skin had turned into a chalky white for the rest of his life.The acid in the fish’s belly caused this.This experience is important
to our understanding of Jonah’s successful conversion of the people of Nineveh later in our study.
Old Testament books most hated by Satan
There are 3 Old Testament books of the Bible that
are most hated by Satan.First there is the book of Genesis, in particular
chapter 3 thereof, which explains the fall of man and in that same chapter we find the first Gospel message given
in the Bible in Gen 3:15 which predicts the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ as the seed of the woman.Take away Genesis chapter 3 and the whole Bible is meaningless, because if Adam did not sin there, then
there is no need for our Lord to be incarnated as man, and to shed his sinless blood for mankind.
The next book that Satan hated most is Daniel,
in particular chapter 7 which predicts the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in all his glory and power to
destroy his enemies (Dan 7:9-12). The third book most hated by Satan is Jonah, for this book predicts the death
and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Basic interpretations of the book of Jonah
The mythological approach.Under this approach, Jonah is nothing more than any mythological character like Hercules.As noted earlier, pagans have somewhat similar stories like Jonah, and therefore it is not surprising
to find people thinking that Jonah is just another mythological story.
The parabolic approach. Some people view Jonah as a parable to be taken in an allegorical sense. Under this approach, Jonah
is really Israel, the sea is a picture of the Gentile nations, the fish signifies the Babylonian captivity of the
Jews, and the picture of the fish vomiting out Jonah pictures the return of the Jews during Ezra’s time.
The historical approach. The correct approach is the literal
historical approach.The Lord Jesus Christ testified to the historical
truth of this book when he said: No sign
shall be given but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for, as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's
belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matt 12:39-40).And then He went on to say:The men of Nineveh . . . repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, a greater than Jonas
is here (Matt 12:41).See also Matt 16:4; Lk 11:29-32).
Who is Jonah?
Jonah means a dove, an unusual name for a prophet
at that time. The only other reference to Jonah in the Old Testament is found in 2Kg 14:25, which described
Jonah as the son of Amittai, the prophet,
which was of Gathhepher.He was the prophet of Israel who predicted the restoration of the ancient boundaries of the kingdom. Gathhepher
was in Zebulun, which means that Jonah was from the 10 tribes of the Northern Kingdom.The events described in
2Kg 14:25-27 would date Jonah as possibly the earliest of the prophets. That would be around 780-750 BC. His personal
history is mainly to be gathered from the book that bears his name. It is chiefly interesting from the two-fold
character in which he appears, (1) as a missionary to heathen Nineveh, and (2) as a type of the "Son of man."
Purpose of the Book of Jonah
It may seem strange at first sight that the
book of Jonah is included as one of the 66 inspired books of the Holy Bible.Afterall, there is only
one prophecy in the entire book: Yet
forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown
(Jonah 3:4), and even then, this prophecy is directed at a heathen city of Nineveh and Israel is not even mentioned
at all, something which all other prophets at that time always do.The reason for inclusion
into the Holy Bible seems to be a kind of reproof for Israel.Despite claiming to be God’s
people, Israel did not repent notwithstanding the warnings of their own prophets. This actually led to their own
downfall later when they were dispersed and became the 10 lost tribes of Israel.On the other hand, Nineveh,
the heathen city repented at the very first preaching of Jonah, who at that time was a complete stranger to them.
This should have been a warning and a reproof to Israel, but it went unheeded.
The Book has two parallel halves: chapters 1&2 and 3&4.
CHAPTERS 1 & 2:God demonstrates His compassion
for both the sailors and Jonah by delivering them both.
CHAPTERS 3 & 4:God demonstrates his compassion
for both Nineveh and Jonah by delivering them both.