Jonah: A Prophet Against His Will

Feature 3 – October 2023 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Jonah: A Prophet Against His Will

Jonah’s name means “dove,”  which symbolizes in Scripture a message or messenger of peace. At some time God had sent this prophet on a mission inside Israel (2 Ki. 14:25). This was about 800 years before Christ, and it had resulted in blessing for His people.

We don’t know exactly when, but at another point in time, God sent Jonah to Nineveh, to the Gentile nation that had taken over large parts of the world in the East. The LORD told him, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me” (Jon. 1:2 NKJV). This huge city had a very large population, which included about 120,000 little children. God cared for all of the Ninevites and their livestock (4:11), even though their leaders were set against Him and His people. 

Jonah, however, had second thoughts about the message God had for him to proclaim to them, that judgment was coming within 40 days (3:4). We would think that Jonah would be ready to go, but he refused because he believed the message would lead the Ninevites to repent. At that point Jonah would rather have seen them perish! Jonah had his own agenda. God’s prophet didn’t want to be the LORD’s spokesperson because of his feelings toward a nation that had become a threat to Israel. In fact, about 150 years later, the Assyrians invaded Israel and took many people captive, but even then God did not allow them to take Jerusalem.1 Jonah’s nationalistic sentiments for his people and his hatred of the Assyrians caused him to refuse the mission God charged him to bring to Nineveh (1:2). The prophet explained this later (4:2).

The little book of Jonah, most likely written by the prophet of the same name, is among the 12 Minor Prophets. Composed long ago, it is part of the inspired written Word of God and is still relevant and useful today (2 Tim. 3:16-17). For instance, we see in the book the issue of God’s righteousness and holy standards in contrast to His creatures’ unfaithfulness and Israel’s failures in particular. This record describes the message God has for the human race as well as for the Jews. Sadly, God’s messenger rebelled, as has the nation of Israel, first the Ten Tribes and later the Two. The latter are known today as the Jews, who rejected the true Messiah when He presented Himself to them (Jn. 1:11). Nevertheless, God is going to use His earthly people again, just as He did with the restored Jonah.

What about us today? Even though we have failed or are failing, let us realize that God is making use of failing people, provided they acknowledge and confess their sins, humble themselves, and put their trust in God. Such are people God can and does use – perhaps even you? 

During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus – the Messiah – applied Jonah’s story to Himself. He compared Jonah, who was for “three days and three nights” (Mt. 12:40) in the belly of the fish, with His own sufferings, when He would be in the grave for that same length of time.

We should realize that “three days and three nights” is a Jewish expression of time. It should not be understood in mathematical terms as if saying that the Lord was exactly three periods of 24 hours in the grave. In Jewish thinking, any part of a day counts as a whole day. Jesus was put in the grave late Friday afternoon, just before sundown, and He remained there all of Saturday, to arise early Sunday morning. This period counted as “three days and three nights.”

Are We Available When God Calls Us?
This is an important challenge for each believer to consider. Are we ready to go when God calls, or do we rather follow our own desires or ideas? Israel as a nation failed many times, just as Jonah did in his self-will and self-pity. And what about us? Despite our similar failures, God is going to use such experiences by His grace. That is how Jonah became a blessing for the whole world.

Furthermore, God often uses a remnant just as He did with Daniel and his friends in Babel (Dan. 1–6). Jonah is a picture of a godly remnant prepared by God, which He will use to become a blessing for His people and for all the nations when His time has come. However, first of all, a real work of God was needed in Jonah, for he was running away from God. The prophet was “fast asleep”2 on a ship, traveling in the opposite direction of where God wanted him to go (Jon. 1:5). 

When the captain woke him up, Jonah realized that the storm was because he was fleeing from the LORD, which he had declared when boarding. Now during the storm, he admitted that again. Even so, lots were cast to find out who was to blame for the storm, and the lot fell on Jonah (v.7). The prophet had declared earlier that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD (v.3). The second time he added that this God is the God of heaven and the Maker of the sea and the dry land (v.9).

Jonah’s testimony, that the storm was because of him, produced great fear among the sailors. The prophet said he should be thrown overboard, but the sailors tried to avoid that at all costs. However, the storm kept getting worse (vv.11-13), and the sailors cried to the LORD not to hold them accountable for innocent blood. Then, they picked up Jonah and threw him overboard, after which the sea instantly “ceased from its raging” (v.15). The sailors greatly feared God, offering a sacrifice and making vows (v.16). Jonah became a blessing to the people on the ship as he gave himself up to be cast into the sea. A great calm came about, and it calmed the sailors as well.

The LORD preserved Jonah by having him swallowed up by a huge fish, provided by God at the right moment. Jonah remained in the fish’s belly for three days and three nights (1:17). There, God did His work in and with His servant.

In his distress, Jonah cried out to the LORD (2:1-2) and used terms that remind us of the sufferings the Lord Jesus went through for His people and for our ultimate salvation. God gave Jonah the assurance in his soul that He had heard him (v.7), and while still in the fish, the prophet promised sacrifice and vows to his God. Jonah finished his prayer by saying, “Salvation is of the LORD” (v.9). At that moment, “the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land” (v.10). Jonah was then willing to go on the mission God had for him. 

At what point are you ready to become an instrument fit for the Master’s use?

Jonah’s New Mandate And Mission
“The word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you’” (3:1-2). Now Jonah went where the LORD sent him, and he proclaimed Nineveh’s imminent overthrow.

The impact of God’s message, which Jonah shared, was tremendous. After he had proclaimed it, they all believed God, called for a fast and truly repented. This turning to God included Nineveh’s proud king and his nobles, as they put themselves in God’s hands, saying, “Who can tell if God will turn and relent?” (v.9).

The message Jonah proclaimed had a profound effect on the whole population, estimated to have been about a million people! Powerful message, don’t you think? And it spread very quickly as all repented. Then God had mercy on this wicked city and its people because they had turned to Him. Amazing grace!

God Has A Message Today And For The Near Future
We are living in the days when the good news of God’s grace is being proclaimed worldwide. What a blessing that countless people in many countries have been or are being reached with that message. Praise the Lord! Yet, the total number of saved people remains relatively small. By contrast, in the story of Jonah an amazing turning to God was taking place on behalf of a huge part of the world population, and that in a very short period of time.

The Lord Jesus has promised that He will come back from heaven to take us to Himself (Jn. 14:3). When He comes at that time He will rapture all the believers of the age of grace. Will you be included? At the moment of the rapture, the believers who lived before the Church began in Acts 2 will be called from their tombs and be changed in an instant, to be taken together with those who accepted God’s offer of salvation during the day of grace (1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Th. 4:16-17; 2 Th. 2:1-3). However, all the unbelievers who died since the days of Cain (Gen. 4–5) will remain in the realm of death until they will be raised for the great white throne judgment. Then – with spirit, soul and body – they will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:6-15). How terrible!

Shortly after the rapture, God will send out the “the gospel of the kingdom” (Mt. 24:14) and large multitudes all over the world will be saved in a short period of time, just as in Jonah’s days. Here is an example: “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, ‘Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?’ And I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ So he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’” (Rev. 7:13-17).

As a result of the great tribulation, God will have a tremendous harvest, which will affect the whole world! Back in Jonah’s day, he reached great multitudes in just a few days. The Revelation account demonstrates the power of God and of His message, causing large numbers of people to repent and believe. Imagine the results of 144,000 messengers who will be sent out by God all over the world! This will happen shortly after the coming rapture (1 Th. 4:16-17). Then, a renewed call to repent will go forth, and many will believe the good news of the coming King, after which His reign will be established on earth in public glory. This blessed reign will last for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:4), to be followed by the final judgment of the great white throne (vv.11-15). How solemn!

God Is Calling Today
About 4,000 years ago, God called Abraham, the father of the believers, “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3). God’s call and promises are still relevant for Israel and contain many lessons for us, as do Jonah’s experiences. Even after his successful mission, Jonah had to learn important lessons so he would be fully in tune with God instead of following his own thoughts (see Jon. 4). 

Jonah needed the experiences of the storm and of being in the fish’s belly to make him ready to do God’s bidding and preach to the Ninevites. Afterward, while waiting for God’s judgment to fall on Nineveh, Jonah needed to judge his self-importance, prejudices and self-will. Then God used him to write this report for us today!

What about you? What is needed for you to become God’s instrument? God has a plan for every believer, as we learn from Paul’s conversion, calling and mission (please read Gal. 1:15–2:21). The apostle received mercy to become God’s instrument, that he might become an example for many to believe and also become God’s servants (1 Tim. 1:12-16). The Lord Jesus Christ, who called Saul of Tarsus (Acts 26:12-16), is the Same, “yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8), and He can equip you too! For this to happen, I suggest that you read the whole book of Jonah, again and again, asking the Lord to help you learn the lessons you need. 

ENDNOTES
1. Students of prophecy know that a future attack by the king of the north will take place, similar to what the Assyrians did in the past. Because of the idolatry that will occur in the third temple, still to be built in Jerusalem, God will allow a devastating attack and invasion (2 Th. 2:3-12; Dan. 9:27; Rev. 13:14). Ultimately, the invader will perish (Dan. 11:40-45; 12:12). This scenario is different from the attack described by Ezekiel 38–39, after which the fourth temple will be built for rich blessings during the millennial reign (Isa. 56:7; Ezek. 40-48).
2. The term translated “fast asleep” occurs seven times in the Hebrew Bible. First, with the general Sisera (Jud. 4:21), twice with Jonah (1:5-6) and once in regard to Israel’s enemies (Ps. 76:6-7). The same term is used for someone who is sleeping instead of working in the harvest season (Prov. 10:5), and it occurs twice more in connection with Daniel’s experiences (Dan. 8:18, 10:9).

By Alfred Bouter

Jonah teaches us less by his words than by his striking story. Previously he had prophesied the restoration of Israel’s frontier: good news for his countrymen (2 Ki. 14:25). In Jonah we find him charged with a far less acceptable mission: to proclaim the chastisement of Nineveh, the great pagan metropolis, so guilty in God’s sight. Jonah turned tail and fled “from the presence of the LORD” (Jon. 1:3 KJV). This was a way of self-will; a servant of God cannot choose either his message or his place of work! At the same time, what absurd behavior! How can a man escape from Him? We see that Jonah’s path was progressively downward. Prophetically, this story shows us Israel, unfaithful to their mission, the object of God’s chastisement and thrown into the sea of nations [for a time and] for the salvation of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:5). —Jean Koechlin, Day By Day Volume 5 (adapted)