 
### ARISE AND GO!

### A Guide for the Interpretation of the Book of Jonah

By William H. Lawson

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Title and Cover

The title comes from the calls of Jonah in 1:2 and 3:2 "Arise and go to the great city of Nineveh." The cover shows Jonah, the reluctant prophet, receiving his second call to "Arise and go!" after he has been washed up on shore. The Book of Jonah confronts reluctant prophets of all times with the call of God to "Arise and go!" based on their fear of God who made the sea and the dry land, their gratitude to God for their own experience of salvation, their realization that God is able to save even the worst of sinners, and the compassion of their God for a lost world.

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Copyright 2007 William H. Lawson

Revised 2018

Smashwords Edition

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Dedicated to my students and colleagues in Asia.

May you always arise and go when the LORD calls.

### TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JONAH

CHAPTER TWO: BUT JONAH AROSE TO FLEE (Jonah 1:1-16)

CHAPTER THREE: SALVATION BELONGS TO THE LORD (Jonah 1:17-2:10)

CHAPTER FOUR: SO JONAH AROSE AND WENT (Jonah 3:1-10)

CHAPTER FIVE: SHOULDN'T I HAVE PITY? (Jonah 4:1-11)

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

### PREFACE

Christians and even ministers often struggle to hear God speak through the Bible. The problem in part is that sound principles and methods for interpreting the Bible are not known or practiced. Instead, everyone does what is right in his or her own eyes.

In Ears to Hear: A Guide for the Interpretation of the Bible I provide principles, methods, and procedures for Christians and ministers as they seek to hear God speak through the Bible and communicate the message of the Bible to those who need a word from God. This guide supplements Ears to Hear by illustrating the principles, methods, and procedures introduced in that guide through practicing them on the Book of Jonah. Other volumes are also available that illustrate these principles, methods, and procedures on other biblical books including Obedient unto Death: A Guide for the Interpretation of Paul's Epistle to the Philippians and The Lion Roars: A Guide for the Interpretation of the Book of Amos.

The first chapter contains my introductory study of the Book of Jonah and illustrates the method and procedures introduced in unit 2 of Ears to Hear. Chapters 2 through 5 contain my interpretations of the individual passages in the Book of Jonah and illustrate the methods and procedures introduced in units 3 through 6 of Ears to Hear.

It is my earnest desire that you would not only benefit from my interpretation of the Book of Jonah but that you would also use the methodologies illustrated within this book in your interpretation of the Bible.

William H. Lawson

### CHAPTER ONE
### INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JONAH

An important initial step for doing exegesis of an individual passage is to come to some basic conclusions about the background purpose, biblical context and role, genre and function, strategy and structure, and message of the book as a whole. These conclusions provide the foundation for understanding the individual passages in the book.

Background and Purpose

Information is available in another part of the Old Testament that provides background for understanding the setting of the events recorded in the Book of Jonah. Jonah is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25. From this passage it can be concluded that Jonah was a prophet in the Northern Kingdom during the 8th Century reign of Jeroboam II and prophesied the restoration of the boundaries of Israel to those which were in existence during the reign of David. This period in Israel's history was a time of great prosperity and national pride.

Though this information is important, it is essential with respect to the Book of Jonah to distinguish carefully between the historical setting of the events recorded and the historical background of the book as literature. One should not automatically assume that Jonah was the author or that the book was written in the 8th Century to citizens of the Northern Kingdom. Instead, one must examine the book in detail to determine if there is any indication as to the author, date and place of writing, and the recipients and their situation. Unfortunately there is a paucity of information with regard to these issues.

Authorship

Nowhere is the author identified. Jonah is not claimed as the author anywhere and the fact that the book portrays Jonah in a rather negative light adds to the improbability that he wrote the book (Stuart, 432). All that can be known of the author must be implied from the contents of the book itself. There we find that the author had a revelation of the compassion of God that extended to the entire world.

Date and Place of Writing

The Book of Jonah must have been written sometime within the range of time between the lifetime of Jonah (8th Century BC) and 200 BC when the book was known and accepted (Sir. 49:10). The book gives no indication that it is recording nearly contemporary events and some scholars have found considerable evidence to suggest a much later date. Three primary arguments are often used to fix the date of the Book of Jonah. First, some scholars point to the theological and sometimes verbal similarities between the Book of Jonah and other Old Testament books. They maintain that the Book of Jonah has a universal understanding of God more in conformity with Deutero-Isaiah and Jeremiah. Close verbal similarities are found between the Book of Jonah and Jeremiah 18:7-8 (Jonah 3:9-10), Joel 2:14 (Jonah 3:9), Joel 2:13 (Jonah 4:2), and many of the psalms, some of which are probably postexilic (Jonah 2). On the basis of these theological and verbal similarities it is proposed that the Book of Jonah is dependent on these sources and it is dated accordingly (Glaze, 153). Second, some scholars maintain that Nineveh is described in the Book of Jonah as if it has long since ceased to exist and enough time has elapsed for legends about its size to arise. A time well after Nineveh's destruction in 606 BC is usually proposed (Glaze, 152 for example argues for a late date based on the "growing legendary status" accorded Nineveh in the Book of Jonah). This argument is based primarily on the description of Nineveh in 3:3b, "Nineveh was an extremely large city, a journey of three days." This description, they maintain, portrays Nineveh as an enormous city that surpasses by far the actual size of the city as indicated by archaeological evidence. In addition, they argue that the perfect state of the Hebrew verb, "Nineveh was" indicates that Nineveh no longer existed when the Book of Jonah was written. Finally, some scholars isolate certain words and phrases, which they label as Aramaisms, that occur predominantly in late biblical Hebrew. They then conclude that the Book of Jonah must have been written in this late period (Bewer, 12).

Though the arguments for a late dating of the Book of Jonah are suggestive, they are by no means conclusive. The argument based on theological and verbal similarities is not conclusive because literary dependence is difficult to establish with certainty. The argument based on the perspective of the author with regard to the city of Nineveh is also inconclusive. Hebrew verb states do not indicate the time of the action of the verb and even if the context implies a past time there is no clear indication of how far in the past. In addition, the interpretation of "a journey of three days," is uncertain and to label this as a legendary understanding of Nineveh is unnecessary. This description of Nineveh could be understood in other ways (See the study of Jonah 3:1-10). The argument based on the use of Aramaisms is also inconclusive. Great caution should be used in evaluating linguistic arguments. Some of these Aramaisms may be attributed to the use of maritime terminology (Allen, 187, has a full discussion). The expression, "God of the heavens," could be an ancient designation following Genesis 24:3, 7, though it is predominantly used in late Hebrew (2 Chronicles 36:23, Psalms 136; Daniel 2:18, 19, 44; and frequently in Ezra and Nehemiah). Baldwin raises the possibility that Jonah could reflect the northern Israelite dialect (Baldwin, 546). The date and place of writing of the Book of Jonah, therefore, are difficult to settle with certainty. Some scholars have used what is implied in the book about the recipients and their situation to establish the place and date of writing (See below). However, the inferences are speculative and no definitive conclusions can be made with regard to the place and date of the writing the Book of Jonah.

Situation and Purpose

Again nothing is directly revealed in the Book of Jonah about the recipients and their situation. All that can be known must be implied from the contents of the book. Fortunately a correlation does seem to exist between the main character of the book and the intended audience. It appears to be the intention of the author that the recipients identify with Jonah and by so doing recognize their own shortcomings. By sketching the character of Jonah, therefore, it is possible to understand generally the character of the intended recipients of the Book of Jonah.

Jonah is described in chapter 1 as prophet who is given a mission to preach to the people of Nineveh. He rebelled against this call, however, and tried to go as far as he could in the opposite direction. In chapter 2 Jonah is described as the recipient of God's mercy. In chapters 3 Jonah is obedient to God's call, but in chapter 4 Jonah is described as someone who lacks the compassion of God for the people of Nineveh and even resents the fact that God has shown them mercy. It may be generally concluded, therefore, that the recipients of the Book of Jonah had experienced the mercy of God, been given the responsibility of going to the nations, but failed to do so because they lacked God's compassion for all people.

Some scholars have proposed that the description of the recipients and their situation implied in the Book of Jonah reflects well the situation during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. During this time the people of Israel withdrew into a narrow nationalism to prevent themselves from being corrupted by the religious practices of their neighbors. Based on this proposal, the Book of Jonah is understood as an opposing perspective, which called for a mission to the Gentiles. The fact is, however, that this description fits the people of Israel just about any time during their history. Therefore, it will have to be sufficient to identify the recipients only in this general fashion.

In response to this situation the author of the Book of Jonah seeks to reveal, through Jonah's adventures, that the failure of the people of Israel to go to the nations was not only foolish and ungrateful, but demonstrated that they were completely opposed to the nature of their compassionate God. He probably hoped to challenge them to come out of their isolation and exclusiveness and inspire them to a Gentile mission.

Biblical Context and Role

The Book of Jonah is part of the fourth division of the Christian canon of the Old Testament, the Prophetic Books. Actually, the Prophetic Books of the Christian canon are a composite of books from two divisions of the Hebrew canon, the Prophets and the Writings (Daniel and Lamentations). In the Hebrew canon the Prophets are further subdivided into the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) and the Minor Prophets. Though not a formal division in the Christian canon, the distinction between the Major and Minor Prophets is normally recognized with Daniel and Lamentations from the Writings augmenting the Major Prophets. The distinction between the Major and Minor Prophets was not intended to minimize the importance of the Minor Prophets in any way. Instead, the distinction seems to be based solely on the size of the written prophetic works. The Prophetic Books serve within the canon to both confront the unfaithful with their sin and warn them of God's judgment so that they will repent and comfort the faithful with the assurance of God's faithfulness so that they will remain faithful. In this way the Prophetic Books reinforce and supplement the Pentateuch, which reveals God's gracious purpose for the people of Israel and warns them of his judgment if they are unfaithful, and the Historical Books, which illustrate God's graciousness to the faithful and judgment of the unfaithful. The Book of Jonah serves the first function of the Prophetic Books by confronting the people of Israel with their rebellion, ingratitude, and lack of compassion as seen in their failure to take God's message of grace to the nations. However, the Book of Jonah is distinct from most of the Prophetic Books in genre since it is a historical narrative rather than prophetic literature (See below). The Book of Jonah was probably included in the Prophetic Books because it narrates the life of a prophet and among the Minor Prophets because of its size. The books in the Minor Prophets are arranged generally in chronological order. Jonah is placed fifth among the Minor Prophets because it narrates the life of a prophet who lived in the 8th Century.

Genre and Function

Considerable debate has centered on the nature of the Book of Jonah. In the modern epoch of interpretation many scholars have questioned the historical character of the Book of Jonah and have proposed instead that the book is a fictional account.

The Historical Character of the

Book of Jonah

A simple reading of the Book of Jonah reveals that the book is written in the form of historical narrative. Jonah received God's call to go to Nineveh, but instead fled toward Tarshish. God sent a storm and Jonah was eventually thrown into the sea. Jonah was swallowed by a great fish where he spent three days and three nights at which time he was vomited onto the shore. Jonah then proceeded to Nineveh where he proclaimed God's message, the inhabitants repented, and the city was mercifully saved.

Modern critical scholars have challenged the historical character of the Book of Jonah primarily because it records the miraculous (Bewer, 4 even states emphatically, "We are in wonderland"). The storm is brought about by the direct intervention of God and becomes calm as soon as Jonah is thrown overboard. At the direction of God a great fish swallows Jonah and he is preserved for three days without any ill effects from the gastric juices of the fish's stomach. After Jonah proclaims God's message, all of Nineveh repents and is saved, though there is no collaborating evidence and other prophets foretell the destruction of Nineveh within a few generations seemingly without being aware of Jonah's ministry there. God causes a plant to grow over Jonah to give him shade and similarly causes the destruction of the plant.

These miracles create a problem for those who hold the scientific worldview prevalent in the modern world. According to this perspective, the world is a closed system within which occurrences can be explained in terms of logical causation and there is little room for divine intervention or the miraculous. The whole basis of the Christian religion, however, is that God has intervened in history by sending his Son Jesus Christ. For the Christian, therefore, there is no need to deny the historical character of the Book of Jonah.

The Literary Character of the

Book of Jonah

Though there is no reason to deny the historical character of the Book of Jonah based on the presence of miracle, the character of the book does suggest that it is not simply historical narrative. The book has a highly developed literary character in which the author employs hyperbole, irony, parody, etc. Preeminent is his concern for his readers to identify themselves with Jonah. One must take a second look at the Book of Jonah, therefore, to determine if it is primarily narrative or another literary form using the narrative mold. Many literary genres characteristically take the form of narrative but serve a quite distinctive function with little concern for a factual record.

Several possibilities for understanding the literary character of the Book of Jonah have been proposed, the most popular being that the book is an allegory or parable. These genres are similar in that their predominant literary feature is comparison. An allegory is an extended story wherein fictional characters and objects represent other real people and things. According to this approach Jonah represents the people of Israel. His name even means "dove" a symbolic name for Israel. His rebellion against the call of God represents Israel's rebellion. His stay in the fish represents Israel's exile. His deliverance from the fish represents Israel's restoration to Palestine (Smith, 493-496). The difficulty with understanding the Book of Jonah as an allegory is that this form requires a level of correspondence between the characters and events of the book and the people and experience of Israel that does not seem to be present in the Book of Jonah.

Because of this difficulty it is more common today to classify the Book of Jonah as a parable (Bewer, 4; and Allen, 178 though he suggests that the Book of Jonah is also a parody or satire). A parable is usually a brief story wherein fictional figures and actions are said to be like other figures and actions at one or more points. Identifying the Book of Jonah as a parable, therefore, is consistent with the author's attempt to identify Jonah with Israel without forcing the reader to make parallels between the experience of Jonah and Israel which are unnatural and strained. Though the Book of Jonah has some similarities with parables, it is not a parable in the strict sense. Jonah is a historical figure and the Book of Jonah is much longer than the norm for parables. It is probably better to conclude that the Book of Jonah is a narrative that teaches through the identification of the readers with the main character.

The Historical Question Reconsidered

The question remains as to whether the Book of Jonah is historical or a literary fiction. Certainly the subject of the story is a real person. It is true that the selection of Jonah as the subject of the story may serve a simple literary function. He may have been chosen because his name was symbolically used for Israel and would help in the identification of the audience with Jonah. He may have been chosen because he was identified with Jewish nationalism as the prophet who prophesied the restoration of Israel's borders and this identification would enable the readers identify with him. There is another possibility, however, which may have worked with the literary functions. The author may have chosen Jonah because he found in what he knew of the life and experience of the prophet many parallels with the Israelites of his time and lessons to be learned. Furthermore, Jesus' use of the story of Jonah at least presupposes that the book was understood as historical in his time. In conclusion, it is possible to deduce that the Book of Jonah is historical narrative and a literary work. Moreover, biblical history is seldom an objective retelling of facts but normally interpreted history (See Stuart, 440-442 for a thorough defense of the historicity of the Book of Jonah).

The Nature and Function of the

Book of Jonah

The Book of Jonah, therefore, should be understood as a narrative that relates historical events in such a way as to communicate a message. The key elements of narrative are setting, characters, and plot. Through identifying with the characters in their setting the readers are enabled to enter into the experience of God's people in history and learn from their experience as the plot develops. The setting of the Book of Jonah shifts in each episode from a boat heading for Tarshish in the midst of a storm, to a great fish, to Nineveh, to a locale to the east of the city. These settings serve a variety of functions within the narrative. For example, the setting of 1:1-16--a boat heading for Tarshish in the midst of a storm--serves within the narrative to draw attention to Jonah's rebellion against God's call to go to Nineveh and the consequences of that disobedience. The significance of these settings will be addressed in more detail within the studies of the individual passages.

The main character of the Book of Jonah of course is Jonah. The readers are intended to identify with Jonah. However, their identification with Jonah is not always intended to be a pleasant experience. In chapters 1 and 4 Jonah is portrayed negatively as a bad example for the people of Israel. He is portrayed as foolish for rebelling against God's call and totally in opposition to God's compassion for the Ninevites. The implications of the portrayals of Jonah in these chapters are that the people of Israel should not foolishly rebel like Jonah and they should have God's compassion for all people rather than Jonah's hatred. In chapters 2 and 3 Jonah is portrayed positively as a good example for the people of Israel. He is portrayed as gratefully committing himself to God and obediently proclaiming God's word of warning to Nineveh. The implications of the portrayals of Jonah in these chapters are that the people of Israel should commit themselves to God and obey God's call to proclaim his word of warning to the nations like Jonah. Other key characters in the Book of Jonah are the sailors, especially their captain, the Ninevites, especially their king, and God. These characters serve a variety of roles within the narrative. For example, the sailors in 1:1-16, ironically illustrate the fear and readiness to submit to God that should have characterized his prophet and people. The significance of these characters will be addressed in more detail within the studies of the individual passages.

The Book of Jonah contains a variety of plot types: Jonah's rebellion against God's call > God's judgment of Jonah (1:1-16); God's gracious salvation of Jonah > Jonah's grateful commitment to God (1:17-2:10); Jonah's obedience to God's call > Nineveh's positive response to God's warning > God's sparing of Nineveh (3:1-10); and Jonah's anger > God's challenging questions > God's justification of his compassion for Nineveh (4:1-11). These plot types serve a variety of functions within the narrative. For example, when God judges Jonah by having him thrown into the sea to drown in 1:1-16 the foolishness of Jonah for rebelling against God's call and refusing to repent is revealed. The implication of God's judgment of Jonah is that the people of Israel should not rebel against God's call like Jonah or they might be judged like Jonah. The significance of these plot types will be addressed in more detail within the studies of the individual passages.

In addition to setting, characters, and plot, irony plays a significant role in the Book of Jonah. Irony is understood here as the description of circumstances or results that are incongruous with normal expectations, frequently to draw attention to their remarkableness, appropriateness, or inappropriateness. Irony is especially present in chapters 1, 3, and 4 where Jonah rebels against God's call (1:1-16), the wicked Ninevites wholeheartedly repent (3:1-10), and God's prophet Jonah is totally devoid of God's compassion (4:1-11). For example, it would normally be expected that a prophet would be wise in his dealings with God whereas a pagan would be expected to be foolish. However, as the plot of 1:1-16 develops, the foolishness of Jonah when contrasted with the sailors is made increasingly clear. He says that he fears God, but rebels against God's call. The sailors really fear God and are ready to do whatever God says. Through this ironic contrast the author draws attention to the inappropriateness of Jonah's rebellion against God's call and the appropriateness of fearing and obeying God like the sailors.

Strategy and Structure

The integrity and current arrangement of the text of the Book of Jonah has been attacked at many points through the years but only with respect to the psalm in chapter 2 has this criticism persisted. Many scholars note that the psalm has much in common with many other psalms. Furthermore, many scholars question whether it fits into its present context since it is a psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance and Jonah is singing inside the fish and far from safe. Based on these considerations some scholars conclude that a later editor has added the psalm to enlarge the account (Bewer, 13-24 has a comprehensive discussion of the critical problems). Other scholars propose that the psalm has been misplaced and originally came after verse 10 when Jonah was safe on the shore (Glaze, 153). However, such hypotheses are unnecessary for the psalm fits perfectly well where it is. The danger Jonah experienced was the possibility of death by drowning as the content of the psalm clarifies. Therefore, the fish should be understood, not as God's punishment of Jonah, but as his means of salvation. It is then perfectly appropriate for Jonah to sing praises to God within the fish (See Stuart, 439-441 for a complete analysis).

The Book of Jonah is in chronological order and falls naturally into two halves recognizable by the parallel beginnings of chapters 1 and 3 and the paradoxically similar endings of chapters 2 and 4. The first half of the Book of Jonah relates the first call of Jonah and his rebellion, and concludes with him repenting from his rebellion. The second half of the Book of Jonah relates the second call of Jonah and his obedience, and concludes with him regretting his obedience. The first half of the Book of Jonah addresses the rebellion of the people of Israel because of their failure to go to the nations. Chapter 1 identifies the rebellion of Jonah and the people of Israel as foolish because it is rebellion against the Almighty universal God. Chapter 2 identifies the rebellion of Jonah and the people of Israel as ingratitude to the God who has saved them and seeks to lead them to repent and submit to God along with Jonah. The second half of the Book of Jonah demonstrates how deficient the Israelites have been in conforming to the character of their God. Chapter 3 demonstrates that God is a loving God who will show mercy to the nations if they repent. Chapter 4 demonstrates the deficiency of the people of Israel by contrasting Jonah's superficial values with God's compassion for the nations. The Book of Jonah concludes in an odd way. No indication is given that Jonah repented of his superficial values and lack of compassion for people. In this way, the readers are challenged to choose between emulating Jonah or God.

I. Jonah's First Call and Rebellion

A. God's Call and Jonah's Foolish Rebellion (1:1-16)

B. God's Deliverance and Jonah's Thankful Commitment (1:17-2:10)

II. Jonah's Second Call and Obedience

A. Jonah's Obedience and God's Grace (3:1-10)

B. Jonah's Anger and God's Compassion (4:1-11)

Message

The Book of Jonah spoke strongly against the narrowness of the people of Israel and challenged them to take God's word of warning and hope to the nations. The people of Israel should truly fear God and obey his call to take his word to the nations so that they will not be judged like Jonah (1:1-16). The people of Israel should commit themselves to obey God's call to take his word to the nations because they are grateful for God's gracious salvation like Jonah (1:17-2:10). The people of Israel should obey the Lord's call to take his word to the nations like Jonah so that others will have an opportunity to experience God's gracious salvation (3:1-10). The people of Israel should obey God's call to take his word to the nations because they share God's compassion for all people rather than Jonah's selfishness (4:1-11). More comprehensive statements of the message are found in the interpretations of individual passages.

### CHAPTER TWO

### BUT JONAH AROSE TO FLEE

### God's Call and Jonah's Foolish Rebellion

### Jonah 1:1-16

The limitation of this passage to verses 1-16 may seem odd because the exclusion of verse 17 violates the division of the chapters. However, verses 1-16 record the episode of Jonah's call and flight and verse 17 introduces Jonah's episode with the great fish that is related in the next chapter. Actually the Hebrew text of chapter 1 ends after verse 16. The English translators follow the Septuagint in dividing the chapters as they do, but the Hebrew division is preferable.

Study of the Passage

Text and Translation

1The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2"Arise and go to the great city of Nineveh and preach to the inhabitants, for their wickedness has come up before me." 3But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from before the LORD. He went down to Jaffa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the required fare, and went down into it in order to go with them to Tarshish from before the LORD.

4Then **the LORD** * threw a great wind on the sea and as a result a great storm arose on the sea so that the ship was seriously thinking that it was going to be torn to pieces. 5Consequently the sailors were frightened and each cried out to his own god and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea in order to lighten it from upon them. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship, lain down, and fallen into a deep sleep. 6Then the captain came and said to him, "How can you keep on sleeping? Arise and call upon your god! Perhaps your god will give a thought to us and we will not perish."

7Then they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots and find out on whose account this disaster has come upon us." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8As a result they said to him, "Please tell us on whose account this disaster has come upon us.1 What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?" 9Then he answered, "I am a Hebrew and I fear **the LORD** *, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." 10Consequently the men became extremely frightened and said to him, "What is this that you have done?" for the men knew that he was fleeing from the LORD because he told them.2

11Then they asked him, "What should we do to you so that the sea will be quiet from upon us?" for the sea was growing stormier. 12He replied, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea so that the sea will be quiet from upon you, for I know that it is on account of me that this great storm has come upon you." 13Instead the men rowed hard in order to return to the dry land, but they could not because the storm was growing even more stormy against them. 14So they called unto the LORD and said, "LORD, please we beg you, don't let us die for the life of this man, and do not put innocent blood upon us, for **you LORD** * have done just what you wanted." 15Then they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea and the sea stopped raging. 16As a result the men feared the LORD3 exceedingly, offered sacrifices, and made vows.

*The bold print indicates an emphasis on these words in the Hebrew text that is otherwise difficult to convey in English (See Analysis of the Details).

1The words "on whose account this evil has come upon us" may be a marginal note that has been incorporated into the text since it is not in several manuscripts of the Masoretic Text and Septuagint, is a repetition of the previous statement (7), and is unnecessary since the lots had already determined that Jonah was the guilty party.

2The words "because he told them" have been identified by some as a marginal note which was added to clarify an ambiguity in the story and was later incorporated into the text, but this identification lacks manuscripts support and it may simply be an explanation by the author himself.

3The direct object "the LORD" is sometimes identified as a marginal note which was added to clarify the object of the sailors' fear, but again this conclusion lacks manuscript support.

Situation and Purpose

The situation addressed by Jonah 1:1-16 is the same which is addressed by the entire book--the rebellion of the people of Israel against God's call to speak his prophetic word of warning and hope to the nations. In this passage this rebellion is implied in Jonah's rebellion and flight from God's call. In addition, this passage suggests an underlying problem, lack of true fear of God. This lack of true fear is revealed again in Jonah. Though he claims to "fear the LORD," he disobeys God and ignores God's discipline. Therefore, the purpose of this passage was to encourage the people of Israel to truly fear God and obey his call to speak his prophetic word of warning and hope to the nations rather than just say that they fear God and disobey him like Jonah. In addition, the passage also probably served to introduce the possibility that pagans could be worthy of God's mercy.

Literary Context and Role

The Book of Jonah is arranged chronologically and falls naturally into two halves recognizable by the parallel beginnings of chapters 1 and 3 and the paradoxically similar endings of chapters 2 and 4. The first half of the Book of Jonah relates the first call of Jonah, his rebellion against that call, and his relenting of that rebellion after he is delivered. The second half of the Book of Jonah relates the second call of Jonah, his obedience to that call, and his relenting of that obedience after Nineveh is delivered. Jonah 1:1-16 identifies the disobedience of Jonah as foolish because it is rebellion against the Almighty universal God and encourages true fear of God. This passage is closely related to the other passages in the Book of Jonah. This passage introduces Jonah's rebellion, but does not explain its cause. The cause of Jonah's rebellion is not revealed until 4:2, "So he prayed to the LORD and said, 'Isn't this exactly what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I opposed you by fleeing to Tarshish, because I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster." This passage narrates God's first call of Jonah and his rebellion against that call. Chapter 3 narrates God's second call of Jonah and his obedience to that call. Jonah's responses to these calls stand in contrast to one another, identifying the inappropriate and appropriate responses to God's call. In Jonah 1:16, the sailors are described as responding to their deliverance with fear, sacrificial offerings, and vows. Their response models the appropriate response to God's deliverance, a response that is reinforced again at the end of chapter 2 where Jonah commits himself to gratefully sacrifice and fulfill his vows to God because of his deliverance.

Form and Function

Jonah 1:1-16 follows the narrative form that dominates the entire book. The key elements of narrative are setting, characters, and plot. Through identifying with the characters in their setting the readers are enabled to enter into the experience of God's people in history and learn from their experience as the plot develops. This story takes place on a boat heading for Tarshish in the midst of a storm. This setting serves within the narrative to draw attention to Jonah's disobedience to God's call and its consequences. The main character of the Book of Jonah and this passage is of course Jonah. The readers are intended to identify with Jonah. However, their identification with Jonah is not intended to be a pleasant experience. Instead, the readers are intended to see their own foolishness through Jonah's foolish rebellion against God's call. Other key characters are the sailors, especially their captain, and God. The sailors, ironically, illustrate the fear and readiness to submit to God that should have characterized his prophet and people. Irony is an important element of the story and is understood here as the description of events that are incongruous with normal expectations, frequently to draw attention to their remarkableness, appropriateness, or inappropriateness. In this case it would normally be expected that a prophet would be wise in his dealings with God whereas a pagan would be expected to be foolish. As the plot of the story develops, the foolishness of Jonah when contrasted with the sailors is made increasingly clear (See Strategy and Structure). By so doing the author emphasizes the foolishness of his readers when they fail to fear and obey God. As in most narrative, no specific indication of the appropriate response is given. However, an implied prohibition and command underlie the negative portrayal of Jonah and the positive portrayal of the sailors, "Don't be foolishly rebellious and obstinate like Jonah, but fear God and obey him like the sailors."

Strategy and Structure

The passage is strategically structured chronologically in accordance with the plot of the story. As each segment of the drama unfolds Jonah is revealed progressively to be foolish for his rebellion and obstinate refusal to repent while the sailors are revealed to be reasonable for fearing God and submitting to his will. God calls Jonah, but Jonah flees to Tarshish (1-3). God sends a storm and the sailors respond reasonably, while Jonah does nothing and is rebuked for his foolishness by the captain (4-6). Jonah's sin is discovered and the sailors are understandably terrified and rebuke him for his foolishness (7-10). The reasonable sailors submit to God's will and as a result are delivered, while Jonah remains foolishly obstinate and is thrown into the sea (11-15). The reasonable sailors respond to their deliverance with even more fear, sacrificial offerings, and vows (16), a lesson that Jonah only learns later.

I. God's Call and Jonah's Rebellion (1:1-3)

A. God's Call for Jonah to Go to Nineveh and Preach (1-2)

B. Jonah's Rebellion and Attempt to Escape (3)

II. The Sailors Act while Jonah Does Nothing (1:4-6)

A. God Causes a Great Storm and the Ship Is Threatened (4)

B. The Sailors Fear, Pray, and Act while Jonah Does Nothing (5)

C. The Captain Rebukes and Exhorts Jonah (6)

III. Jonah Confesses His Fear of God while the Sailors Truly Fear God (1:7-10)

A. The Sailors Investigate by Lots and Identify Jonah as the Guilty Party (7)

B. The Sailors Interrogate Jonah to Determine What He Has Done (8)

C. Jonah's Confesses that He Is a Hebrew and Fears the LORD (9)

D. The Sailors Are Terrified and Rebuke Jonah for His Folly (10)

IV. The Sailors Are Delivered while Jonah Is Thrown Overboard (1:11-15)

A. The Sailors Interrogate Jonah and He Advises Them to Throw Him into the Sea (11-12)

B. The Sailors Make a Futile Attempt to Save Themselves without Harming Jonah (13)

C. The Sailors Appeal to God for Clemency because They Are Acting in accordance with His Will (14)

D. The Sailors Submit to God's Will, Throw Jonah into the Sea, and Are Delivered (15)

V. The Sailors Fear God Even More, Offer Sacrifices, and Make Vows (1:16)

Message or Messages

The people of Israel should not rebel against God's call to speak his prophetic word of warning to the nations like Jonah because it is the command of the LORD. The people of Israel should fear God and cry out to Him like the sailors rather than foolishly do nothing like Jonah because God may still have compassion. The people of Israel should truly fear God like the sailors rather than just say that they fear God like Jonah because he is the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. The people of Israel should fear God and submit to his will so that they will be delivered like the sailors rather than remain unrepentant like Jonah, who was thrown into the sea to drown. The people of Israel should fear God, worship him, and commit themselves to do his will like the sailors because they have experienced his grace and deliverance.

Analysis of the Details

God's Call and Jonah's Rebellion

Verses 1-3 narrate God's call for Jonah to go to Nineveh and the prophet's attempt to escape. Jonah's rebellion sets the stage for all that follows. At his point Jonah's rebellion is shocking. However, as the narrative develops his rebellion is revealed to be foolish. Through Jonah the readers are also revealed to be foolish to the extent that they like Jonah have rebelled against God's call.

**God's call for Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach**. Verses 1-2 contain Jonah's prophetic call, "The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, 'Arise and go to the great city of Nineveh and preach to the inhabitants, for their wickedness has come up before me.'" These words are similar to many prophetic calls. In all other instances, however, the prophets were obedient to God's call. Why shouldn't Jonah be obedient? He was a nationalistic prophet who foretold the restoration of the boundaries of Israel during the time of Jeroboam II. Certainly this man would be willing to bring a message of judgment to a pagan people. The Hebrews despised Nineveh as the capital of the Assyrian Empire. The descriptive phrase, "the great city" would no doubt cause feelings of revulsion in the readers as they recalled Nineveh's pretentious claims. So great was Nineveh's wickedness that it is described as an awful stench that has reached all the way to God's thrown in heaven. As the readers followed the narrative they would automatically assume that Jonah's call was to go to Nineveh and announce God's judgement upon it, a call he should have relished.

**Jonah's rebellion and attempted escape**. The shocking response of Jonah to God's call is described in verse 3, "But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from before the Lord." Tarshish was a city in probably what is now Spain associated in Isaiah 66:19 with distant lands where the people do not know God. Jonah, therefore, fled as far as he could from God in the opposite direction from Nineveh. The fact that he fled by boat dramatizes his rebellion because the Hebrews were landlubbers. The structure of the description of Jonah's flight emphasizes its deliberateness, "He went down to Jaffa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the required fare, and went down into it in order to go with them to Tarshish from before the LORD." Why did Jonah run? The question remains unanswered here. The readers are simply left with the shocking rebellion of Jonah. As Baldwin observes, "The author skillfully keeps that question unanswered until 4:2, so holding the reader in suspense and arousing the reader's active participation in solving the mystery" (Baldwin, 553). However, even at this point the people of Israel were able to recognize the inappropriateness of Jonah's rebellion against God's call and were forced to condemn themselves for their own rebellion against God's call. They should not rebel against God's call to speak his prophetic word of warning to the nations like Jonah because it is the command of the LORD.

The Sailors Act while Jonah Does

Nothing

Verses 4-6 contrast the sailors' fear, prayer, and action with Jonah's foolish inactivity. God causes a storm (4), the sailors respond reasonably while Jonah does nothing (5), and the captain rebukes Jonah for his foolish inactivity (6). Jonah is depicted as a fool for doing nothing. Through Jonah the readers are also revealed to be foolish to the extent that they like Jonah have rebelled against God's call and refused to repent when disciplined by him.

**God causes a storm and the ship is threatened**. The sending of the storm and the danger that it produced are described in verse 4. The verse is filled with graphic imagery. In the first half of the verse God is pictured in his heavenly abode in supreme control of his creation, "Then **the LORD** threw a great wind on the sea and as result a great storm arose on the sea." There is no doubt that God is responsible for the storm. This fact is emphasized with the word order of the Hebrew text that places stress on " **the LORD** " (Indicated in translation with bold print). The graphic imagery is probably continued in the description of the danger through the use of personification, "so that the ship was seriously thinking that it was going to be torn to pieces" (See also Page, 231 for a similar approach). The intensive stem of the verb is used to emphasize the seriousness of the threat. The verb could also be understood as a development of its normal meaning in which case the emphasis would be on the imminence of the danger, "so that the ship was about to be torn to pieces." In either case the danger is ominously described. Certainly this was no ordinary storm.

**The sailors respond with fear, prayers, and action while Jonah does nothing**. In verse 5 the initial response of the sailors to the storm is contrasted with the inactivity of Jonah. The sailors respond in a manner that the readers would recognize as reasonable. The sailors perceived that the storm was supernatural and it filled them with fear, "Consequently the sailors were frightened." This fear motivated them to take some definite actions to save themselves. First, it is emphasized that every one of them prayed to their god, "and each cried out to his own god." Second, they did everything humanly possible to avoid disaster, "and they threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea in order to lighten it from upon them." Normally cargo is thrown into the sea in order to lighten the ship on the water, but here the foundering ship is described as a burden on the sailors to emphasize their distress. In sharp contrast to the busy activity of the sailors is the inactivity of Jonah, "But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship, laid down, and fallen into a deep sleep." The Hebrew syntax again indicates the deliberate willful action of Jonah.

**The captain rebukes and exhorts Jonah**. If the readers had not already concluded that Jonah's lack of action was foolish, the captain makes it clear in verse 6. It is certainly ironic that the pagan captain was able to teach the prophet Jonah a lesson in common sense theology. First, the captain asks a rhetorical question that points out the folly of Jonah's inactivity, "Then the captain came and said to him, 'How can you keep on sleeping?'" At a time like that sleeping was unthinkable. Instead the logical captain commands, "Arise and call upon your god!" The simple logic behind this course of action is also revealed by the captain, "Perhaps your god will give a thought to us and we will not perish." The surprising fact is, however, that Jonah still did not cry out to God. As the readers finish these verses they could not help but see the wisdom of the pagan sailors and the folly of Jonah. The readers are forced to condemn themselves along with Jonah to the extent that they had rebelled against God's call and failed to respond to his discipline and challenged to cry out to God for mercy like the pagan sailors. They should fear God and cry out to him like the sailors rather than foolishly do nothing like Jonah because God may still have compassion.

Jonah Confesses His Fear of God while

The Sailors Truly Fear God

Verses 7-10 contrasts Jonah's confession of his fear of God with the sailors' true fear of God. The sailors investigate by lots and identify Jonah as the guilty party (7); the sailors interrogate Jonah to determine what he has done (8); Jonah confesses that he is a Hebrew and fears the LORD (9); and the sailors become terrified and rebuke Jonah for his folly (10). Again the pagan sailors are depicted as responding reasonably while Jonah is portrayed as a fool. In this way the readers are forced to acknowledge their own foolishness to the extent that they like Jonah have rebelled against God's call and refused to repent when disciplined by him.

**The sailors investigate by lots and identify Jonah as the guilty party**. Verse 7 records the investigation by lots. The sailors agree to use lots to determine who the responsible party was, "Then they said to one another, 'Come, let us cast lots and find out on whose account this disaster has come upon us.'" The practice of casting or drawing lots was common in the ancient world. The practice is condoned in the Old Testament and described as a means of determining that "the decision is wholly from the LORD" (Proverbs 16:33). These sailors probably had a similar understanding of the use of lots for ascertaining divine direction. Through this procedure it was determined that Jonah was the guilty party, "So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah."

**The sailor's interrogate Jonah to determine what he had done**. Jonah's interrogation is recorded in verse 8, "As a result they said to him, 'Please tell us on whose account this disaster has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?'" The anxiety of the sailors is accentuated in this interrogation. A special form of the imperative mood is used with a particle of entreaty to stress their strong desire to find out the cause of the storm. The questioning is hurried and repetitious suggesting extreme agitation. The sailors wanted to find out as quickly as possible what the cause of the storm was so that they could take action to save themselves.

**Jonah confesses that he is a Hebrew and fears the LORD**. Verse 9 contains Jonah's confession. First, Jonah identifies himself as a Hebrew, "Then he answered, 'I am a Hebrew.'" This was the common designation for Jews among pagans and probably was enough to identify his deity. However, Jonah adds, "and I fear **the LORD**." The object of Jonah's devotion stands first in the Hebrew text and should probably be emphasized (Indicated in translation with bold print). The word translated "fear" can range in meaning from "terror" to "reverence." The word is used repeatedly in chapter 1 to describe the response of the sailors to God and on this one occasion to describe Jonah's attitude toward God (5, 9, twice in 10, and twice in 16). Because of Jonah's actions it is obvious that he has lost all sense of divine terror and his fear of God has degenerated to the point where it is no longer even reverence (Allen, 209 observes "Jonah's fear is a feeble thing, for all its orthodoxy, compared with the numinous awe of the seamen."). The incongruity of Jonah's confession is intensified by the use of a participle, which could be translated, "continually fear." Jonah further describes the LORD as "the God of heaven," a title used specially to designate God's universal sovereignty to pagans. The universal sovereignty of the LORD is further stressed by the relative clause "who made the sea and the dry land." Jonah's God is no localized deity like the gods the sailors worshiped but the supreme God of the entire world. As Baldwin observes, "The irony is plain, for this is precisely what Jonah does not do. Although he is in danger of drowning with the crew of the ship, Jonah pays mere lip service to the only God" (Baldwin, 560). The people of Israel would have to recognize that Jonah's confession certainly was incongruous with his actions. How could someone with such a concept of God rebel against God's commands and attempt to flee from God's presence?

**The sailors are terrified and rebuke Jonah**. Even the sailors are said to have recognized the folly of Jonah's rebellion and flight in verse 10. Their first response was fear, "Consequently the men became extremely frightened." The Hebrew text can be literally translated "the men feared a great fear," a construction that emphasizes extreme anxiety. They recognized that rebellion against such a God was stupid for it was certain to attract divine wrath. The sailors then asked a rhetorical question, "What is this you have done?" This question is rhetorical and really more of an exclamation that categorizes Jonah's rebellious action as folly. The author then clarifies that the rebellious act is Jonah's flight from God, "for the men knew that he was fleeing from the LORD because he told them." The readers would again have to admit the wisdom of the pagans and the folly of Jonah. The sailors knew enough to fear God and were willing to do anything to avoid his wrath. Jonah, however, though he possessed detailed knowledge of the nature of God, failed to act upon that knowledge and proved himself a fool. The readers are confronted, therefore, with their own foolishness for failing to fear and obey God and challenged to submit to him in fear. They should truly fear God like the sailors rather than just say that they fear God like Jonah because he is the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.

The Sailors Are Delivered while Jonah

Is Thrown Overboard

Verses 11-15 contrast the fear, submission, and deliverance of the sailors with Jonah's foolish inactivity and judgement. The sailors interrogate Jonah and he advises them to throw him overboard (11-12); the sailors make a futile attempt to save themselves without harming Jonah (13); the sailors appeal to God for clemency because they are acting in accordance with his will (14); and the sailors submit to God, throw Jonah overboard, and are delivered (15). Implicit in the narrative is Jonah's continued refusal to repent. Again the pagan sailors are depicted as wise for doing all they can to discern and submit to the will of God while Jonah is portrayed as a fool for stubbornly refusing to repent. Through Jonah the readers are also revealed to be foolish to the extent that they like Jonah have rebelled against God's call and refused to repent when disciplined by him.

**The sailors interrogate Jonah and he advises them to throw him into the sea**. Verses 11-12 describe the sailors' interrogation of Jonah to determine the appropriate course of action to save themselves. Their inquiry is found in verses 11, "Then they asked him, 'What should we do to you so that the sea will be quiet from upon us?'" Discerning the proper course of action was becoming more and more imperative because of the continued increase in storm activity, "for the sea was becoming stormier." This clause is literally, "for the sea was going and storming." The implied increase in storm activity is found is the participles and the verb "go" (D. K. Andrews, "Yahweh the God of Heavens" The Seed of Wisdom. T. J. Meek Festschrift (1964) 45-47, cited by Allen, 210, note 34). In verse 12 Jonah gives a simple expedient, "He replied, 'Pick me up and throw me into the sea so that the sea will be quiet from upon you, for I know that it is on account of me that this great storm has come upon you.'" Jonah was able to admit that his rebellion was the cause of the storm. He was even perceptive enough to discern that since the storm was directed against him the simple course of action for the sailors to take was to separate themselves from him by throwing him into the sea. Even at this critical time, however, he lacked the wisdom to turn to God in repentance.

**The sailors make a futile attempt to save themselves without harming Jonah**. The prescription of Jonah probably seemed quite logical to the sailors. It put them, however, in a quandary. If they did throw Jonah overboard he would certainly die and his God might inflict blood vengeance upon them. It was imperative, therefore, that they be certain that God wanted them to kill Jonah. Because of this uncertainty the sailors made one last attempt to reach safety with Jonah that is described in verse 13, "Instead the men rowed hard in order to return to dry land." The word translated "rowed hard" literally means "dug deep" and is probably used to emphasize their diligent effort. The sailors dug their oars deep into the water in an attempt to reach safety. The attempt, however, was in vain, "but they could not because the sea was becoming even more stormy against them." Again the storm's opposition is emphasized. Clearly God did not want them to reach safety with Jonah.

**The sailors appeal to God for clemency because they are acting in accordance with his will**. Even though it was clear that God wanted Jonah thrown overboard, the sailors were still fearful that they might be punished for Jonah's death. Therefore, the sailors plead for mercy in verse 14, "So they called unto the LORD and said, 'LORD, please we beg you don't let us die for the life of this man, and do not put innocent blood upon us.'" The respect with which the sailors approached God in prayer is indicated by the use of two particles of entreaty rather than one in the Hebrew text. The sailors recognized that their fate was totally dependent upon God. The sailors justify their reception of God's mercy based on the fact that their actions are in submission to divine direction, "for **you LORD** have done just what you wanted." The word order and the use of an intensive personal pronoun emphasize that the sailors' actions were based on their perception of the leadership of God (Indicated in translation with bold print).

**The sailors submit to God, throw Jonah into the sea, and are delivered**. The ultimate folly of Jonah's stubborn refusal to repent and the wisdom of the sailors' desire to do anything to please God is demonstrated in verse 15, "Then they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea and the sea stopped raging." The failure of Jonah to repent leads to his punishment--certain death by drowning. Paradoxically, the event that is Jonah's punishment is the salvation of the sailors as they are shown mercy because of their submission to God. Through these events the people of Israel were forced to recognize that their stubborn refusal to repent and bring God's word to the nations was stupid for it could lead to judgement and their need to submit to the will of God like the sailors. They should fear God and submit to his will so that they will be delivered like the sailors rather than remain unrepentant like Jonah, who was thrown into the sea to drown.

The Sailors Fear God Even More, Offer

Sacrifices, and Make Vows

In verse 16 the pagan sailors demonstrate the proper response to the experience of God's grace, a lesson that Jonah learns only after he has been in the great fish for three days and nights, "As a result the men feared the LORD exceedingly, offered sacrifices, and made vows." Again the Hebrew construction emphasizes the extent of their fear. The sacrifices were probably thanksgiving offerings in gratitude for God's deliverance. The vows were promises made to God in response to their deliverance. These actions put Jonah and the people of Israel to shame and challenged them to more noble behavior. They were God's people but instead of responding to God with respect, thanksgiving, and dedication like the pagan sailors, they had responded with insolence, ingratitude, and rebellion. They should fear God, worship him, and commit themselves to do his will like the sailors because they have experienced his grace and deliverance.

Application of the Message

The situation addressed by Jonah 1:1-16 is very similar to a crisis in the modern church. Part of God's purpose for the nation of Israel was that it would become a light for the nations. The people of Israel, however, failed to fulfill this destiny in part because they did not fear God's wrath enough to obey him. Similarly, the church has been given the responsibility of going into the entire world and proclaiming the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Alas, many Christians neglect this responsibility in part because they do not fear God's wrath enough to obey him. The love and mercy of God are stressed so much in modern Christian preaching and teaching that Christians are not frightened by the threat of God's wrath. These correspondences between the original and modern situations provide a strong basis for applying the message of Jonah 1:1-16 to the modern situation. In addition, the passage contains little of a contextualized nature that requires that the message be limited or adjusted when applied to the modern situation. Certainly minor differences occur. The coming of Jesus Christ has defined the church's message as the gospel and Christians do not offer ritual sacrifices like the sailors. However, these minor differences do not affect the message of the passage significantly and can be generalized or related to contextual equivalents. Therefore, the statements of the applied message that follow have only been modified slightly. Christians should not rebel against God's call to proclaim the gospel to the nations like Jonah because it is the command of the LORD. Christians should fear God and cry out to him like the sailors rather than foolishly do nothing because God may still have compassion. Christians should truly fear God like the sailors rather than just say that they fear God like Jonah because he is the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. Christians should fear God and do his will so that they will be delivered like the sailors rather than remain foolishly unrepentant like Jonah, who was thrown into the sea to drown. Christians should fear God, worship him, and commit themselves to do his will like the sailors because they have experienced his grace and deliverance.

Proclamation of the Message

**Title** : But Jonah Arose to Flee

**Objective** : The objective of this message is to encourage Christians to fear God and obey his command to proclaim the gospel to a lost world.

**Proposition** : Christians should fear God, cry out to him, and obey his call because he may still be merciful; he is the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land; so that they will be delivered rather than judged; and because they have experienced his grace.
Introduction

Though the Book of Jonah contains many amazing miracles, one of the most astonishing events recorded in the Book of Jonah is not a miracle at all, but Jonah's rebellion against God's call. _Read Jonah 1:1-3_. Jonah's call was like the call of many other prophets. Yet in all other instances the prophets obeyed. As Amos states, "The Sovereign LORD has spoken--who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:8b). Nonetheless, rather than going to Nineveh in obedience to God's call, Jonah tried to flee as far as he could in the opposite direction. He was so desperate to escape from God's call; he took passage in a boat. Hebrews greatly feared the deep! As shocking as Jonah's rebellion against the call of God was there is something even more shocking today. Before Jesus ascended he gave a call to his disciples, "you will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The shocking fact is, however, that only a small fraction of Christians are actively involved in sharing their faith with others and those that have left their homes and jobs to take the good news somewhere else are but a handful. In Jonah 1 the prophet is revealed to be a fool for his rebellion against God's call and stubborn refusal to repent. This passage also indicts Christians for their failure to fulfill God's evangelistic call and challenges them to take the message of God's salvation in Jesus Christ to the entire world. _Read Jonah 1:4-16_.

I. Christians should fear God and cry out to him like the sailors rather than foolishly do nothing like Jonah because God may still be merciful.

A. Of course Jonah could not really escape from God. God merely threw a wind on the sea and created a great storm. The severity of the storm and the danger it engendered are pictured dramatically as the ship is described of as if it were a person with reasoning power, "the ship was seriously thinking that it was going to be torn to pieces." Who would know better?

B. The reaction of the sailors is quite reasonable. The sailors perceived that the storm was supernatural and it filled them with fear. This fear motivated them to cry unto their gods for help and, when that failed, to lighten the ship on the waves by throwing the cargo overboard. In sharp contrast to the sailors' activity is the strange inactivity of Jonah. He went down into the ship, found a cozy place, and fell into a deep asleep.

C. When the captain discovered Jonah, he rebuked Jonah with a sarcastic rhetorical question, emphasizing the foolishness of Jonah's inactivity, "How can you keep on sleeping?" At a time like that sleeping was unthinkable. Instead, the captain exhorted Jonah to a more appropriate course of action, "Arise and call upon your god!" The simple logic that is behind this course of action was also revealed by the captain, "Perhaps your god will give a thought to us and we will not perish."

D. _Illustration of Foolish Inactivity_

E. Application--As the captain rebukes and exhorts Jonah he is also admonishing you if you have foolishly disobeyed God. You should fear God and cry out to him like the sailors rather than foolishly do nothing like Jonah because God may still be merciful. Sleeping is silly! Repentance is required!

II. Christians should truly fear God like the sailors rather than just say that they fear God like Jonah because he is the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.

A. The sailors agreed to cast lots in order to discover the one who was responsible for their dangerous predicament. Lots were a commonly accepted way of ascertaining divine direction. Marked stones were placed into a jar and the jar was shaken until one of the lots flew out. When the sailors looked at the stone they recognized it as Jonah's and he was identified as the guilty party.

B. Having identified the culprit, the sailors anxiously questioned Jonah to discover the extent of their difficulty, "Please tell us on whose account this disaster has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"

C. Jonah's response doesn't make sense when compared to his actions. He replied, "I am a Hebrew and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." Jonah said that he feared the LORD, but he disobeyed God by refusing to go to Nineveh. Jonah identified the LORD as "the God of heaven," a designation which distinguished God as the one supreme deity, but Jonah dared to defy God's orders. Jonah confessed that his God was the God "who made the sea and the dry land," a description which acknowledged God's universal sovereignty, but Jonah tried to flee from God in a boat.

D. Once Jonah described his God and the sailors realized what they were up against they were filled with terror. Whereas Jonah claimed to fear God but didn't act on it, the sailors truly felt fear and were ready to do anything necessary to please God. They recognized that to rebel against such a god was stupid for it would surely result in God's wrath. They rebuked Jonah, asking him, "What is this you have done?" which is tantamount to exclaiming, "How could you be so stupid!"

E. _Illustration of a Foolish Choice_

F. Application--As the sailors berate Jonah they also are reprimanding you if you have foolishly disobeyed God's call. You should truly fear God like the sailors rather than just say that you fear God like Jonah because he is the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. Fleeing is foolish! Compliance is compulsory!

III. Christians should fear and obey God so that they will be delivered like the sailors rather than remain foolishly unrepentant like Jonah who was thrown into the sea to drown.

A. After learning what they were up against, the sailors did everything they could to discern what they had to do to save themselves. They asked Jonah, "What should we do to you so that the sea will be quiet from upon us?" Jonah proposed a simple expedient, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea so that the sea will be quiet from upon you." The sailors, however, were not certain that throwing Jonah into the sea was God's will. They were afraid that God would punish them for killing Jonah, and they thought he certainly would die if they threw him overboard. Therefore, to be certain that throwing Jonah into the sea was God's will they made one last great effort to reach land and save themselves without harming Jonah, "the men rowed hard in order to return to dry land." Despite their diligent effort, however, the sailors failed. The continued opposition of the storm could only be interpreted from their perspective as divine opposition. God wanted them to throw Jonah into the sea. They begged for mercy but emphasized that their actions were based totally on their perception of divine direction, "for you LORD have done just what you wanted." Then they picked up Jonah and they threw him into the sea and immediately the storm became calm and they were safe.

B. The experience of Jonah during this period was much different. He was able to admit that his rebellion was the cause of the storm, "I know it is on account of me that this great storm has come upon you." He was even able to propose a logical, though radical solution, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea so that the sea will be quiet from upon you." Jonah, however, did not repent and submit himself to the will of God even when faced with the prospect of death by drowning. Because of his stubborn refusal, God carried out the sentence through the sailors. Paradoxically, the act of obedience that led to the sailors' salvation resulted in the judgment of Jonah because of his stubborn rebellion.

C. _Illustration of Stubbornness_

D. Application--God's judgment of Jonah also condemns you if you have foolishly disobeyed him and stubbornly refused to repent. You should fear and obey God so that you will be delivered like the sailors rather than remain foolishly unrepentant like Jonah who was thrown into the sea to drown. Rebellion is ruinous! Submission is saving!

IV. Christians should fear God, worship him, and commit themselves to do his will like the sailors because they have experienced his grace and deliverance.

A. The sailors responded to their deliverance by fearing God even more, worshiping him, and committing themselves to do his will, "As a result the men feared the LORD exceedingly, offered sacrifices, and made vows."

B. Jonah had also experienced the grace of God as an Israelite, the people of God. Nonetheless, Jonah rebelled against God's call and refused to repent even when God disciplined him and threatened him with death.

C. Jonah did eventually learn grateful obedience. After three days and nights in the great fish, Jonah marveled at God's surprising deliverance of him from drowning and exclaimed, "I will certainly sacrifice to you with a voice of thanksgiving, that which I have vowed I will certainly fulfill. Salvation belongs to the LORD!"

D. _Illustration of Gratefulness_

E. Application--As a Christian, you have experienced God's gracious salvation through Jesus Christ. The sailors model the appropriate response to God's gracious deliverance. You should fear God, worship him, and commit yourselves to do his will like the sailors because you have experienced his deliverance. Insubordination is ingratitude! Obedience is obligatory!

Conclusion

In this initial episode of the story of Jonah our hero is an exemplary figure--an example of what not to do! Jonah was rebellious and fled from God's call to go to Nineveh. He stubbornly refused to repent and submit to God even when confronted with the prospect of death. Even the pagan sailors recognized the folly of Jonah and they were proved correct as Jonah was thrown into the sea. We must not be like Jonah! Instead we must follow the example of the sailors. They recognized the folly of Jonah's complacency and the need for repentance. They recognized the folly of Jonah's rebellion and the need for submission. They submitted to God and as a result they were saved from disaster. You should not rebel against God's call to proclaim the gospel to the nations like Jonah because it is the command of the LORD. You should fear God and cry out to him like the sailors rather than foolishly do nothing like Jonah because God may still be merciful. You should truly fear God like the sailors rather than just say that you fear God like Jonah because he is the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. You should fear God and do his will so that you will be delivered like the sailors rather than remain foolishly unrepentant like Jonah, who was thrown into the sea to drown. You should fear God, worship him, and commit yourselves to do his will like the sailors because you have experienced his deliverance. Sleeping is silly! Repentance is required! Fleeing is Foolish! Compliance is compulsory! Rebellion is ruinous! Submission is saving! Insubordination is ingratitude! Obedience is obligatory!

### CHAPTER THREE

### SALVATION BELONGS TO THE LORD:

### God's Deliverance and Jonah's Grateful Commitment

### Jonah 1:17-2:10

The inclusion of 1:17 in this passage may seem odd because of the violation of chapter divisions. However, 1:17 introduces Jonah's experience in the great fish that is recorded in chapter 2, whereas 1:1-16 records the episode of Jonah's call and flight. Actually the Hebrew text of chapter 1 ends after verse 16. The English translators follow the Septuagint in dividing the chapters as they do, but the Hebrew division is preferable.

Study of the Passage

Text and Translation

1:17Then the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. 2:1Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God from inside the fish 2and said,

"I called unto the LORD because of my distress

And he answered me;

From the depths of Sheol I called for help

And you listened to my cry.

3You threw me into the deep,

Into the very heart of the seas;1

The current completely surrounded me,

All your breakers and waves swept over me.

4 **I** * said, 'I have been banished from your sight.'

But I will certainly look again upon your holy temple.2

5"The seas encompassed me--even to the extent of threatening my life;

The deep completely surrounded me;

Seaweed was wrapped around my head.

6I sank down to the roots of the mountains;

The earth [secured] her bars against me forever;3

But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God.

7Just when my life was becoming faint within me

I remembered the LORD;

And my prayer went unto you,

Unto the temple of your holiness.

8"The ones who stubbornly reverence worthless idols

Forsake the mercy you have given them;

9But **I*** will certainly sacrifice to you with a voice of thanksgiving,

That which I have vowed I will certainly fulfill.

Salvation belongs to the LORD."

10Then the LORD spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah on dry land.

1The editors of Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia suggest that either "into the deep" or "into the very heart of the seas" is a gloss presumably because of the disruption of poetic parallelism. The reconstruction above, however, retains the wording of the Masoretic Text and parallelism by ignoring the Masoretic accentuation.

2The editors of Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia propose amending the text to read "how?" or "how!" ( _aik_ ) instead "surely" or "but" ( _ak_ ) thus transforming a statement of confidence into a question or exclamation that emphasizes Jonah's plight even further. Theodotion's Greek version adds some support to this conjecture by the use of _pos_. The primary objection to accepting the Masoretic Text as it stands is that it is felt that the introduction of a statement of confidence this early in the psalm is inappropriate. This objection is not necessarily valid, however, for the psalm in the MT emphasizes through repetition. The MT is retained here because of the preponderance of witnesses and the lack of any compelling internal justification for change. Another possible resolution to the problem suggested by the editors of BHS is the insertion of "not" ( _lo_ ) into the MT. This insertion would solve the alleged problem of an early statement of confidence but has no external textual support.

3Actually, the Hebrew text does not have "secured," but this addition is necessitated by the image and the context.

*The Hebrew text contains an emphasis that is otherwise difficult to translate into English (See Analysis of the Details).

Situation and Purpose

The situation addressed by Jonah 1: 17-2:10 is the same as the situation addressed by the entire book--the rebellion of the people of Israel against God's call to speak his prophetic word of warning and hope to the nations. However, this passage contains little to indicate the specific nature of the situation and this situation must be implied from the broader context. Again the character of Jonah is the key for understanding the situation. This passage indicates that Jonah has had a change of heart. In chapter 1, Jonah rebelled against God's call to go to Nineveh. However, in this passage Jonah gratefully commits himself to fulfill his vows to God and in the next passage Jonah goes to Nineveh and delivers God's prophetic word. The change in Jonah reflected in this passage is that he now gratefully appreciates his own experience of God's gracious salvation and recognizes his obligation to obey God. Through Jonah the readers were intended to identify their own indebtedness to God and realize their obligation to obey him. Therefore, the passage presupposes a situation in which the people of Israel had lost their sense of indebtedness to God and their obligation to obey him. The purpose of the passage was to lead the people of Israel to acknowledge their indebtedness to God for his gracious salvation and commit themselves to fulfill their obligation of obedience, specifically by speaking God's prophetic word of warning and hope to the nations.

Literary Context and Role

Scholars have often questioned whether Jonah's prayer should even be included as an original element in the book. They note that the prayer follows a distinctive form for a cultic psalm of thanksgiving; contains unique vocabulary from the remainder of the book; and interrupts the story with an element which seems to contradict its context because Jonah praises God for deliverance from death while still inside the fish rather than petitioning God for deliverance. They conclude, therefore, that this psalm was added by a later editor, who wanted to expand on Jonah's experience in the fish, or has been misplaced (See Bewer, 13-24 for example). A more likely solution, however, is that the author incorporated a psalm into his story. This conclusion readily explains the form of the prayer and its distinctive vocabulary. The psalm really does not interrupt or contradict the story when it is realized that the great fish is not used by God for punishment but as the means of deliverance (See Stuart, 439-441 and 470-474).

The Book of Jonah is arranged chronologically and falls naturally into two halves recognizable by the parallel beginnings of chapters 1 and 3 and the paradoxically similar endings of chapters 2 and 4. The first half of the Book of Jonah relates the first call of Jonah, his rebellion against that call, and his relenting of that rebellion after he is delivered. The second half of the Book of Jonah relates the second call of Jonah, his obedience to that call, and his relenting of that obedience after Nineveh is delivered. Jonah 1:17-2:10 encourages obedience to God's call to speak his prophetic word of warning and hope to the nations based on gratitude for God's gracious salvation. This passage is closely related to the other passages in the Book of Jonah. The preceding passage provides the background for understanding this passage by depicting Jonah's rebellion against God's call to go to Nineveh, a rebellion that apparently was caused in part because Jonah did not have a proper appreciation of his indebtedness to God for his own experience of salvation. In addition, Jonah 1:16 describes the sailors responding to their deliverance with fear, sacrificial offerings, and vows. Their response models the appropriate response to God's deliverance and is reinforced in this passage. The subsequent passage demonstrates the sincerity of Jonah's commitment by recounting Jonah's obedience to God's call and successful preaching ministry among the Ninevites. The final passage of the Book of Jonah stands in contrast to this passage. Though Jonah seems to have learned his lesson by the end of this passage and obeys God's second call in the subsequent passage, Jonah relents from his obedience in the final passage.

Form and Function

Jonah 1:17-2:10 should be interpreted as narrative like the rest of the Book of Jonah. The key elements of historical narrative are setting, characters, and plot. Through identifying with the characters in their setting the readers are enabled to enter into the experience of God's people in history and learn from their experience as the plot develops. The setting of this story is in the great fish, the instrument of God's gracious salvation of Jonah. This setting serves to emphasize the graciousness of God in delivering Jonah from drowning. The main character of the Book of Jonah and this passage is of course Jonah. The readers are intended to identify with Jonah and encouraged to follow his example in this passage. Jonah illustrates for the readers the appropriate response to God's gracious salvation to encourage them to commit themselves to God as well. The plot of the story moves from God's gracious salvation of Jonah from drowning to Jonah's grateful commitment to sacrifice and fulfill his vows to God. This plot illustrates through Jonah the appropriate response to God's gracious salvation (See Strategy and Structure).

Though this passage is placed in a narrative framework, it is predominantly a psalm of worship. In psalms of worship the words of the psalmist are directed toward God as well as the readers or hearers, usually other worshipers. The psalmist is the leader of worship and those who read or hear his words are intended to join him in his expressions of worship based on what he affirms in his expressions of worship. They are supposed to do what he does based on what he says. Psalms of worship contain a variety of elements including complaint, confession, petition, praise, declaration, and even exhortation. The psalm of worship in Jonah 2 contains Jonah's expression of praise to God for his deliverance through the great fish and profession of his commitment to gratefully make sacrifices and fulfill his vows to God. This psalm of worship seems to function like most psalms of worship. The readers are intended to follow Jonah as their worship leader and praise God and commit themselves to fulfill their obligation to him because of their own experience of God's gracious salvation.

Strategy and Structure

The psalm of worship in this passage is introduced with a narrative prologue (1:17). The prologue provides the context for understanding Jonah's psalm of worship. Jonah has experienced God's gracious deliverance through the fish and the psalm specifies the lessons he has learned. Jonah's psalm of worship dominates the passage and relates Jonah's expression of praise to God for his surprising deliverance (2-7) and his profession of commitment to gratefully make sacrifices and to fulfill his vows to God (8-9). Through the psalm the readers are encouraged to gratefully acknowledge their own experience of God's deliverance and their obligation to fulfill their commitments to him. The psalm of worship is concluded with an epilogue (2:10). The epilogue provides Jonah with the opportunity to act on the lessons that he has learned and links this passage with the next, in which Jonah does obediently go to Nineveh and preach God's prophetic word. Through Jonah's obedience the readers are challenged to carry through on their commitment to gratefully obey God.

I. Prologue--God Delivers Jonah from Drowning (1:17-2:1)

II. Jonah's Praise to God for His Unexpected Deliverance (2:2-7)

A. Jonah's Praise for God's Unexpected Answer to His Prayer (2)

B. Jonah's Praise for God's Unexpected Acceptance of Him at the Temple (3-4)

C. Jonah's Praise for God's Unexpected Deliverance of Him from the Pit (5-6)

D. Jonah's Praise for God's Unexpected Answer to His Prayer (7)

III. Jonah's Commitment to Gratefully Make Sacrifices and Fulfill Vows (2:8-9)

A. An Inappropriate Response to God's Mercy (8)

B. Jonah's Commitment to Gratefully Make Sacrifices and Fulfill Vows (9a)

C. The Reason for Jonah's Commitment (9b)

IV. Epilogue--God Gives Jonah another Chance (2:10)

Message or Messages

The people of Israel have experienced God's salvation and should consider its implications like Jonah. The people of Israel should praise God because God has graciously listened to their prayers, delivered them from death, and accepted them into his presence like Jonah. The people of Israel should commit themselves to gratefully fulfill their vows to God like Jonah because this is the appropriate response to God's gracious salvation. The people of Israel should carry through on their commitment like Jonah by obeying God's call to take his prophetic word of warning to the nations.

Analysis of the Details

Prologue--God Delivers Jonah from

Drowning

Jonah 1:17-2:1 serves as a prologue and provides the setting of the Jonah's psalm of worship and a context for understanding its significance. Three things are explicitly affirmed about the setting. First, "the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah." God is responsible for the great fish, which should be understood as the means of his deliverance from death as the description of his predicament in verses 2-7 clarifies. Jonah was not in danger of being eaten but of drowning. Second, "Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights." The duration of the stay in the fish is probably included to emphasize the miraculous deliverance, though three days and nights also provide an opportunity for Jonah to learn a difficult lesson (Page, 243). Three days could indicate a period longer than Jonah would be expected to live or the three days journey which was required from the land of the dead to the land of the living according to Sumerian mythology (G. M. Landes, "The 'Three Days and Three Nights Motif' in Jonah 2:1," Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 86 (1967), 446-450, cited by Allen, 213). Third, "Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish." Jonah was punished by God, but instead of dying he was miraculously delivered by God and left in the fish to contemplate the significance of these events. Through God's deliverance of Jonah by the fish the people of Israel were reminded of their own experience of God's gracious salvation and encouraged to consider its implications. They have experienced God's salvation and should consider its implications like Jonah.

Jonah's Praise to God for His Unexpected

Deliverance

Jonah's psalm of worship is recorded in verses 2-9. In the first two stanzas (2-7), Jonah praises God for his unexpected deliverance. Throughout, Jonah contrasts his experience of God's judgement with his experience of God's deliverance to stress how unexpected his deliverance was and accentuate the grace of God. These stanzas are unified in their chiastic structure (ABBA). First, Jonah praises God for unexpectedly answering his prayer in verse 2 (A). Second, Jonah praises God for unexpectedly delivering him and accepting him into the temple in verses 3-4 (B). Third, Jonah praises God again for unexpectedly delivering him, specifically from death in verses 5-6 (B). Finally, Jonah praises God again for unexpectedly answering his prayer in verse 7 (A). The repetition that is a basic element of the chiastic structure reinforces by reiteration. Jonah's unexpected experience of God's gracious salvation provides the basis for Jonah's commitment in the concluding stanza of the psalm.

**Jonah's praise for God's unexpected answer to his prayer**. In verse 2 Jonah praises God for unexpectedly responding to his prayer. This verse contains two sets of parallel lines. In the first set Jonah declares, "I called unto the LORD because of my distress, and he answered me." The first line stresses the difficulty of Jonah's predicament when he prayed. The word translated "distress" comes from a verbal root which means "bind" or "tie up." This word is equivalent to the English idiom "a tight spot" and suggests a situation from which extrication would be difficult. Jonah affirms in the second line, however, that God has unexpectedly and graciously listened to his prayer. In the second set Jonah acclaims, "From the depths of Sheol I called for help, and you listened to my cry." The first line again emphasizes the difficulty of Jonah's situation when he prayed. "Sheol" is used in the Old Testament to express people's fear of death and suggests an underworld characterized by corruption and the absence of God's presence. Jonah affirms again in the second line, however, that even though he has passed from life deep into the corruption of death God has unexpectedly and graciously listened to his prayer. Through Jonah's praise to God for graciously responding to his prayer, the people of Israel were reminded of their own experience of God's gracious answer to their prayers for deliverance and indebtedness to him.

**Jonah's praise for God's unexpected acceptance of him at the temple**. In verses 3-4 Jonah praises God for unexpectedly accepting him at the temple. Jonah's experience of deserved judgment and unexpected salvation are contrasted to emphasize God's gracious deliverance. In the first line, "You threw me into the deep," Jonah acknowledges that God was responsible for his predicament. The second line "into the very heart of the seas" suggests that Jonah is in the middle of the sea far from land with no hope of deliverance. The third line, "The current completely surrounded me," portrays Jonah completely at the mercy of the sea currents. The verb stem is intensive to emphasize this fact. The fourth line, "all your breakers and waves swept over me" pictures Jonah struggling in the rough sea. The word translated "breakers" comes from a verbal root which means "to break in pieces" and is used to refer to storm waves which have the power to inflict great injury. In the fifth line Jonah recalls his conclusion at that point, "I said, 'I have been banished from your sight.'" The word order is abnormal here probably to emphasize Jonah's emotional struggle. The verb "have been banished" means to drive out by force usually with refusal for future admittance. This word is frequently used to portray the fate of subjects who have displeased their king greatly. Certainly Jonah had every right to come to this conclusion. He had been disobedient to God by fleeing to Tarshish and had to admit that he deserved whatever fate awaited him. The final line, however, dramatically reverses the direction of the thought, "But I will certainly look again upon your holy temple." The Hebrew word translated "But . . . certainly" not only places this statement in sharp contrast to what has preceded but affirms its truth as well. Jonah deserved to be banished from God's sight forever because of his disobedience, but God unexpectedly delivered him and made it possible for him once again to go to the temple--God's dwelling among his people. Through Jonah's praise to God for graciously delivering him and accepting him into his presence, the people of Israel were reminded of their own experience of God's graciousness in accepting them as his people and indebtedness to him.

**Jonah's praise for God's unexpected deliverance of him from the pit**. In verses 5-6 Jonah again praises God for unexpectedly delivering him from death by drowning. Again Jonah's experience of deserved judgment and unexpected salvation are contrasted to emphasize God's gracious deliverance. The first line emphasizes the danger in which Jonah found himself, "The seas encompassed me, even to the extent of threatening my life." The Hebrew text literally says, "unto my life," but the context clarifies that what is meant is that the seas were threatening Jonah's life. The second line, "The deep completely surrounded me," portrays Jonah completely surrounded by water rather than struggling on the surface as earlier. The use of the intensive stem, "completely surrounded," emphasizes Jonah's difficult situation. The word "deep" is sometimes used to refer to the primeval ocean elsewhere and may add to the description of the extent of Jonah's predicament. The third line, "Seaweed was wrapped around my head" pictures Jonah helplessly entangled. The fourth line also emphasizes the depths to which Jonah has sunk, "I sank down to the roots of the mountains." Some have understood this as a reference to the pillars which supported the earth according to early Hebrew cosmology (Glaze, 170). Again Jonah reaches a decisive conclusion about his fate, "The earth secured her bars against me forever." The word translated "bars" is used to refer to the bars which secured the gates of a walled city. Jonah believed that he was as good as dead with no hope of returning to the world of the living. However, the last line again reverses the direction of thought, "But you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God." The word translated "pit" comes from a word meaning "dig a pit" and is frequently used to refer to the grave. Here, as elsewhere, it embodies like Sheol all the fears that were associated with death. Though Jonah deserved death, he praises God for unexpectedly and graciously delivering him, a deliverance that was the equivalent of resurrection from the dead. Through Jonah's praise to God for graciously delivering him and saving him from death, the people of Israel were again reminded of their own experience of God's graciousness in saving them and giving them life and indebtedness to him.

**Jonah's praise for God's unexpected answer to his prayer**. In verse 7, Jonah again praises God for unexpectedly and graciously responding to his prayer as in verse 2. This verse contains only one set of parallel lines. The first line, "When my life was becoming faint within me I remembered the LORD," stresses the extent of Jonah's dilemma. The verb "was becoming faint" is probably used here as a euphemism for death. Jonah remembered God just before he died and it was too late. God again proved to be faithful in answering Jonah's prayer, "and my prayer went unto you, unto the temple of your holiness." Through Jonah's praise to God for graciously responding to his prayer, the people of Israel were again reminded of their own experience of God's gracious answer to their prayers for deliverance and indebtedness to him. They should praise God along with Jonah because God has graciously listened to their prayers, delivered them from death, and accepted them into his presence like Jonah.

Jonah's Commitment to Gratefully Make

Sacrifices and Fulfill Vows

Jonah's psalm of worship concludes in verses 8-9 with Jonah professing his commitment to gratefully make sacrifices and fulfill his vows to God. Jonah's profession of commitment (9a) is introduced by the description of an ungrateful response to God's mercy that accentuates the appropriateness of Jonah's grateful commitment (8). Jonah's profession of commitment is concluded with an explanation of the reason for his commitment (9b).

**An inappropriate response to God's mercy**. Jonah prefaces his profession of commitment with the description of an inappropriate response to God's gracious salvation in verse 8, "The ones who stubbornly keep worthless idols forsake the mercy you have given them." The word order in the Hebrew text is unusual probably to stress the contrast of behavior between these ungrateful idolaters and Jonah. There is considerable ambiguity in the Hebrew text of the second half of the verse. Actually, the Hebrew text is more literally, "forsake their mercy." The word translated "mercy" can either mean "mercy, kindness, love," or "covenant love," indicating love that is incumbent upon a covenant relationship. The word can be used to express God's attitude toward man as well as man's attitude toward God and the grammar in this verse admits both options. The author is either using the example of people who have forsaken their covenant obligations by committed idolatry or people who committed idolatry though God had shown them mercy. Because verse 10 clarifies that the issue is ingratitude versus gratitude, I have chosen the second of these possibilities. The people of Israel would have identified idolatry as the most heinous of crimes against God. What is implied, however, is that the failure of God's covenant people to obey God's command to proclaim his prophetic word of warning and hope to the nations was just as much an act of ingratitude and inappropriate as idolatry. Through Jonah's description of this ungrateful response to God's mercy, the people of Israel were led to reject unfaithfulness to God as ungrateful and inappropriate.

**Jonah's commitment to gratefully make sacrifices and fulfill vows**. In contrast to the ungrateful and inappropriate response described above, Jonah professes his commitment to gratefully make sacrifices and fulfill his vows to God in the first part of verse 9, "But **I** will certainly sacrifice to you with a voice of thanksgiving, that which I have vowed I will certainly fulfill." This determination is stressed in the Hebrew text by the use of the personal pronoun as the emphatic subject of the verb, the word order, and the use of the voluntative mood. The sacrifice in this context is obviously a thanksgiving offering in gratitude for his deliverance and these offerings acknowledged indebtedness and expressed gratitude to God. Vows were promised gifts to God in response to his help in a difficult time. Though the specific nature of his vows is not specified, Jonah's subsequent obedience to God's second call to go to Nineveh suggests that he has committed himself to go wherever God tells him to go and say whatever God tells him to say. Jonah finally had come to learn the lesson that the pagan sailors already knew (1:16). Because Jonah had experienced God's gracious salvation, he realized his obligation to obey God unconditionally. Through Jonah's profession of commitment, the people of Israel were encouraged to also commit themselves to obey God unconditionally.

**The reason for Jonah's commitment**. Jonah concludes his profession of commitment by explaining the reason for his change of attitude in the final line of the psalm (9b), "Salvation belongs to the LORD." This line does not fit well into the parallel structure of the poetic prayer and thus is emphasized as its climactic element. Jonah had come to realize that his own salvation was dependent upon God's mercy and that it was not just a part of his heritage. God, therefore, deserved his grateful obedience and further rebellion against the call of God was impossible. Similarly, the people of Israel were encouraged to acknowledge their indebtedness to God as a good reason for grateful obedience to God. They should commit themselves to gratefully fulfill their vows to God like Jonah because this is the appropriate response to God's gracious salvation.

Epilogue--God Gives Jonah another

Chance

Verse 10 concludes Jonah's episode in the great fish and provides him with an opportunity to make good on his commitment to God, "Then the LORD spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah on dry land." Chapter 3 reveals that Jonah did fulfill his commitment to God by going to Nineveh and preaching God's word of warning. What remains in doubt is the response of the people of Israel to the story. Through this verse the people of Israel were confronted with the same opportunity as Jonah to make good on their commitment to God. Would they obey God and take his word of warning to the nations like Jonah? They should carry through on their commitment like Jonah by obeying God's call to take his prophetic word of warning to the nations.

Application of the Message

The situation addressed by Jonah 1:17-2:10 is very similar to a crisis in the modern church. Part of God's purpose for the nation of Israel was that it would become a light for the nations. The people of Israel, however, failed to fulfill this destiny because of their disobedience. They disobeyed in part because they did not appreciate their obligation to obey God as a result of their own experience of God's gracious salvation. Similarly, the church has been given the responsibility of going into all the world and proclaiming the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Alas, many Christians neglect this responsibility in part because they do not truly appreciate their indebtedness to God as a result of their experience of his gracious salvation. These correspondences between the original and modern situations provide a strong basis for applying the message of Jonah 1:17-2:10 to the modern situation. In addition, the passage contains little of a contextualized nature that requires that the message be limited or adjusted when applied to the modern situation. Certainly minor differences occur. The coming of Jesus Christ has defined the church's message as the gospel and modern Christians do not offer sacrifices like Jonah offered in gratitude for God's gracious salvation. However, these minor differences do not affect the message of the passage significantly and can be generalized or related to contextual equivalents. Therefore, the statements of the applied message that follow have only been modified slightly. Christians have experienced God's gracious salvation and should consider its significance like Jonah. Christians should praise God along with Jonah because God has graciously listened to their prayers, delivered them from death, and accepted them into his presence. Christians should commit themselves to gratefully fulfill their obligations to God like Jonah because this is the appropriate response to God's gracious salvation. Christians should carry through on their commitment like Jonah by obeying God's call to proclaim the gospel.

Proclamation of the Message

**Title** : Salvation Belongs to the LORD

**Objective** : To encourage Christians to proclaim the gospel to the nations based on their gratitude for their own experience of God's grace.

**Proposition** : Christians should consider their experience of God's gracious salvation; praise God for graciously listening to their prayers, delivering them from death, and accepting them into his presence; gratefully commit themselves to fulfill their obligations to God; and obey God's call to proclaim the gospel.
Introduction

Christians have received salvation as God's gift. It seems to me that Christians who have experienced God's gift of salvation would be so grateful that they would do anything God said. This, sadly, is not always the case. God has given Christians the responsibility of going into the entire world and sharing with everyone the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Many Christians, however, fail to fulfill this responsibility. God had a problem with someone else who was reluctant to share his message of salvation. You remember Jonah, the reluctant prophet. God called Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach to the Ninevites. Jonah, however, got on a boat and went in the opposite direction. But God did not allow Jonah to escape his responsibility so easily. He sent a storm upon the sea and Jonah was eventually throne into the sea because of his rebellion against God's call. However, even though Jonah deserved to die, God did not let him drown. Instead God used a fish to teach Jonah a lesson about his indebtedness to God. As we look at Jonah 1:17-2:10, it is apparent that Jonah's attitude has changed dramatically and he is ready to fulfill his obligation to God gratefully. Perhaps our attitudes can be transformed by entering into the experience of Jonah. _Read Jonah 1:17-2:10_.

I. Christians have experienced God's gracious salvation like Jonah and should consider its significance like Jonah.

A. The last verse of chapter 1 states, "Then the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights."

B. The great fish was not God's means of punishing Jonah, but God's means of graciously saving him. Jonah's psalm of worship that follows makes it very clear that he feared death by drowning, but God graciously saved him by means of the great fish.

C. You might well ask then, "Why was Jonah in the great fish for three days and three nights?" I don't really know, but perhaps it was so that Jonah could have sufficient time to learn the lesson God wanted him to learn from his experience of God's gracious salvation.

D. _Illustration of a Life-Transforming Experience_

E. Application--As Christians, you have also experienced God's deliverance like Jonah. You should also consider the significance of God's gracious salvation like Jonah.

II. Christians should praise God along with Jonah because God has graciously listened to their prayers, delivered them from death, and accepted them into his presence.

A. Jonah 2:2-9 contains a psalm of worship. In the first part of Jonah's psalm of worship he praises God for his unexpected deliverance. Throughout his expression of praise, Jonah contrasts his experience of God's judgment with his experience of God's deliverance to stress how unexpected it was and accentuate the grace of God. Jonah knew that he deserved God's righteous judgement and expected God to reject and kill him because of his disobedience. Surprisingly, instead of killing him, God saved him from drowning by the great fish. The first part of Jonah's prayer is permeated with a sense of wonder at the mercy and grace of God.

B. In verse 2 Jonah praises God for unexpectedly responding to his prayer, "I called unto the LORD because of my distress and he answered me; from the depths of Sheol I called for help and you listened to my cry." The word translated "distress" comes from a verb which means " bind" or "tie up" and suggests a situation from which there is little hope of deliverance. Jonah further describes his situation as, "the depths of Sheol," the place under the earth where people went when they died. However, Jonah affirms that even from his lofty position in heaven God heard his cries for help and answered his call of distress.

C. In verses 3-4 Jonah praises God for his deliverance, contrasting his experience of deserved judgment with his experience of unexpected salvation to emphasize God's grace. Jonah laments, "You threw me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas; the current completely surrounded me, all your breakers and waves swept over me. I said, 'I have been banished from your sight.'" As punishment for Jonah's disobedience, God had him thrown into the sea far from land. In the midst of the sea he was swept about and thrown by the sea currents and waves. As Jonah struggled in the rough seas he came to the conclusion that he had "been banished" from God's presence, meaning that he had been driven away with no hope for being accepted into God's presence again. Certainly Jonah had every right to reach this conclusion. He had been disobedient to God and deserved whatever fate awaited him. However, because of God's deliverance of him through the great fish, Jonah is able to confidently affirm, "But I will certainly look again upon your holy temple." He would once more go to the temple in Jerusalem, into the presence of God.

D. In verses 5-6 Jonah again praises God for his deliverance, contrasting his experience of deserved judgment with his experience of unexpected salvation to emphasize God's grace. Jonah laments, "The seas encompassed me--even to the extent of threatening my life; the deep completely surrounded me; Seaweed was wrapped around my head. I sank down to the roots of the mountains; the earth secured her bars against me forever." Before Jonah described his struggle on the surface of the water. Now he describes his experience as he begins to drown. He was completely surrounded by water. He was hopelessly entangled in seaweed. He was at the base of the great mountains at the very bottom of the sea. At that point Jonah reached a dramatic conclusion about his fate, "The earth secured her bars against me forever!" Jonah concluded that God had punished him by death through drowning and there was no hope of him returning to the world of the living. Jonah had every right to expect this punishment from God. He had rebelled against God by fleeing to Tarshish and he deserved to die. However, because of God's deliverance of him through the great fish, Jonah is able to confidently affirm, "But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God." God delivered him from death by drowning and gave him new life.

E. In verse 7 Jonah again praises God for unexpectedly responding to his prayer, "Just when my life was becoming faint within me I remembered the LORD; and my prayer went unto you, unto the temple of your holiness." Jonah emphasizes that he remembered God just in time, just before he died and it was too late. What he probably remembered about God was that he was loving and merciful. Because of this memory Jonah prayed to God for help and God responded with love and mercy by delivering Jonah through the fish.

F. _Illustration of God's Grace and Deliverance_

G. Application--As Christians, you have also experienced God's gracious salvation in Jesus Christ. You have been delivered from death and given eternal life. Your sins have been forgiven and you are acceptable before God. You have access to God through prayer. You should praise God along with Jonah because of God's gracious salvation.

III. In addition, Christians should commit themselves to gratefully fulfill their obligations to God like Jonah because this is the appropriate response to God's gracious salvation.

A. In the second part of Jonah's psalm of worship, Jonah recommits himself to God based on his gratitude for God's gracious salvation.

B. Jonah's experience of God's gracious salvation forced him to reevaluate his relationship with God. Jonah knew that he deserved to die for rebellion against the call of God. But God instead delivered Jonah from drowning by means of the great fish. Because of this experience of God's gracious salvation Jonah states in the climactic line of his prayer, "Salvation belongs to the LORD." Jonah had come to realize that his existence was totally dependent upon God. He owed God his life!

C. Jonah's experience of God's gracious salvation forced him to reevaluate his act of rebellion. His refusal to go to Nineveh was an ungrateful response to the God whom he owed his life. He uses the example of the ungrateful people of Israel, "The ones who stubbornly reverence worthless idols forsake the mercy you have given them." Jonah realized that his disobedience to God's call was just as ungrateful a response to God's gracious salvation as idolatry.

D. Jonah's experience of God's gracious salvation forced him to renew his commitment to God. Jonah was determined not to make this error of ungratefulness again, "But I will certainly sacrifice to you with a voice of thanksgiving, that which I have vowed I will certainly fulfill." Thanksgiving offerings were given as acknowledgements of indebtedness and expressions of gratitude to God. Jonah had been delivered from drowning by God and gratefully acknowledged his obligation to obey God. Vows were promises made to God in the hope of securing his favor. Jonah recognized his obligation to God and pledged to obediently fulfill his obligations.

E. _Illustration of a Grateful Response to God's Gracious Deliverance_

F. Application--As Christians, you have also received God's gracious salvation through Jesus Christ. You owe God your life! Rebellion against him is unthinkable. You should commit yourselves to gratefully fulfill your obligations to God like Jonah because this is the appropriate response to God's gracious salvation.

IV. Christians should carry through on their commitment like Jonah by obeying God's call to proclaim the gospel.

A. The last verse in chapter 2 says, "Then the LORD spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah on dry land." After learning his lessons, that he owed his life to God and that rebellion against God was the supreme act of ingratitude, and committing himself to sacrifice and fulfill his vows to God, Jonah was given the opportunity to demonstrate the sincerity of his commitment.

B. We know from the rest of the book that, though Jonah still had some problems to work through, he did fulfill his commitment and went to Nineveh to proclaim God's message.

C. _Illustration of Taking Advantage of a Second Chance_

D. Application--The question remains, however, whether the church will fulfill its responsibility to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. You should carry through on your commitment like Jonah by obeying God's call to proclaim the gospel.

Conclusion

As Christians, you have received salvation as God's gift. It seems to me that Christians who have experienced God's gift of salvation would be so grateful that they would do anything God said. This, sadly, is not always the case. God has given Christians the responsibility of going into the entire world and sharing with everyone the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Many Christians, however, fail to fulfill this responsibility. You have experienced God's gracious salvation and should consider its significance like Jonah. You should praise God along with Jonah because God has graciously listened to your prayers, delivered you from death, and accepted you into his presence. You should commit yourselves to gratefully fulfill your obligations to God like Jonah because this is the appropriate response to God's gracious salvation. You should carry through on your commitment like Jonah by obeying God's call to proclaim the gospel.

### CHAPTER FOUR

### SO JONAH AROSE AND WENT

### God's Call and Jonah's Obedience

### Jonah 3:1-10

Though this passage is closely related to its context (See Literary Context and Role), it has a clearly defined beginning and ending with a cohesive situation and purpose, form and function, strategy and structure, and message.

Study of the Passage

Text and Translation

3:1Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2"Arise! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach to the inhabitants the message which I tell you!" 3So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an extremely large city, traversing the city took three days, 4but Jonah proceeded to go into the city one day's journey and proclaimed, "Just forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed!"1

5The men of Nineveh, however, believed God and as a result they called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest even unto the least. 6When the message reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe from upon him, put on sackcloth, and sat upon ashes. 7Then he made a proclamation in Nineveh. "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Don't let man or beast, heard or flock taste anything! Don't let them eat any food or drink any water! 8Instead let them cover themselves with sackcloth, both man and beast, and call upon God urgently, and turn back each from his evil way and the violence that is in their hands! 9Who knows, God may change his mind and relent and turn back from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."

10When God saw what they did, that they turned from their evil way, then God relented from the disaster that he said he was going to bring and he didn't bring it.

1The Septuagint actually says that the Ninevites were only given three days. This reading would in many ways enhance the drama of the story. The reading of the Masoretic Text has been retained, however, because of the preponderance of manuscript support and the possibility that forty was changed to three by some scribe to conform to the three days that Jonah spent in the fish.

Situation and Purpose

The situation addressed by Jonah 3:1-10 is the same which is addressed by the entire book--the rebellion of the people of Israel against God's call to speak his prophetic word of warning and hope to the nations. However, this passage by itself reveals little about the underlying situation. Seemingly, Jonah has already learned to obey God because of the wisdom of fearing God and the obligation of God's gracious salvation. Nonetheless, the Book of Jonah addresses one more problem of Jonah that reflects upon the situation of the people of Israel. As chapter 4 reveals, Jonah hated the Ninevites and was extremely upset when God did not destroy Nineveh. Jonah's response to God's mercy in that passage reflects a situation in which the people Israel lacked God's concern for the nations and did not want to share their privileged relationship to God with outsiders. Therefore, in anticipation of chapter 4, this passage seeks to challenge the people of Israel to obey God's call to preach his word to the nations because even a wicked people like the Ninevites can repent and God is eager to show mercy.

Literary Context and Role

The Book of Jonah is arranged chronologically and falls naturally into two halves recognizable by the parallel beginnings of chapters 1 and 3 and the paradoxically similar endings of chapters 2 and 4. The first half of the Book of Jonah relates the first call of Jonah, his rebellion against that call, and his relenting of that rebellion after he is delivered. The second half of the Book of Jonah relates the second call of Jonah, his obedience to that call, and his relenting of that obedience after Nineveh is delivered. Jonah 3:1-10 demonstrates that when God's people are obedient to his call to preach to the nations like Jonah, many will repent and God will be merciful to them. This passage stands in contrast to chapter 1, which narrated God's first call to Jonah and his rebellion, and illustrates the appropriate response to God's call in contrast to that inappropriate response. This passage supplements chapter 2 by demonstrating the sincerity of the commitment Jonah made to fulfill his obligation to God in that passage. This passage also indicates that Jonah has learned the lessons of the first two chapters, he should fear and obey God because God judges the disobedient and he should gratefully obey God because he is obligated to God for salvation. This passage also establishes the context for understanding chapter 4. As Jonah himself explains in 4:2, "So he prayed to the LORD and said, 'Isn't this exactly what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I opposed you by fleeing to Tarshish, because I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster.'"

Form and Function

Jonah 3:1-10 follows the narrative form that dominates the entire book. The key elements of historical narrative are setting, characters, and plot. Through identifying with the characters in their setting the readers are enabled to enter into the experience of God's people in history and learn from their experience as the plot develops. The setting of this story is in Nineveh, the wicked city that Jonah has hitherto sought to avoid. This setting serves within the narrative to accentuate Jonah's obedience despite his antipathy toward the city and its wicked inhabitants. The main character of the Book of Jonah and this passage is of course Jonah. The readers are intended to identify with Jonah and encouraged to follow his example in this passage. Jonah illustrates for the readers the appropriate response to God's call to encourage them to obey God's call as well. Other key characters are the Ninevites, especially their king, and God. The Ninevites demonstrate that even the wickedest of people are capable of repenting. God demonstrates his compassion for all people and desire to avoid judging even the wickedest if only they will repent. The plot of the story moves from Jonah's obedience, to Nineveh's repentance, to God's mercy. This plot illustrates through Jonah the consequences of obeying God's call to preach his word to the nations (See Strategy and Structure). As in most narratives, no specific indication of the appropriate response is provided. However, an implied command underlies the positive portrayal of Jonah, "Obey God's call to proclaim God's word of warning to the nations like Jonah."

Strategy and Structure

The passage is strategically structured chronologically in accordance with the plot of the story. The passage begins with God's call and Jonah's obedience (1-4). The subsequent division relates that the Ninevites believe, repent, and cry to God for mercy (5-9). The passage concludes with God relenting from the disaster that he was going to bring against the Ninevites when they repent of their evil (10). These last two divisions of the passage disclose the consequences of obedience to God's call as an incentive for the readers to obey God's call like Jonah.

I. God's Call and Jonah's Obedience (3:1-4)

A. God's Call for Jonah to Go to Nineveh to Preach (1-2)

B. Jonah's Obedience to God to Nineveh to Preach (3-4)

II. Nineveh Believes, Repents, and Cries for Mercy (3:5-9)

A. The City's General Response to Jonah's Message (5)

B. The King's Personal Response to Jonah's Message (6)

C. The King's Official Response to Jonah's Message (7-9)

1. Introduction

2. Requirements

3. Rationale

III. God Relents when Nineveh Repents (3:10)

Message or Messages

The people of Israel should obey God's call to warn the nations like Jonah no matter how intimidating the task because God has commanded them and they fear him and are grateful for their own salvation. The people of Israel should obey God's call to preach his prophetic word of warning to the nations like Jonah no matter how intimidating the task because many will believe, repent, and cry out to God for mercy like Nineveh. The people of Israel should obey God's call to preach his prophetic word of warning to the nations like Jonah no matter how intimidating the task because God regards judgment as an evil that he would gladly relent from sending if people repent of their evil like Nineveh.

Analysis of the Details

God's Call and Jonah's Obedience

Verses 1-4 record God's second call to Jonah. They are very similar to the first three verses in chapter 1. However, in this case Jonah is obedient to God's call. Throughout Jonah's obedience is emphasized in contrast to his disobedience in the initial chapter. Jonah's obedience illustrates the appropriate response to God's call for the readers.

**God's call for Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach**. The opening verse introduces Jonah's prophetic call, "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time." The addition of "a second time" recalls the first call and the lessons Jonah has already learned: Resisting God's call is foolish (1:1-16) and an ungrateful response to God's gracious salvation (1:17-2:10). Jonah's prophetic call is given in verse 2 in a slightly modified form from chapter 1, "Arise! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach to the inhabitants the message which I tell you!" No longer does God explain the reason for his call as in chapter 1. Instead God makes it clear that Jonah is to obey based on his authority alone.

**Jonah's obedience to go to Nineveh and preach**. The most dramatic change from the narrative of Jonah's prophetic call in chapter 1 is found in the first half of verse 3. The wording purposely mirrors chapter 1, but of course the response is just the opposite. In the first chapter, "Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD." In the third chapter, however, "Jonah arose and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the LORD." The parallels with chapter 1 and the addition of "in obedience to the word of the Lord" emphasize Jonah's compliance to God's will.

The second half of verse 3 and verse 4 continue to emphasize Jonah's obedience in contrast to the second half of verse 3 in the first chapter that emphasized Jonah's disobedience. Nineveh is described as being colossal, "Now Nineveh was an extremely large city, traversing the city took three days." Literally the words translated "an extremely large city" are "a large city to God." The addition of "to God" is a Hebrew way of adding emphasis to a description. God has his own standards of judging things, but Nineveh was even large by his standards (Page, 259-260 asserts that this phrase expresses God's sovereignty over and compassion for Nineveh). The phrase translated "traversing the city took three days" has been understood in a number of ways. Because archaeological evidence has revealed that the diameter of city was only three miles, some scholars suggest that what is intended here is that it took three days to travel every street (Stuart, 487-488). Some ancient accounts of the size of the city estimate the size of Nineveh as approximately fifty miles in circumference or three days journey. It is possible to conclude, therefore, that the description here refers to a circumnavigation of the city (Allen, 221). Excluding the archaeological and historical data, the most natural understanding of this description is that it took three days to walk from one end of the city to the other for the author next maintains that "Jonah went into the city one day's journey." Of course this understanding would portray Nineveh as a colossal city well beyond current knowledge of its actual size and even ancient descriptions. This tension with archaeological and historical evidence can be overcome in part by maintaining that the author is referring to the entire district and not just the city proper. Still the author has already described the city as large even by God's standards and these words possibly continue his emphasis.

Against the background of this colossal city the author paints Jonah, "Jonah began to go into the city one day's journey and proclaimed, 'Just forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed.'" After a day's journey Jonah was still not yet in the heart of the city. He was surrounded by the teaming populace of the hated Ninevites and yet he has learned his lessons and obediently proclaimed God's message. The message is straightforward and unadorned. At first glance it appears to offer no hope. Most messages of this type were probably considered warnings, however, and the time period of forty days implies that there was still hope. Forty is the number of testing in the Old Testament. The adverb translated "just" accentuates the limited nature of the offer (Page, 262 and Stuart, 489 point out that Jonah's message was ambiguous). Jonah's obedience served as a positive example for the people of Israel. They should obey God's call to warn the nations like Jonah no matter how intimidating the task because he has commanded them and they fear him and are grateful for their own salvation like Jonah.

Nineveh Believes, Repents, and

Cries for Mercy

Verses 5-9 record Nineveh's response to God's message. This response needs to be seen through the filter of the preceding description of Nineveh and Jonah. In spite of the fact that the brief message is delivered by an insignificant man in the midst of a great throng of people, the Ninevites surprisingly believe the message, wholeheartedly repent, and urgently appeal to God for mercy. The sense of surprise and the emphasis on the universality and wholeheartedness of the repentance dominate the narrative. Here are a people who are pagans, but who are capable of true commitment to God. The response of Nineveh would certainly challenge the prejudices of the people of Israel, especially when their own stubborn refusal to repent and obey God is considered, and encourage them to obey God's call. This section divides quite naturally into the general response of the city (5), the king's personal response (6), and the king's official response (7-9).

**The city's general response to Jonah's message**. The general response of the city was immediate, sincere, and universal, "The men of Nineveh, however, believed God and as a result they called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from greatest even unto the least." There is no gap implied between the preaching of Jonah and their response. The response was immediate. The Ninevites recognized the truth of Jonah's message and that their only hope was to turn to God for mercy. Their recognition of the validity of Jonah's message led the Ninevites to two actions that demonstrated the sincerity of their repentance, fasting and wearing sackcloth. Fasting was the complete abstinence from food for a time for a variety of reasons. Here it is a sign of their mourning for their sins and an expression of their repentance in the hope that God would show them his mercy. The wearing of sackcloth was also an act that signified repentance. Sackcloth was the cheap coarse cloth used to make sacks. Putting on the uncomfortable and unsightly cloth symbolized sorrow for sin and submission to the will of God. The universality of the repentance is indicated by the phrase, "from the greatest even unto the least." This phrase deliberately includes every possibility to express beyond doubt that no one no matter how high or low on the social spectrum was exempt from the repentance.

**The king's personal response to Jonah's message**. The king's personal response to the message of Jonah is found in verse 6, "When the message reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe from upon him, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes." Again the response is described as being immediate. There is no gap between the message reaching the king and his repentance. The word translated "throne" was used for the seat of honor either of a king or some honored personage. As such it figuratively represented his dignity, authority, and power. The king removed himself from this position, however, in recognition of God's dignity, authority, and power over him. Instead he sat in ashes. Ashes were regarded as something filthy and loathsome and became a symbol for insignificance and dishonor. Putting ashes on the head or sitting on them was a sign of mourning, humiliation, and contrition. Through this act the king was expressing his great sorrow for his sin and submission to God in the hope of obtaining mercy. The king's attire was also affected by Jonah's message. The word translated "robe" literally means "glory" or "magnificence" but was also used to refer to the mantle or cloak of a prophet or king as a symbol of the prestige of the position. But the king took off this symbol because of his recognition of his sin and the authority of God over his life and instead put on the ugly coarse sackcloth as a symbol of his repentance and submission to God. By submitting himself to God in this fashion the king serves as proof that even the greatest in Nineveh did indeed repent.

**The king's official response to Jonah's message**. The official response of the king to Jonah's message is recorded beginning in verses 7, "Then he made a proclamation in Nineveh." Really the proclamation was essentially meaningless since the people had already repented "from the greatest even unto the least." The proclamation adds a further emphasis, however, to the universality of the repentance. At the beginning of the proclamation the king establishes the basis of its authority, "By the decree of the king and his nobles." Decrees of the king carried absolute authority over his subjects and none would be exempt from its requirements.

The proclamation called for four actions to try to convince God not to destroy Nineveh. First, the proclamation called for a severe fast from which no one was to be exempt, "Don't let man or beast, herd or flock taste anything! Don't let them eat any food or drink any water!" The fast even included the beasts and not any of them were exempt. The participation of animals in acts of national repentance was a common practice in Assyria (Allen, 224). The participation of the animals was probably intended to stress the universality of the repentance. The inclusion of the beasts in these acts of repentance certainly proved the truth of the assertion that even the least repented. The fast was severe, including not just food but water as well. The severity of the fast doubly emphasized its expression of the sincerity of Nineveh's sorrow for sin and turning to God in repentance for mercy. Second, the proclamation called for mourning garb, "Instead let them cover themselves with sackcloth, both man and beast." Again, the sackcloth is a symbol of mourning for sin and repentance. Again, the appeal for all, even the beasts, to put on sackcloth symbolizes the universality of their sorrow for sin and repentance. Third, the proclamation called for fervent prayer, "and call upon God urgently." The word translated "urgently" means literally "with strength." This wasn't a call to half-hearted prayer but total commitment to intercession for God's mercy. The final requirement of the proclamation was repentance, "and turn back each from his wicked way and the violence which is in their hands." The metaphor of a way or path is used to describe the manner of the Ninevites' lives. The life or path they had chosen was characterized by wickedness and violence, probably referring to self-seeking desires that were selfishly fulfilled to the harm of others. The universality of the call to repentance is emphasized with a Hebrew noun translated "each." None were exempt from the requirement.

The rationale for this speedy, universal, and sincere repentance is provided by the king of Nineveh in verse 9, "Who knows, God may change his mind and relent and turn back from his fierce anger so that we will not perish." The king is portrayed as a good theologian here. He does not presume any obligation on God's part to show mercy but sets out God's mercy as a possibility. The word translated "relent" is used predominantly in the Old Testament to express feelings of sorrow for the condition of others or for one's own actions. The word is used here and in verse 10 for God's sorrow for his own act of judgement that he was going to send against Nineveh. Some have found difficulty reconciling this description of God with their understanding of his unchangeableness. First Samuel 15:29 says, "He who is the glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind (relent); for he is not a man, that he should change his mind (relent)." Similarly, other passages deny that God could change his mind, but these all relate to specific situations, set limits on God's mercy, or assure the fulfillment of a promise. The idea that God could relent and change his mind, however, permeates the Old Testament. The most comprehensive statement to this effect is found in Jeremiah 18: 7-10:

If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me then I will reconsider (relent) the good I had intended to do for it.

The king, therefore, is an excellent exponent of prophetic theology while Jonah and all those among the readers who share his attitude toward Gentiles are revealed to be narrowminded. The repentance of Nineveh certainly would have challenged the hatred of the people of Israel for other nations. They should obey God's call to warn the nations like Jonah because many will believe, repent, and cry out to God for mercy like Nineveh.

God Relents when Nineveh Repents

The response of God to this overwhelming repentance of the Ninevites is narrated in verse 10, "When God saw what they did that they turned from their evil way, then God relented from the disaster which he said he was going to bring and he did not bring it." The response of God confirms the truth of the theology expressed by the king of Nineveh in verse 9. God will respond with mercy to those who truly repent. As Stuart states, "When Nineveh repented, God relented" (Stuart, 495). The words "evil" and "disaster" are actually translations of the same word. In the first instance the word is used to describe the moral wickedness of the Ninevites. In the second instance it is used to describe God's planned judgment against them--probably a natural calamity. The close proximity and parallel structures suggests a blending of the two ideas. The disaster that God was bringing against the Ninevites was an "evil" which God would just as soon avoid. This is the attitude that the author would recommend for his readers. Instead of hating Gentiles and taking delight in the prospect of their judgement, they should adopt God's attitude of compassion for Gentiles and the prospect of their judgement should fill them with sorrow. They should obey God's call to warn the nations like Jonah because God regards judgment as an evil that he would gladly relent from sending if people repent of their evil like Nineveh.

Application of the Message

The situation addressed by Jonah 3:1-10 is very similar to a crisis in the modern church. Part of God's purpose for the nation of Israel was that it would become a light for the nations. Israel, however, failed to fulfill this destiny. Similarly, the church has been given the responsibility of going into the entire world and proclaiming the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Alas, the church has often neglected this responsibility as well. In addition, one of the primary reasons for the failure of the church to fulfill its mission is that Christians do not share the compassion of their God for a lost world. The people of Israel had a strong racial, national, and religious identity. They had grown suspicious and even hated those who did not share their heritage. The prospect of going to outsiders with a message of God's mercy, knowing that they would be incorporated into God's chosen people, was loathsome. Christians today are sometimes guilty of the same type of exclusiveness that infested Israel. Though Christianity was designed by God to be a fellowship in which all the barriers which normally separate mankind are torn down, this is not always an actuality in the church. These correspondences between the original and modern situations provide a strong basis for applying the message of Jonah 3:1-10 to the modern situation. In addition, the passage contains little of a contextualized nature that requires that the message be limited or adjusted when applied to the modern situation. Certainly minor differences occur. The coming of Jesus Christ has defined the church's message as the gospel and the form of the Ninevites response is different from what would be appropriate today. However, these minor differences do not affect the message of the passage significantly and can be generalized or related to contextual equivalents. Therefore, the statements of the applied message that follow have only been modified slightly. Christians should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because God has commanded them and they fear him and are grateful for their own salvation. Christians should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because many will believe, repent, and cry out to God for mercy. Christians should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because God regards judgment as an evil that he would gladly relent from sending if people repent of their evil.

Proclamation of the Message

**Title** : So Jonah Arose and Went

**Objective** : The objective of this message is to challenge Christians to obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people.

**Proposition** : Christians should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because God has commanded them and they fear him and are grateful for their own salvation; many will believe, repent, and cry out to God for mercy; and God regards judgment as an evil that he would gladly relent from sending if people repent.
Introduction

Almost every evangelical Christian denomination or group has made the evangelization of the world its primary goal. What is usually meant by the evangelization of the world is that everyone in the entire world will have been exposed to the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Most evangelical denominations and group have developed strategies for accomplishing this goal. Southern Baptists call their strategy for the evangelization of the world "Bold Mission Thrust." This goal is still far from being achieved. The reasons for this failure are many. However, two of the primary reasons is that Christians do not share God's love for a lost world and they are intimidated by non-Christians. As a result, the church sometimes becomes a closed fellowship and Christians only associate with one another. How can the Great Commission be fulfilled when Christians have little or no contact with unbelievers? Jonah wanted the people of Israel to remain a closed society. He was very comfortable when God told him to preach in Israel, but when he was called upon to go to Nineveh he revolted. He hated the Ninevites and did not want them to be incorporated into God's people. Nonetheless, when God called him a second time to go to Nineveh he obeyed. Through his experience in Nineveh Jonah was challenged by the dramatic repentance of the Ninevites and God's mercy toward them. As we enter into the experience of Jonah, God also challenges us to overcome our fears, love all people like our God, and obey his call to preach the gospel. _Read Jonah 3:1-10_.

I. Christians should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because God has commanded them and they fear him and are grateful for their own salvation.

A. When God called Jonah the first time and told him to go to Nineveh, he rebelled and tried to escape by fleeing to Tarshish. However, when God called Jonah the second time to go to Nineveh, he submitted and obeyed God's call by going to Nineveh. Jonah had learned to obey God!

B. The extent of Jonah's commitment to obey God is emphasized by his compliance to God's command to go to Nineveh and preach even though the task was very intimidating. Nineveh is described as "an extremely large city." Literally the words are "a great city to God." The addition of "to God" was a Hebrew way of adding emphasis to a description. God has his own standards of judging things and Nineveh was even large by his standards. The dramatic description of Nineveh is continued with, "traversing the city took three days." These words have been understood in several ways. They could mean that it took three days to go down every street or that it took three days to go around the outside of the city. The most natural understanding, however, is that it took three days to walk across the city. Certainly, according to this description, Nineveh was a colossal city. Into this teaming populace of Ninevites one insignificant foreign prophet walked for one day until he was not yet even in the center of the city. There he proclaimed the message God had given him, "Just forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed." His message wasn't exactly good news and the Ninevites could easily have killed him. Yet Jonah obeyed God.

C. _Illustration of Courageous Obedience_

D. Jonah obeyed despite the intimidating task because God had taught him some valuable lessons about obedience. God taught him a lesson through the storm and being thrown into the sea. God was to be feared and obeyed! God taught him a lesson through delivering him from drowning by the great fish. Salvation is from God and he should gratefully obeyed!

E. Application--Jesus commanded his disciples, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:9b). You should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because God has commanded you and you fear him and are grateful for your own salvation.

II. Christians should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because many will believe, repent, and cry out to God for mercy.

A. Nineveh was an extremely large city and the Ninevites were an arrogant and wicked people. Jonah's task was certainly intimidating. The likelihood that they would respond positively to Jonah's message seems remote. The surprising fact is, however, that even though God's message was brief and was delivered by one insignificant man in the midst of a great multitude, the Ninevites believed and repented.

B. The Ninevites responded with sincere and universal repentance, "The men of Nineveh, however, believed God and as a result they called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest even unto the least. The sincerity of their repentance is demonstrated by fasting and wearing sackcloth. Fasting is complete abstinence from food for a time and was an expression of the Ninevites' mourning for their sin and repentance. Sackcloth is the cheap coarse cloth used to make sacks and the wearing of the uncomfortable and unsightly cloth was an expression of the Ninevites' sorrow for sin and submission to God. The universality of their repentance is indicated by the phrase, "from the greatest even unto the least." No one, no matter how high or low in the social spectrum was exempt from the repentance.

C. The king responded personally with humility and repentance, "When the message reached the king of Nineveh he got up from his throne, took off his robe from upon him put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes." The humility and repentance of the king are revealed through his change of seats. The throne was the seat of honor either of a king or some honored personage. But the king removed himself from this position and instead sat in ashes. Ashes were regarded as something filthy and loathsome and became a symbol for insignificance and dishonor. The king's humility and repentance are also expressed through his change of clothes. The king had been dressed in his royal robe which was a symbol of the prestige of his position. But the king took off this symbol and instead put on the ugly coarse sackcloth. Certainly it was true that even the greatest in Nineveh did indeed repent!

D. The king also responding officially by decreeing a fast, the wearing of sackcloth, fervent prayer, and transformed living. First, the proclamation called for a severe fast in which the Ninevites not only denied themselves food but water as well as an expression of their sincere sorrow for sin and repentance. Even the animals had to fast as an indication of the completeness of the repentance of Nineveh. Second, the decree called for all to wear sackcloth as an expression of their mourning for sin as they mourned for the death of a close family member. Again, the animals had to wear sackcloth as well to indicate the complete repentance of Nineveh. Certainly it was true than even the least in Nineveh did repent! Third, the decree called for fervent prayer, "call upon God urgently." The word "urgently" is literally "with strength." Finally, the decree called for transformed living, "turn back each from his wicked way and the violence that is in their hands." Fasting and wearing sackcloth were just outward signs of repentance. Real repentance leads to transformed living.

E. _Illustration of Dramatic Conversion_

F. Application--Though Jonah's task was intimidating, the task of the church is even more intimidating. Jesus commanded his disciples, "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." You should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because many will believe, repent, and cry out to God for mercy.

III. Christians should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because God regards judgment as an evil that he would gladly relent from sending if people repent.

A. The Ninevites had only one remote hope as expressed by the king, "Who knows, God may change his mind and relent and turn back from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."

B. This remote hope was fulfilled as God responded to the Ninevites by relenting of his planned judgment, "When God saw what they did, that they turned from their evil way, then God relented from the disaster he was going to bring and he did not bring it."

C. The word translated "disaster" in the second half of this verse is the same Hebrew word translated "evil" in the first half of the verse. In the first instance the word is used to describe the moral wickedness of the Ninevites. In the second instance the word is used to describe God's planned judgment--probably a natural calamity. The disaster God was planning against the Ninevites was an "evil" which God would just as soon avoid. God is not a hateful God just waiting for any reason to inflict judgment on his creation. He is a loving God who always desires to show compassion and mercy to anyone who turns to him in sincere repentance. Judgment is only a last resort.

D. _Illustration of God's Love and Mercy_

E. Application--God still wants to show his mercy to the entire world. Jesus commanded his disciples, "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." You should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because God regards judgment as an evil that he would gladly relent from sending if people repent.

Conclusion

Almost every evangelical Christian denomination or group has made the evangelization of the world its primary goal. This goal is still far from being achieved. The reasons for this failure are many. However, two of the primary reasons are that Christians do not share God's love for a lost world and they are intimidated by non-Christians. As a result, the church sometimes becomes a closed fellowship and Christians only associate with one another. How can the Great Commission be fulfilled when Christians have little or no contact with unbelievers? Jonah wanted the people of Israel to remain a closed society. He was very comfortable when God told him to preach in Israel, but when he was called upon to go to Nineveh he revolted. Nonetheless, when God called him a second time to go to Nineveh he obeyed. Through his experience in Nineveh Jonah was challenged by the dramatic repentance of the Ninevites and God's mercy toward them. As we have entered into the experience of Jonah, God has also challenged us to overcome our fears, love all people like our God, and obey his call to preach the gospel. You should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because God has commanded you and you fear him and are grateful for your own salvation. You should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because many will believe, repent, and cry out to God for mercy. You should obey God's call to preach the gospel to all people no matter how intimidating the task because God regards judgment as an evil that he would gladly relent from sending if people repent.

### CHAPTER FIVE

### SHOULDN'T I HAVE PITY?

### Jonah's Anger and God's Compassion

### Jonah 4:1-11

Though this passage is closely related to its context (See Literary Context and Role), it has a clearly defined beginning and ending with a cohesive situation and purpose, form and function, strategy and structure, and message.

Study of the Passage

Text and Translation

4:1But it was extremely distressing as far as Jonah was concerned and it angered him. 2So he prayed to the LORD and said, "Isn't this exactly what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I opposed you by fleeing to Tarshish, because I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster. 3Now LORD, I beg you to take my life from me right now for my death is better than life!" 4As a result the LORD responded, "Is it right for it to anger you?"

5Then Jonah went out of the city, sat down in a place east of the city, made a shelter there, and sat down under it in the shade until he could see what would happen with the city.1 6At that time the LORD appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade upon his head in order to deliver him from his distress, and as a result Jonah was overjoyed because of the plant. 7But God appointed a worm at dawn the next day and it attacked the plant so that it withered. 8Then it happened that God appointed a scorching east wind and the sun beat upon Jonah's head so that he became faint. As a result Jonah asked to die saying, "My death is better than life!" 9Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for it to anger you because of the plant?" He responded, "It is right for it to anger me enough to die!"

10Then the Lord said, " **You** * looked with pity upon the plant which you did not tend or cause to grow, which grows in a night and perishes in a night. 11Shouldn't **I** * have pity upon Nineveh, the great city, which has in it more than 120,000 people who do not know their right hand from their left, and many cattle?"

1Some scholars perceive a conflict in this verse with what has preceded and what follows and as a result suggest that one or more elements were not an original part of the story. Jonah seems to assume in verses 1-3 that God is going to spare the Ninevites, but in verse 5 he is described as awaiting God's response. Furthermore, in verse 5 it is maintained that Jonah built a shelter which provided him shade, whereas in verses 6-8 the plant provides shade for Jonah and when it is gone the sun beat on Jonah's head. However, these minor irregularities in the logic of the story can be explained with relative ease from a logical point of view. Jonah may simply have assumed that God would show mercy to the Ninevites because of his knowledge of God's character and the repentance of the Ninevites. He then went out of the city to wait and see if his fears were confirmed. Similarly, though the shelter provided some shade, it may have proved inadequate for Jonah's needs.

*The bold print indicates an emphasis on these words in the Hebrew text (See Analysis of the Details).

Situation and Purpose

The situation addressed by Jonah 4:1-11 is the same which is addressed by the entire book--the rebellion of the people of Israel against God's call to speak his prophetic word of warning and hope to the nations. In addition, this passage implies an underlying problem, the people of Israel did not share their God's compassion for a lost world. This lack of compassion is implied in Jonah's response to God's decision to spare Nineveh. He became extremely angry and regretted that he had obeyed God's call after all, explaining in verse 2 "Isn't this exactly what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I opposed you by fleeing to Tarshish, because I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster." Furthermore, this passage also implies that the people of Israel were preoccupied with their own comfort. This preoccupation with comfort is implied in Jonah's joy because of the plant and its shade and anger when the plant withered and the sun beat on his head. Page points out that the word "I" or "my" occurs no fewer than nine times in the original (Page, 277). Therefore, the purpose of this passage was to encourage the people of Israel to reject Jonah's preoccupation with comfort, have compassion for all people like their God, and preach God's prophetic word of warning and hope to the nations.

Literary Context and Role

The Book of Jonah is arranged chronologically and falls naturally into two halves recognizable by the parallel beginnings of chapters 1 and 3 and the paradoxically similar endings of chapters 2 and 4. The first half of the Book of Jonah relates the first call of Jonah, his rebellion against that call, and his relenting of that rebellion after he is delivered. The second half of the Book of Jonah relates the second call of Jonah, his obedience to that call, and his relenting of that obedience after Nineveh is delivered. Jonah 4:1-11 challenges readers to love all people like their God rather than be preoccupied with their own comfort like Jonah. Chapter 3 provides the context for understanding this passage, God's decision not to destroy Nineveh. This passage finally explains and addresses directly the ultimate underlying cause of Jonah's rebellion against God's call to go to Nineveh recorded in chapter 1. As Jonah himself explains in 4:2, "So he prayed to the LORD and said, 'Isn't this exactly what I said when I was still in my own country? That is why I opposed you by fleeing to Tarshish, because I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster.'" This passage is the climax of the Book of Jonah. The first two chapters appeal to the people of Israel for obedience to God's prophetic call based on the fear of God's judgment and obligation to God for his grace, the last two chapters appeal to the people of Israel based on God's compassion for all people. Whereas chapter 3 characterizes God's attitude toward the Gentiles as compassion, chapter 4 challenges readers to reevaluate their own attitudes toward outsiders in the light of God's compassion.

Form and Function

Jonah 4:1-11 follows the narrative form that dominates the entire book. The key elements of narrative are setting, characters, and plot. Through identifying with the characters in their setting the readers are enabled to enter into the experience of God's people in history and learn from their experience as the plot develops. The setting of this story is in Nineveh and at a location east of the city. The settings furnish the two objects of compassion, the city of Nineveh for which God has compassion and the plant for which Jonah has compassion. Jonah and God are both primary characters in this passage. In fact, the readers are led to choose between Jonah's compassion for the plant and his own comfort and God's compassion for Nineveh and a lost world. The plot of the story moves from Jonah's anger because God spared Nineveh and God's challenge, to Jonah's anger because God destroyed the plant and God's challenge, and concludes with God's justification of his pity for Nineveh as opposed to Jonah's pity for the plant. As the plot develops, Jonah's lack of compassion for Nineveh and compassion for the plant are revealed to be unjustified and the readers are encouraged to have compassion for a lost world like their God rather than be preoccupied with concern for their own comfort like Jonah (See Strategy and Structure). The chapter contains an object lesson that serves to identify the misplaced concern of Jonah for his own comfort as revealed in his joy over the plant and his distress over its destruction. Contrast and irony are important elements of the account. Jonah is astonishingly unlike his God in his attitude toward the Ninevites. This ironic contrast would lead the readers of the story to recognize their need to adopt the compassion of God for the world rather than Jonah's inappropriate preoccupation with his own comfort. The three rhetorical questions found in verses 4, 9, and 11 challenge the readers to evaluate their own values based on God's compassion for Nineveh.

Strategy and Structure

The structure of Jonah 4 centers around three rhetorical questions. The first question challenges Jonah for his angry response to God sparing Nineveh (1-4). The second question challenges Jonah for his angry response to God destroying the plant (5-9). The third closes the chapter, justifying God's pity for Nineveh in contrast to Jonah's unjustified pity for the plant (10-11). As the readers overhear this conversation, they are challenged by these same questions to reject Jonah's unjustified hatred of the Ninevites and concern for the plant and adopt God's justified compassion for all people. The final question is left unanswered, leaving the readers with the choice between emulating Jonah or God.

I. Jonah's Anger and God's First Challenging Question (4:1-4)

A. Jonah's Response to God Sparing Nineveh (1-3)

1. Distress and anger

2. Complaint and appeal for death

B. God's Challenging Question (4)

II. Jonah's Anger and God's Second Challenging Question (4:5-9)

A. Jonah Observation Post East of the City (5)

B. God's Provision of a Plant and Jonah's Joy (6)

C. God's Destruction of the Plant and Jonah's Discomfort and Angry Appeal for Death (7-8)

D. God's Challenging Question and Jonah's Angry Retort (9)

III. God's Justified Pity and Third Challenging Question (4:10-11)

A. Jonah's Unjustified Pity for the Plant (10)

B. God's Justified Pity and Third Challenging Question (11)

Message or Messages

The people of Israel should have compassion for all people because their God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster, whereas Jonah's anger when God spared the Ninevites was unjustified. The people of Israel should not be preoccupied with their own interests like Jonah because Jonah's anger when the plant was destroyed and the hot wind and sun tormented him was unjustified. The people of Israel should not be preoccupied with their own interests like Jonah, but have compassion for all people like God because Jonah's concern for the plant was unjustified, but God's concern for Nineveh was fully justified.

Analysis of the Details

Jonah's Anger and God's First

Challenging Question

Verses 1-4 describe Jonah's angry response to God sparing Nineveh (1-3) and God's question challenging Jonah's angry response. As Jonah's response is described, the readers are led to acknowledge that his response is unjustifiable so that when God asks whether his response is justifiable they are ready to answer "No!" In this way they are led to condemn themselves for their own failure to share God's compassion for all people.

**Jonah's response to God sparing Nineveh**. Jonah's angry response to God sparing Nineveh is recorded in verses 1-3. Throughout Jonah's opposition to God's compassion for Nineveh is accented. Jonah's initial response recorded in verse 1 is distress and anger, "But it was extremely distressing as far as Jonah was concerned and it angered him." Most translations render this verse in a similar fashion to the NIV, "But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry." The more literal translation, however, makes it clearer that Jonah's anticipation of God sparing Nineveh was the cause of his distress and anger. The extent of Jonah's distress is emphasized in several ways. The verb and its object are from the same root, a common way of creating emphasis in biblical Hebrew. To this structure an intensifying adjective has been added. Even more literally these two intensive structures could be translated, "But it was evil to Jonah a great evil." A familiar word to readers of the Hebrew text of Jonah recurs in this verse. The word translated "distress" is the same word used to refer to Nineveh's moral "evil" and the natural "disaster" God was planning to bring against Nineveh and from which he later relented. The word as it is used here emphasizes Jonah's lack of concord with the attitude of God toward the Ninevites. God had compassion for the Ninevites and regarded judgement in the form of a natural calamity as an evil to be avoided if possible. For Jonah, however, who hated the Ninevites, it was God's mercy that was evil. The words "it angered him" more literally could be translated "it burned in him." God's mercy to the Ninevites was so enraging to Jonah that it was like a fire burning inside of him. As Baldwin observes, "What had caused God pain would have given Jonah pleasure" (Baldwin, 583).

Jonah's next reaction to God's mercy toward the Ninevites was to pray, or at least that is what this complaint and appeal for death is ironically labeled. Throughout Jonah's "prayer" his opposition to God sparing the Ninevites is emphasized. Jonah begins his complaint with a rhetorical question, "Isn't this exactly what I said when I was still in my own country?" This rhetorical question is equivalent to the exclamation, "I told you so!" and expresses Jonah's regret for having obeyed God's call. Jonah then explains that his anticipation that God would spare Nineveh was the reason for his former rebellion, "That's is why I opposed you by fleeing to Tarshish." Jonah concludes by clarifying the basis of his anticipation of God's mercy--his knowledge of the character of God, "because I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster." This description of God mirrors Exodus 34:6 where God's mercy in renewing the covenant with Israel is acknowledged in praise. Through this allusion the irony of Jonah's antipathy toward the Ninevites in spite of his own undeserved experience of God's mercy is accentuated. "Gracious" portrays almost exclusively the kindness of a superior to an inferior and conveys the dual ideas of graciousness and condescension. "Compassionate" describes feelings of deep love rooted in some natural bond resulting in concrete acts that express that compassion. "Slow to anger" conveys God's patience in dealing with people. Some controversy surrounds the exact nuance of the word translated "love." At the very least it conveys the ideas of persistence in affection and acts of mercy without condition. The adjective "abounding in" is added to emphasize the extent of this love. Finally, "one who relents from disaster" portrays God's attitude toward catastrophic acts of judgement--they are an evil to be avoided of at all possible.

These words are normally used to describe the characteristics of God almost exclusively with reference to his attitude toward Israel, his chosen people, no matter how rebellious they remain as in Exodus 34. In this context it is clear, however, that Jonah has come to realize quite accurately that God's feelings of graciousness, compassion, patience, love, and abhorrence of calamitous acts of judgement extend beyond Israel to all people. Such an attitude toward foreigners is certainly contrary to Jonah's perspective. He hated the Ninevites and abhorred even the possibility that God might extend the love and mercy that he regarded as the exclusive prerogative of Israel to a foreign people. Jonah concludes his "prayer" with an appeal for death in verse 3, "Lord, I beg you to take my life from me right now for my death is better than life." This plea for death accentuates Jonah's stubborn opposition to God's compassion and mercy. The intensity of his opposition is stressed by the use of an imperative verb with a particle of entreaty as well as an intensifying adverb translated "right now." Jonah has come to realize that despite his pledge of obedience in chapter 2 he would rather be dead than the instrument of God in extending mercy to the hated Ninevites.

**God's Challenging Question**. Verse 4 contains God's question challenging Jonah for his angry response, "As a result the Lord responded, 'Is it right for it to anger you?'" Presupposed here is the understanding of God described in verse 2. Essentially God was asking, "Based on your knowledge of my compassion for all people, is it right for you to be angry when I show them mercy?" The verb translated "Is it right" calls for Jonah to evaluate the appropriateness of his attitude toward foreigners. As in verse 1, the words translated "for it to anger you" could be more literally translated "for it to burn in you." The question's structure and the context imply a negative response. Jonah, however, refuses to respond. Nonetheless, through this question the readers are led to evaluate Jonah's anger and hatred for foreigners and conclude that these are inappropriate for Jonah and for them. Instead, they should share God's compassion for all people. They should have compassion for all people because their God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster, whereas Jonah's anger because God spared the Ninevites was unjustified.

Jonah's Anger and God's Second

Challenging Question

Verses 5-9 describe Jonah's angry response to God destroying the plant and God's question challenging Jonah's angry response. As Jonah's response is described, the readers are again led to acknowledge that his response is unjustifiable so that when God asks whether his response is justifiable they are ready to answer "No!" In this way they are led to condemn themselves for their own preoccupation with their own comfort. In these verses a change of setting is described (5); God provides a plant for shade and Jonah responds with joy (6); God destroys the plant and Jonah is tormented by the heat until he angrily appeals for death (7-8); and God challenges Jonah's anger and he replies heatedly (9).

**Jonah's observation post east of the city**. The new setting for the story is described in verse 5, "Then Jonah went out of the city, sat down in a place east of the city, made a shelter there, and sat down under it in the shade until he could see what would happen with the city." The significance of the setting is that it provides two foci for the attention of the readers--the city that God valued and the plant that Jonah valued. Thus the author contrasts what is important to Jonah and what is important to God in order to challenge his readers to reevaluate their own values.

**God's provision of a plant and Jonah's joy**. Verse 6 relates God's provision of a plant to shade Jonah and Jonah's joy, "At that time the LORD God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade upon his head in order to deliver him from his distress, and as a result Jonah was overjoyed because of the plant." As the story develops, it becomes apparent that the plant is an object lesson. Object lessons are used to teach about something difficult through the introduction of something else that the learner is more familiar with or is more capable of grasping. This particular object lesson is used to reveal Jonah's misplaced values. God miraculously provided the plant, "At that time the LORD God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah." The word translated "appointed" makes it clear that God was responsible for the plant's appearance. The purpose of God's provision of the plant is then related, "to be a shade upon his head in order to deliver him from his distress." Actually this is only a secondary purpose for God's provision of the plant. The primary purpose is revealed later in the role of the plant in God's object lesson. The plant serves to point out the kind of things that Jonah valued. The word translated "distress" is the same word used to describe the "evil" of the Ninevites, the "disaster" God was going to bring against the Ninevites but from which he relented, and the extreme "distress" which Jonah felt in reaction to God's mercy toward the Ninevites. Jonah valued his comfort whereas the thought that the Ninevites could be incorporated into God's people was abhorrent to him. The response of Jonah to the plant and the comfort that it provided for him is then described, "and as a result Jonah was overjoyed because of the plant." The use of an object from the same root as the verb along with an intensive adjective emphasizes the extent of his joy and could be more literally translated, "and as a result Jonah rejoiced a great rejoicing because of the plant." The plant was something that Jonah valued. He valued it because it provided him comfort.

**God's destruction of the plant and Jonah's discomfort and angry appeal for death**. Jonah's joy is not long-lasting, however, for verses 7-8 depict God's destruction of the plant and Jonah's discomfort and angry appeal for death. Verse 7 relates God's destruction of the plant, "But God appointed a worm at dawn the next day and it attacked the plant so that it withered." Again the word "appointed" is used to emphasize that the destruction of the plant was in complete accord with God's intentions. The word translated "attacked" is a word taken from combat and normally used to describe a blow that proves fatal. The worm of course destroyed the plant by making a meal of it not by striking it. In describing the destruction of the plant in this way the author emphasizes the malevolent purpose which God had in mind when he provided the worm. Through the destruction of the plant the parallel between Nineveh and the plant is continued and the things that God values and the things that Jonah valued are contrasted.

Some additional factors that contributed to Jonah's discomfort are described in the first part of verse 8, "Then it happened that God appointed a scorching east wind and the sun beat upon Jonah's head so that he became faint." It is again made clear that God is the source of these experiences through the use of the verb "appointed." The wind was probably a sirocco, a wind from the desert carrying the oven-like heat with it. There is a problem with the descriptive word translated "scorching." The origin of this word and its meaning are difficult to determine and there is the added possibility of textual corruption. Various suggestions are proposed regarding the root of this word including, "to cut," "to plow," "sun," "to glow," and "to scorch." Therefore, various translations have been proposed including "cutting," "autumnal" or "sultry," "hot," and "scorching." The Septuagint translates the Hebrew text "scorching" and that reading has been adopted here. At any rate it is obvious in the context that the word is meant to intensify the description of Jonah's discomfort caused by the destruction of the plant. Jonah is made even more aware of his need for the plant by the sun. The word translated "beat" is the same word translated "attacked" in verse seven. It is a word taken from military conflict to describe a mortal blow in battle. The cumulative effect of the sirocco and the sun was that Jonah was about to pass out, "so that he became faint."

Jonah's response to the demise of the plant is recorded in the second part of verse 8, "As a result Jonah asked to die saying, 'My death is better than life!'" As Jonah had before realized that life was not worth living if he was a party to God granting mercy to the Ninevites he now realized that life was not worth living without the plant which provided him comfort. His values are therefore made quite clear to the readers. Jonah is a man who valued his prejudices and personal comfort.

**God's challenging question and Jonah's angry retort**. Verse 9 contains God's question challenging Jonah for his anger because of the plant and Jonah's angry retort. God challenges Jonah with a question, "Then God said to Jonah, 'Is it right for it to anger you because of the plant?'" God had previously asked him if it was right for him to be angry because of God's mercy toward the Ninevites. In this case the situation is reversed for Jonah is challenged to justify his own feelings of compassion for the plant--feelings based on his own self-interested desire for comfort. As in verses 1 and 4, the words translated "for it to anger you" could be more literally translated "for it to burn in you." The structure of the question again implies a negative response. However, in this instance Jonah responds angrily, "It is right for it to anger me enough to die!" The final words may carry the force of an expletive and emphasize Jonah's rebellious position (D. W. Thomas, Vetus Testamentum, Vol. 3 (1953), 219 cited by Allen, 233). Jonah's angry retort perhaps indicates that he has recognized the implications of the object lesson and obstinately refuses to acknowledge that his preoccupation with his own comfort is unjustified. Nonetheless, through this question the readers are led to evaluate Jonah's anger and preoccupation with his comfort, and conclude that these are inappropriate for Jonah and for them. Instead, they should share God's concern for all people. They should not be preoccupied with their own interests like Jonah because Jonah's anger when the plant was destroyed and the hot wind and sun tormented him was unjustified.

God's Justified Pity and Third

Challenging Question

Verses 10-11 conclude the passage with God justifying his pity for Nineveh and challenging Jonah's lack of pity with a third question. He does this by contrasting the values of Jonah centered in the plant with his values which are centered on people and their needs. The argument is a fortiori, from the lesser to the greater. The logic is that if Jonah feels justified in showing compassion to an insignificant plant God is more justified in showing compassion for Nineveh. God uses another rhetorical question, but whereas the preceding questions expected a negative reply this question expects a positive reply affirming the superior validity of God's values as opposed to those of Jonah.

**Jonah's unjustified pity for the plant**. God begins by examining Jonah's pity for the plant in verse 10, "Then the Lord said, ' **You** looked with pity upon the plant which you did not tend or cause to grow, which grows in a night and perishes in a night.'" The pronoun " **You** " is an emphatic subject that intensifies the contrast between Jonah's values and those of God (Indicated in translation with bold print). The word translated "looked with pity" expresses the feelings that go out toward those who are in trouble and is often synonymous with many of the words used to describe God's attitude toward people in verse 2. But Jonah's compassion is misdirected. The plant was an inappropriate object of Jonah's pity. First, he did not expend any labor for it, "which you did not tend or cause to grow." The unexpressed implication is that Nineveh is a more appropriate object of compassion for God has expended labor on its behalf. Second, the plant is transient, "which grows in a night and perishes in a night." Actually the Hebrew text reads literally here, "which becomes the son of a night and perishes the son of a night." This idiomatic expression indicates lack of permanence and, therefore, value. The implication is that the people of Nineveh as people are of much greater value.

**God's justified pity for Nineveh and challenging question**. God concludes by presenting the case for his pity for Nineveh in verse 11, "Shouldn't **I** have pity upon Nineveh, the great city, which has in it more than 120,000 people who do not know their right hand form their left, and many cattle?" God's expression of his compassion for the people of Nineveh takes the form of a leading rhetorical question that anticipates a positive affirmation of the superiority of Nineveh as an object of pity as opposed to the plant. The pronoun " **I** " is an emphatic subject contrasting the values of God with those of Jonah and presenting the readers with two clear choices as they reevaluate their own attitudes toward non-Jews and values (Indicated in translation with bold print). God's compassion is not misdirected like Jonah's. Nineveh is an appropriate object of God's love. God's compassion is justified because Nineveh is a great city as opposed to the insignificant plant. Some confusion does surround God's next justification for his compassion. The expression, "who do not know their right hand from their left" could be understood in different ways. One approach is that the author is referring to the entire population of the city. In that case he is emphasizing the helplessness of the Ninevites (Stuart, 507). This relatively small number, however, is totally inconsistent with the description of Nineveh in chapter 3. A more likely solution, therefore, is that this expression is a metonym for very young children who have not learned to distinguish their right and left hands. The conclusion certainly would be more in accord with the description of Nineveh given in chapter 3 for it would presuppose a population of nearly one million. If this conclusion is correct, then God is appealing to the presence of innocents in Nineveh to justify his mercy. The final phrase, "and many cattle," probably serves the same purpose. The cattle were innocent and did not deserve to be judged. The narrative dramatically ends in a rather open-ended fashion. Jonah did not respond to God's question and the readers are left with this challenge to their own attitude toward foreigners. Were they concerned about unimportant matters related to their own self-interest and comfort like Jonah or did they share God's love and mercy toward all people? They should not be preoccupied with their own interests like Jonah, but have compassion for all people like God because Jonah's concern for the plant was unjustified, but God's concern for Nineveh was fully justified.

Application of the Message

The situation addressed by Jonah 4:1-11 is very similar to a crisis in the modern church. Part of God's purpose for the nation of Israel was that it would become a light for the nations. Israel, however, failed to fulfill this destiny. Similarly, the church has been given the responsibility of going into the entire world and proclaiming the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Alas, the modern church has often neglected this responsibility as well. The people of Israel failed to fulfill this destiny in part because they were preoccupied with self-interest and did not share God's compassion for a lost world. Alas, contemporary Christians often share these failings as well. These correspondences between the original and modern situations provide a strong basis for applying the message of Jonah 4:1-11 to the modern situation. In addition, the passage contains little of a contextualized nature that requires that the message be limited or adjusted when applied to the modern situation. Certainly minor differences occur. The coming of Jesus Christ has defined the church's message as the gospel. However, these minor differences do not affect the message of the passage significantly and can be generalized or related to contextual equivalents. Therefore, the statements of the applied message that follow have only been modified slightly. Christians should have compassion for all people because their God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster, whereas Jonah's anger because God spared the Ninevites was unjustified. Christians should not be preoccupied with their own interests like Jonah because Jonah's anger when the plant was destroyed and the hot wind and sun tormented him was unjustified. Christians should not be preoccupied with their own interests like Jonah, but have compassion for all people like God because Jonah's concern for the plant was unjustified, but God's compassion for Nineveh was fully justified.

Proclamation of the Message

**Title** : Shouldn't I have Pity?

**Objective** : The objective of this message is to convince Christians to share God's compassion for all people rather than be preoccupied with self-interest.

**Proposition** : Christians should have compassion for all people and share the gospel with them rather than being preoccupied by their own interests because their God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster; preoccupation with self-interest is unjustified; and God's compassion for all people is fully justified.
Introduction

Before his ascension Jesus commanded his disciple to break down barriers of race, religion, and nationality in order to take the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ to the entire world. Jesus said, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The Book of Acts records the efforts of early Christians to break down these barriers. However, some were difficult to convince that God loves all people. We as Jesus' disciples in the modern church are also called to cross barriers of race, religion, class, and culture with the gospel. However, sometimes we fail to fulfill that calling. Part of the problem is that some Christians are consumed with self-interest and don't share God's love for all people. Jonah was also more concerned about his own comfort than people. The problem was that Jonah's values did not correspond with God's values. In Jonah 4, God challenges Jonah to abandon his values--his comfort--and accept the values of God--people and their needs. As we witness this confrontation we also will be challenged to abandon our values and accept the values of our God. _Read Jonah 4:1-11_.

I. Christians should have compassion for all people and share the gospel with them because their God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster.

A. Jonah hated the Ninevites. His response to God mercifully saving them was predictable, "But is was extremely distressing as far as Jonah was concerned and it angered him." The word translated "distressing" is the word used to describe the moral "evil" of Nineveh and the "disaster" that God had planned to bring against Nineveh and later relented. Jonah's attitude toward the Ninevites was certainly different than God's. God looked upon judgement as an evil to be avoided if the Ninevites would repent of their evil. For Jonah it was God's mercy to the Ninevites that was evil. The words "it angered him" could more literally be translated "it burned in him." So enraged was Jonah by God's compassion for Nineveh that it was like a burning fire raging inside of him.

B. In his anger Jonah called out to God in complaint. Jonah begins his complaint with a rhetorical question, "Isn't this exactly what I said when I was still in my own country?" This emphatic question is the equivalent of the exclamation, "I told you so!" and expresses Jonah's regret for having come to Nineveh. Second, Jonah identifies the reason for his rebellion the first time God called him--his understanding of the nature of God, "because I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster." Jonah was right! God is gracious! He cares for people who may not even deserve it. God is compassionate! He loves people and demonstrates that love through concrete actions. God is slow to anger! He is patient when dealing with people. God is abounding in love! He persists in responding to people with affection and mercy. God relents from disaster! He does not want to punish.

C. Jonah knew all these things about God because he as an Israelite had experienced all of them. Yet Jonah resented God showing love and mercy to the Ninevites. So strong was Jonah's resentment that he made a drastic request of God, "Lord, I beg you to take my life from me right now for my death is better than life!" Jonah decided that he would rather be dead than be God's instrument in extending mercy to the hated Ninevites.

D. In response to Jonah's angry outburst God asked him a question, "Is it right for it to anger you?" Presupposed is Jonah's knowledge of God described in verse two. God was asking Jonah, "Based on you knowledge of my nature, is it right for you, my prophet, to be so filled with hate?" The question implies the need for a negative reply, but Jonah refused to answer. Instead he stormed out of the city.

E. _Illustration of God's Compassion_

F. Application--As God challenges Jonah with this question, he is also challenging us. Perhaps you do not harbor the hatred of Jonah. Instead you may just be indifferent to people and their needs. God is asking you, "Is it right?" You should have compassion for all people and share the gospel with them because your God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster.

II. Christians should not be preoccupied with their own interests like Jonah because self-interest is unjustified.

A. The setting of the story now changes, "Then Jonah went out of the city, sat down in a place east of the city, made a shelter there, and sat down under it in the shade until he could see what would happen with the city." As we look on we can see in the foreground what Jonah valued, the plant, and in the background what God valued, Nineveh.

B. As Jonah waited, God used an object lesson in an attempt to change his attitude. Object lessons are used to teach something difficult through something simple. God caused a plant to grow up over Jonah, "At that time the LORD God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah." A secondary reason for the plant is provided, "to be a shade upon his head in order to deliver him from his distress." The primary intent of the plant, however, is found in the object lesson. The plant identifies what Jonah valued, "Jonah was overjoyed because of the plant."

C. Jonah's joy, however, was not intended to be long lasting. God destroyed the plant with a worm, "But God appointed a worm at dawn the next day and it attacked the plant so that it withered." The word "attacked" usually refers to a deathblow in battle. Of course the worm did not literally attack the plant but made a meal of it. Next, God added to Jonah's discomfort, "Then it happened that God appointed a scorching east wind and the sun beat on Jonah's head so that he became faint." The wind was a sirocco, carrying the deserts oven-like heat with it. The word translated "beat on" is the same word used previously to describe what the worm did to the plant. As a result Jonah asked God to kill him. He decided that life was not worth living without the comfort which the plant provided. Jonah's values, therefore, are perfectly clear. He valued his own comfort.

D. In response God challenged the values of Jonah with another question, "Is it right for it to anger you because of the plant?" God's question again implied the need for a negative response but Jonah responded angrily, "It is right for it to anger me enough to die!" The contrast between the values of Jonah and the values of God is obvious. Jonah was distressed when God saved a city and equally distressed when God destroyed a plant.

E. _Illustration of Preoccupation with Self-Interest_

F. Application--Jonah's values were totally perverted. Yet Christians often exhibit similar values. Living a comfortable life with a closed circle of friends is certainly easier than overcoming complacency and going out and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with a lost world. But God asks, "Is it right?" You should not be preoccupied with your own interests like Jonah because self-interest is unjustified.

III. Christians should not be preoccupied with their own interests like Jonah, but have compassion for all people like God because self-interest is unjustified, but God's compassion for all people is fully justified.

A. God responded to Jonah's angry retort by justifying his concern for Nineveh in contrast to Jonah's concern for the plant.

B. God first examined Jonah's compassion for the plant, "You looked with pity upon the plant." But God argued that the plant was of relatively little value and an inappropriate object of love. The plant wasn't worth any effort, "which you did not tend or cause to grow." The plant was transient by nature, "which grows in a night and perishes in a night."

C. God then challenged Jonah with his own compassion for the people of Nineveh, "Shouldn't I have compassion upon Nineveh, the great city, which has in it more than 120,000 people who do not know their right hand from their left, and many cattle." Nineveh was a large city filled with people, many of them innocent children. Certainly Nineveh was a more appropriate object of compassion than the plant. This time the question implies a positive response. However, we are not told how Jonah responded.

D. _Illustration Contrasting God's Values and Worldly Values_

E. Application--The story ends here, but the question remains for us to answer for ourselves. Many Christians are so consumed by their own interests that they have little or no regard for the needs of a lost world. But God asks, "Shouldn't you have pity?" You should not be preoccupied with your own interests like Jonah, but have compassion for all people like God because self-interest is unjustified, but God's compassion for all people is fully justified.

Conclusion

Before his ascension Jesus commanded his disciple to break down barriers of race, religion, and nationality in order to take the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ to the entire world. Jesus said, "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The Book of Acts records the efforts of early Christians to break down these barriers. We as Jesus' disciples in the modern church are also called to break down barriers with the gospel. However, sometimes we fail to fulfill that calling. Part of the problem is that some Christians are consumed with self-interest and don't share God's love for all people. Jonah was also more concerned about his own comfort than people. The problem was that Jonah's values did not correspond with God's values. In Jonah 4, God challenges us as well as Jonah to abandon our self-interest and have God's compassion for all people. Is it right for you to disregard the needs of a lost world? You should have compassion for all people because your God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and one who relents from disaster, whereas Jonah's anger because God spared the Ninevites was unjustified. Is it right for you to be so consumed by self-interest that you do not consider the needs of a lost world? You should not be preoccupied with your own interests like Jonah because self-interest is unjustified. Shouldn't you have compassion for a lost world rather than be consumed with self-interest? You should not be preoccupied with your own interests like Jonah, but have compassion for all people like God because self-interest is unjustified, but God's compassion for all people is fully justified.

### SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Allen, Leslie C. The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah. _The New International Critical Commentary on the Old Testament_. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1976).

Baldwin, Joyce. Jonah in The Minor Prophets: An Exegetical and Expository Commentary, Vol. 2, edited by Thomas Edward McComiskey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1993.

Bewer, Julius A. Jonah. _The International Critical Commentary_. London: T. and T. Clark, 1912.

Brown, Francis, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Dillard, Raymond B. and Tremper Longman III. An Introduction to the Old Testament (Leicester, England: Apollos [an imprint of InterVarsity Press], 1995).

Glaze, A. J. _Jonah_. The Broadman Bible Commentary. Vol. 7. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1972.

Harrison, R. K. Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969.

Page, Frank S. Jonah. _The New American Commentary_ , Vol. 19B. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1995.

Stuart, Douglas. Hosea-Jonah. _Word Biblical Commentary_. Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987.

### ABOUT THE AUTHOR

William H. (Bill) Lawson is a proud graduate of California Baptist University (BA), Gateway Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv), and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (PhD). He taught briefly at SBTS and then served with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and taught the Bible in Baptist seminaries throughout Asia for over 30 years. He has written other books including Ears to Hear: A Guide for the Interpretation of the Bible, The Lion Roars: A Guide for the Interpretation of the Book of Amos, and Obedient Unto Death: A Guide for the Interpretation of Paul's Epistle to the Philippians. Download all of his books for FREE at <https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/drwhlawson>. He is now retired and living at _The End of the Lane_ where he is writing books and painting/drawing pictures.

