In part one of this series, we saw the southern region of Judah fall into moral depravity, and God sent His prophet Joel, to the people, to bring hope to their darkness. He did so by pressing the case for coming back to their Creator before He renders a future judgment through Babylonian conquest (see Bringing Hope to the Darkness). We also learned a little information about the ‘day of the Lord,’ which occurs at the end of time.
In part two, God sent the prophet Amos to deliver a warning to the northern regions of Israel as well. However, the instrument of Israel’s discipline would be the Assyrian armies.
God sent another prophet, Jonah, to Israel at the same time (760 B.C.) as Amos. Jonah, who, like many of the Hebrews, had grown very nationalistic, looking at most other countries with disdain, because they believed Jehovah only favored Israel and Judah.
So, it is wryly ironic that God would call upon this Hebrew nationalist to go to Nineveh, the greatest city of Assyria, (modern day Iraq), peopled by Israel’s bitter enemies. As we saw last time, the prophet Amos had already revealed to Israel that the Assyrians would be their conqueror should they not return to God.
Jonah was the only prophet directly sent by God to the Gentiles:
Get up and go into the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” Jon. 1:2 NLT
Well, Jonah wasn’t having any of it. He doesn’t want the Assyrians to be saved. Jonah tried to run away from God, (good luck with that), by purchasing passage on a ship going the opposite direction.
God’s will won’t be mocked. He calls up a tumultuous storm, which threatens the ship Jonah is on. The ship’s captain and crew threw lots, which revealed Jonah’s culpability. Jonah confessed His intent to run from Jehovah. He fessed up and told the captain to have him tossed into the sea so that the waters would grow calm.
Immediately after they did so, the storm abated, and the sailors became instant converts. Meanwhile, Jonah meets a fish:
Now the LORD had prepared (appointed, destined) a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights. Jon. 1:17 AMP
Before you say, and rightly so, that there is no fish / whale that can swallow a man whole, much less provide an environment to support life in its stomach, the scripture says God prepared a great fish. He can create or alter any creation at will. Christ Himself attested to the accuracy of this account (Mt.12:40).
Inside the fish, Jonah returns in repentance to his God:
Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and LORD you heard me!…Then I said, ‘O LORD, you have driven me from your presence. Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple. Jon. 2:1, 2 & 4. NLT
But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death! As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple…I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.” Jon. 2:6, 7 & 9. NLT
In response, Jehovah God has the great fish vomit Jonah onto the shore of Assyria, whereupon he completes a one-day’s journey to Nineveh and declares boldly within the city:
“Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” Jon. 3:4 NLT
You certainly cannot say God can’t be straight and to the point. Much to Jonah’s amazement, all of the Ninevites repented. God pardoned every one of them.
Jonah however, was feeling far from charitable. He was still harboring his nationalistic hatred towards the Assyrians, and he let Jehovah know it:
…he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? …I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, LORD!” Jon. 4:2, 3. NLT
God responds:
“Is it right for you to be angry about this?” Jon. 4:4 NLT
Jonah walked east of Nineveh, made himself a booth to sit in and watch the city, still hoping God will wipe them out. Merciful Jehovah calls a plant out of the ground to give Jonah shade from the sun. Jonah was grateful.
However, the next morning, God put a worm in the plant to kill it, so Jonah is now sitting in the hot sun, accompanied by a scorching east wind. Jonah again asks for death. Jehovah answers:
“Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?” Jon. 4:9 NLT
Jonah said he was so angry that he wanted to die. God retorted with a great lesson:
“You feel sorry for the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came and died quickly. But Nineveh has more that 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?” Jon. 4:10, 11. NLT
Jehovah God is bringing hope (salvation) to repenting sinners. In fact, they are the only people to receive salvation.
He is teaching Jonah about humility and compassion for all of humankind. God loves and values all people, not only those who live in a certain place, or practice a certain faith, or belong to a certain genepool.
God used a nationalist to bring forgiveness to an enemy people. God doesn’t want anyone to perish. He used a reluctant sinner to bring hope to the darkness of a sinful nation, and then shined it back on Jonah so that he could turn himself around as well.
Therefore, our purpose in God, is to continually reach out to all people and help them understand that God cherishes them…
Such is the destiny of all who forget God; the hope of the godless will perish. Job 8:13 CSB
The Lord does not delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. 2 Pt. 3:9 CSB
Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. Lam. 3:22 CSB
For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Jn. 3:16 CSB
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other. Is. 45:22 CSB
Everyone is invited…
Goodnight and God bless.