Jonah Learns God’s Missionary Purpose

JONAH 3:3-6

THE well-known story of Jonah and the great fish which swallowed him contains valuable lessons for the Christian. Incidentally, the Book of Jonah does not use the word “whale” in connection with the “great fish” which swallowed the prophet. The King James translation of Matthew 12:40, where Jesus refers to the matter, calls it a whale, but here the original Greek simply means a “great fish,” or a great gaping fish. The account states that God prepared this great fish; and for this reason its mouth, throat, and stomach would be of ample size for the purpose.

Jonah resisted the divine commission to witness against Nineveh, but his attempt to circumvent the Lord’s will was overruled, and from the stomach of the great fish he was cast onto the shore about three days’ journey from this large city of 120,000 people. He made this journey, and as he entered the city began to prophesy against it, as the Lord had directed.

The people were very receptive to his message. Even the king, when he heard about it gave instructions that all should repent and clothe themselves in sackcloth and ashes. Many have wondered what great powers of persuasion Jonah could have possessed, so that in a remarkably short time his preaching could result in such a wholesale conversion of the people. The answer may be in the fact that, according to archaeological discoveries the people of Nineveh were worshipers of a fish god. Naturally the news would circulate that this Israelitish prophet had been brought to them by a great fish. This could have meant that their particular god had sent Jonah. Or, that the attempt of their god to destroy the prophet had failed. In any event, their superstitions might well have been an important factor in their repentance. It would still be true, nevertheless, that their repentance was sincere.

JONAH 4:1-11

JONAH was much displeased that the Lord decided not to destroy Nineveh after the people had repented. Jonah was thinking more of his own position in the matter than he was of the welfare of the people. In expressing his feelings he reveals that his knowledge of the character of God, in that God probably would change his mind about destroying the city, was the main reason he resisted the divine commission. From the start, in other words, Jonah pitted his own reputation against the good pleasure of the Lord.

Jonah’s tribute to the Lord indicates that he had a better understanding of Jehovah than do many, even today, especially those who think of him as a torment deity. Jonah said, “I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.” All who understand God’s great plan of salvation for a repentant world know that he possesses these qualities of love mentioned by Jonah. And they know that God has provided that the ‘entire human race shall yet have an opportunity to repent.

Jonah took himself very seriously, and indicated that since what he had told the people would not be done, he would rather die than have the reputation of being a false prophet. Probably Jonah didn’t realize it fully, but the mercy of God was manifested toward him also; for when he registered this complaint, the Lord merely asked him to think the matter over as to whether or not he had real cause for anger—“Doest thou well to be angry?”

This is a good question for each of us to ask ourselves when we become angry over what is most likely a trifling circumstance, one in which the grace of God would quickly give us the victory if we could but learn to think less of our own reputation than we do of the best interests of others. Anger, especially sudden outbursts of anger, are frequently the result of circumstances unfavorable to ourselves. This is not always so, however, for there can be truly righteous anger.

Apparently Jonah was not too sure what the Lord had actually decided about Nineveh, for he built a “booth” a little way outside of the city and there established himself to see what would happen. Perhaps he thought that his own viewpoint in the matter would influence the Lord. If he did, it was poor reasoning, and reasoning is always poor when it is influenced by selfish anger.

The Lord dealt kindly with Jonah and caused a giant “gourd” to grow up over him for shade from the burning sun. The prophet was much pleased with this, and then the Lord put him to the test again by taking away the gourd. Jonah once more became angry and expressed the desire to die. The Lord asked him if he thought he was justified in being angry simply because the gourd was taken away and he answered, “I do well to be angry, even unto death.”

The Lord’s reply seems to indicate that Jonah felt sorry for the gourd. Evidently, however, this should be construed to mean that it was Jonah’s own comfort that was involved. He was sorry for the destruction of the gourd only because it resulted in his own discomfort. The Lord draws a comparison between the prophet’s position in this matter, and that of the Ninevites. The Ninevites had sinned and from the Lord’s standpoint were worthy of death. They repented, and the Lord did not destroy them. Jonah had been angry with the Lord, but in return had been shown favor in that a gourd had been caused to grow over him for protection from the sun. Jonah repented, and was greatly pleased with what the Lord did for him. Then the Lord, on a limited scale, dealt with him as Jonah thought he should have dealt with the Ninevites, and Jonah again became angry.

Jonah did not want God to show favor and mercy to 120,000 Ninevites, even though their repentance made them worthy of it; but he thought the Lord ought to continue to favor him since he had shown pleasure over the way the Lord had protected him with the gourd. Thus he was inconsistent, and the Lord called the matter to his attention. The account does not indicate whether or not the prophet saw the point and acknowledged his wrong. We can assume that he did.

In this interesting narrative we have the important lesson brought to us that the great objective of proclaiming the message of the Lord is in order that the people might repent, and in repenting, put themselves in the way of God’s blessings. If we have this viewpoint it will help us to maintain a sympathetic attitude toward those who are not at present serving the Lord, being ever desirous of doing what we can to show them the better way.

QUESTIONS

Was it a whale that swallowed Jonah?

What may have been the reason the Ninevites were so willing to repent?

Why did Jonah resist going to Nineveh?

Is anger ever pleasing to the Lord?

What is the purpose of proclaiming the Lord’s message?

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