JONAH---PATRIOT-PATRIOTIC PROPHET
INTRODUCTION
1. Jonah---fact or fiction?
A. No book of the Bible has been subjected to more scorn and ridicule by skeptics and infidels than the little book of Jonah.
B. The attack upon Jonah proceeds from three directions:
1) Rejected completely as being a myth or fable
2) The second attack comes from those who accept the “inspiration” of the book, but deny its literalness. It is considered to be a parable or allegory with spiritual lessons, but not a record of actual fact.
3) The third method of destroying the message of Jonah is far more subtle. It would take the experience of Jonah out of the realm of the miraculous and reduce it to the level of natural possibility. These men claim that it is entirely possible to explain Jonah’s sojourn in the fish on purely natural grounds. “They compass land and sea about for some form of a sea monster, which could swallow a man whole, without crushing him to death, and then have a sufficient supply of oxygen in its stomach to sustain the victim’s life for three days and nights. It is therefore claimed that such a creature exists, or did exist, and reports are quoted of a sailor who was swallowed by such a monster, and after several hours was rescued alive---terribly macerated and mauled, but still alive. And then it is blazoned abroad that we have evidence and proof that the book of Jonah is true, and the experience of the prophet possible.” --DeHaan
C. Answers to the attackers:
1) Myth or fable---to the unregenerate mind, not only the book of Jonah, but the entire Bible is closed. (John 3:3; I Cor. 2:14)
2) Parable or allegory---Jonah was a real person, and directly referred to by the Lord Jesus. (Luke 11:29) Furthermore, if Jonah’s experience was not literal, then we can also allegorize the death and resurrection of Jesus, to which our Lord compares the experience of Jonah. (Matt. 12:38-41)
3) Natural possibility---the attempt to produce ”proof” that the Bible account is true is really a subtle form of unbelief. No creature has ever been found capable of doing the things credited to the fish in Jonah. Jonah, when he came out of the fish was not mauled and macerated and half dead, but apparently well and healthy and ready to preach. God expects us to believe Him without any other evidence than His Word. (cf. Matt. 12:39)
2. Jonah is the only of the Minor Prophets which, in the ordinary sense of the word, does not contain any prophecy at all except his announcement of the threatened destruction of Nineveh within forty days, which was not fulfilled. (3:4)
A. Yet the book is distinctly prophetic and as such is twice referred to by the Lord.
B. In fact, Jonah’s whole history as recorded in this book is in itself a prophecy setting forth:
1) The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ
2) The career of the nation of Israel:
a. Instructed of God to bear a faithful witness to the world
b. Disobedient to her calling
c. Swallowed up in captivity by the Gentiles
d. A faithful remnant to come forth at Christ’s return
e. Sending forth a testimony to the nations
3. Jonah, the man
A. He was the son of Amittai (1:1) which means “truth”.
B. His own name means “dove”.
C. He was a resident of Gath-hepher (II Kings 14:25) in Galilee, north of Nazareth. Note the error of the Lord’s enemies in John 7:52.
D. He prophesied probably in the mid-800’s during the reign of Jeroboam II. (II Kings 14:23-25)
E. He belonged to the northern kingdom of Israel.
F. He is the author of the book of Jonah. Due to the experiences related, it would have been difficult for any one else to write it but Jonah.
4. It is the most “Christian” of all the O.T. books, its central truth being the universality of the divine plan of redemption.
WHY DID JONAH FLEE?
1. Was he just a narrow-minded Jew who so hated the Gentiles that he refused to carry a message to them?
2. Was he a coward and afraid of going to Nineveh?
3. Was he selfishly jealous of his role as a prophet; knowing that there was a danger that if he preached doom, the Ninevites might repent and ruin his prophecy?
4. The real reason:
A. He knew the attributes of God. (4:2)
B. Assyria was the rising world power destined to destroy Israel and Jonah knew this.
C. The brutality of the Assyrians was such as to make him fear the least of God’s favor upon them. (Nahum 3:1-4; 2:12)
D. In short, Jonah knew that unless the Assyrians repented of their sinful condition they would be destroyed by God. (3:4) He also knew that if by some chance they did repent, they would be spared. But worse still, they would be spared to bring about the destruction of Israel as already foretold. (Isa. 7:17; Hosea 9:3; 10:6-7; Amos 3:11)
E. Patriotism determined his disobedience.
REVIVAL IN NINEVEH
The greatest revival in recorded history took place when Jonah finally bowed to the will of God.
1. He was sent as the lone missionary to Assyria’s capital city.
2. The city was 61 miles in circumference. (cf. 3:3, 4)
3. The population of the city:
A. 120,000 children (4:11)
B. An estimated 500,000 people total
4. The revival was total in its outreach; from the king to the least were touched by this spiritual awakening. (3:5-10)
WHAT ABOUT THE WHALE?
“If God said he had prepared a Waldorf-Astoria apartment in the belly of the fish, steam heated and electric lighted, I could easily believe it because I believe God is able to do anything.”
--Dr. A. C. Dixon
OUTLINE OF THE BOOK
I. RUNNING FROM GOD (1)
A. The commission given (vs. 1, 2)
B. The commission rejected (v. 3)
C. The prophet in flight (vs. 4-10)
D. The Lord in pursuit (vs. 11-17)
II. RUNNING TO GOD (2)
A. The place of his prayer
B. The position of his prayer
C. The power of his prayer
III. RUNNING WITH GOD (3)
A. Renewal of the commission (vs. 1, 2)
B. The commission discharged (vs. 3, 4)
C. The city repents (vs. 5-10)
IV. RUNNING AHEAD OF GOD (4)
A. Jonah’s displeasure at God’s mercy (vs. 1-4)
B. Jonah’s complaint at God’s provision (vs. 6-8)
C. God’s love manifested for lost ones (v. 11)