No compelling evidence leads to a more precise date. Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of nineveh. Mar 16, 2019 the audience of the book of jonah was the people of israel and all future readers of the bible and, typically, prophets issued warnings or gave instructions to the people of israel. Ratings 100% 4 4 out of 4 people found this document helpful. Although the book is written in the third person, the traditional view is that jonah is the author of the book, and there is no persuasive reason to theorize about an unknown author. The author of the book is the prophet jonah who wrote his own autobiography.
Based around 780 bc, the book of jonah is written during the time of reign of jeroboam 11. Read verse in new revised standard jonah bible study questions verified 8 days ago book of jonah study guide. The book contains fascination interaction between men and god, which sasson brings out well. What lesson should jonah have learned from the ninevites response to gods call for repentance and faith. The prophetic significance of this book not only lies in the short message in nineveh but also in the entire history of jonah described in his book. It is chiefly a book about a prophet instead of being a collection of oracles of the prophet. Go to the great city of nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me. Jonah studies questions for four sessions 4 dramatised text of the book of jonah narrator the word of yahweh was addressed to jonah son of amittai. Since jonah prophesied during the reign of jeroboam ii 782753 b. Concern for the salvation of all people, including ones enemies, is the proper attitude for people of god. He boarded a ship and during the trip a fierce storm occurred. Set in the reign of jeroboam ii 786746 bc but written in the postexilic some time between the late 5th to early 4th century bc it tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to prophesy the destruction of nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission. For one thing, it is a book artfully constructed, with one chapter devoted to a psalm. It is a well known story for obvious reasons, not least of which are a disobedient prophet, an obedient fish and a wicked nation that starts out bad, yet ends up good.
Summary of the book of jonah jonah s call arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and cry against it. Jonah therefore is the only prophet of the ot revealing the grace of god towards the heathen. Neverthirsty the main message of the book of jonah is that our god is a loving god. God had caused the storm to motivate jonah to be obedient. It concerns a disobedient prophet who rejected his divine commission, was cast overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and returned to his starting point. Its the first time in the book that jonah is happy.
Though the story has become a byword among people, the book is looked upon with ridicule and disbelief, and is laughed out of the bible as being a. One of those is the way the historical account is conceived and recorded. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for tarshish to flee from the lord. At first unwilling to make the journey northeast to deliver gods message, jonah turned and aimed for the farthest westward point known to himtarshish, located in modernday spain. Probably the best known yet least understood book in the bible is the book of jonah. Jonah refused and tried to flee to the city of tarshish. The message of the book confronts us with our sinfulness as we see our own faults in jonah s heart. B 2 go to the great city of nineveh c and preach against. A short narrative but with a nuanced message all too often lost in childrens picture books.
Instead, god told jonah to evangelize in the city of nineveh, home of israels cruelest enemy. The story is probably written between the 8th and 3th century bc. The main message of the book of jonah is that our god is a loving god. Presentation of the theological themes in jonah s message. He wanted the prophet jonah to rescue the ninevites from destruction.
The book of jonah the story of jonah has great theological import. The book of jonah appears to have a selfcontained message that transcends its historical context. The book of jonah is mostly remembered for its oddity. First, we should note that this marvelous narrative has suffered.
The book is about a prophet, some sailors and the inhabitants of the city of nineveh who are about to be destroyed because of their sin. Featuring the best selling bible english bible translation, the niv, with verse numbers at the bottom of each page. Go to nineveh, the great city, and proclaim to them that their wickedness has forced itself upon me. Nov 06, 1994 but jonah still holds to his hope that god will blast the city. The story shows us how merciful god is, by contrasting his mercy with jonahs hunger for revenge. Jonah 1 niv jonah flees from the lord bible gateway. Technically, the book of jonah is anonymous, however jewish tradition holds that the author is jonah himself. Jonah started out and made his way into the city the distance of one days walk, and proclaimed. Once the equation of jonah nineveh what is the message of. Not only does sasson go phrase by phrase through the fourchapter book of jonah, discussing the book, discussing sources, but he provides us with an excellent translation, and lengthy introduction and postscripts. Many scholars today consider this ancient text to possess humorous qualities. One day long ago, gods word came to jonah, amittais son.
After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for tarshish to flee from the. Book of jonah and its theological message 3748 words. Narrator jonah set about running away from yahweh, and going to tarshish. The book of jonah is mostly remembered for its oddity a runaway prophet swallowed by a whale. Go to the great city of nineveh and proclaim to it the message that i give you. The book of jonah is more than just a delightful story for children. Jonah 1 running away from god 12 one day long ago, gods word came to jonah, amittais son. Jonah went at once to nineveh in accordance with the lords command. Jonahs story is told in the short just 48 verses but powerful book of jonah. Among its more comedic episodes are a giant fish swallowing a runaway prophet, cattle in mourning, and a plant with the ability to grow large enough to provide shade within a day. Jonah 1 msg running away from god one day long bible. Jul 02, 2020 the book of jonah is a short narrative book about a prophet who doesnt really act like a prophet of god at all. In this story of gods loving concern for all people, nineveh, the great menace to israel, is representative of the gentiles.
The comic explores not only the story and struggle of the prophet of yhvh, but depicts the ancient assyrian city of nineveh. Jonah 3 the word of the lord came to jonah a second time, saying, get up, go to nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that i tell you. Jonah didnt want those idolaters to be saved, so he ran away. In more recent years it has come to be believed that the book is about jonah rather than by him. We are not really told whether jonah fully understood gods love and compassion, but we might think that he did. Jonah 1 niv jonah flees from the lord the word of bible. The ninevites listen to his message of doom and repent. Summary of the book of jonah the story of the bible. United jewish communities ujc, jonahs path and the message of yom kippur. The book of jonah is remarkable for several reasons. Theyre in a bad way and i cant ignore it any longer.
Identified in verse 1 as the son of amittai, jonah came from a town called gathhepher, near nazareth in the area that later came to be known as galilee 2 kings 14. Its a bit warm, even under his umbrella, so god sends a plant that grows up overnight to shade the pouting prophet. He went down to the port of joppa and found a ship headed for tarshish. Once the equation of jonah nineveh what is the message of jonah pg 633 once the from bible 103 at regent university. It is a book that will reward careful reading and meditation. God was telling jonah to take a message of repentance to an empire destined to destroy his own nation and people.
After god eventually turned jonah in the right direction, the prophet obediently prophesied to the people of nineveh while ashurdan iii 772754 bc sat on. Listen to chuck swindolls overview of jonah in his audio message from the classic. Full text in english of the book of jonah my jewish learning. The book opens with god commanding the prophet to go to the city of nineveh and warn the inhabitants to repent or face destruction. Nineveh was an enormously large city a three days walk across.
What parallels can you discern between the actions and attitudes of the characters in the book of jonah including god, and the actions and attitudes of the characters in jesus parable of the. Oct 23, 2016 sometime after the fish vomited jonah onto dry land, the word of the lord comes to him yet again, arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that i tell you. The theological import of jonah s message is explicated through obedience, prayer, goodness, praise, mercifulness, faith, and adoration. The theological message explicated in the book of jonah relates to obedience, forgiveness, the lords goodness, pious devotion, and prayer. Before examining each fruit in the spiritual orchard of jonah. You threw me into oceans depths, into a watery grave, with ocean waves, ocean breakers. Though the book does not identify its author, tradition has ascribed it to the prophet himself, jonah son of amittai, from gath hepher 2ki 14. Seeking another approach, the twentieth century scholars yehoshua bachrach, elyakim benmenahem, and uriel simon cite jonahs protest from the end of the book. Gods determination to get his message to the nations. The book of jonah gives no indication of his prophetic activity in the land of israel. Jonah studies questions for four sessions 3 session 4 jonah and the new testament 1. Commentary or the expositors bible commentary for a full set. From the worlds point of view, jonah and the whale have become a part of literature, a part of mythical legendary history.
Jan 02, 2020 jonah was the son of amittai, who came from gathhepher in zebulun called gittahhepher in joshua 19. But in the book of jonah, the focus is not so much on the. When my life was slipping away, i remembered god, and my prayer got through to you, made it all the way to your holy temple. Although the author of jonah is never identified in the book itself, jonah himself has traditionally been identified as the author. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. Jul 17, 2017 jonah is the only book in the bible that ends with a question. Jonah was a prophet of the lord and he was called to deliver a message of repentance to the city of nineveh which was the capital of the assyrian empire. If you want a standalone commentary on jonah, we recommend the niv application commentary. Now he obeys and goes to nineveh, the capital of israels ancient enemy. To conclude that someone else wrote the book is difficult since the information about jobs experience in the fishs stomach and in chapter 4 requires firsthand knowledge. Jonah also responds to the repentance of nineveh with anger, since he would rather have seen them destroyed. But jonah ran away from the lord and headed for tarshish.
From the belly of sheol i called for help, and you heard my voice. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. He authored this book and told the details of his disobedience as well as gods grace and love for all people. Those who hold jonah as a mythological yarn seek to strengthen. Jonah s prayer within the sea creature and subsequent deliverance. But in the book of jonah, the focus is not so much on the message, but on the prophet. Among its more comedic episodes are a giant fish swallowing a runaway prophet, cattle in mourning, and a plant with the ability to. Now nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days. Before examining each fruit in the spiritual orchard of jonah, this study puts us on a plane to fly above it. Jonah s experiences form the main contents and purpose of the book.
Jonah should have understood that gods word is allpowerful since. This makes jonah one of the few prophets who hailed from the northern kingdom of israel. The book of jonah is often characterized by liberal theologians as a metaphorical story to teach israel to be more open to others. In view of its many similarities with the narratives about elijah and elisha, however, it may come from the same prophetic circles that originally composed. In my distress i called to the lord, and he answered me. The book of jonah gods relentless compassion sermon. He was the earliest of the prophets and close behind elisha in his place in the old testament. His commission, as recorded in the book of jonah the fifth of the minor prophets, was to convey a message from god to the assyrian capital of nineveh. One way we do this is through tangible acts of love such as financial generosity, hospitality, sharing of resources and personal possessions, and advocacy on behalf of those in need politically or socially. The message of jonah is an urgent call for the global church to extend to others the compassion they themselves have received. The book of jonah is an ideal text to ask such questions of. The experienced sailors were so terrified of the storm that they eventually threw jonah into the sea.
He went down to joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. Jonah flees from the lord the word of the lord came to jonah son of amittai. Rather than the story being only about nineveh, or about gods. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to tarshishas far away from god as he could get. But more than that, in the drama of jonah we find charted the course not just of. Ironically, the people who really got the message were the sailors and ninevites, not the. The man jonah was the main character of the book, he was the son of amittai jonah 1. In most of the prophetic books of the bible, the focus is the message of the prophet.
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