Jonah is one of those stories in the Bible that many of probably know (talk about a crazy fish story!). Yet, there are still many layers to this tale of God’s sovereignty and grace, and Jonah’s reluctance, that we can benefit by reading this four-chapter long epic account. 

Jonah was a Jewish prophet, and one day God instructs him to visit Assyria’s capital city, Nineveh and preach judgment against it because of its wickedness. Some clues will help us put some flesh on the narrative. Assyria was a country where modern Iraq and Turkey are today, and it was not only a country but also an empire that brutally conquered other countries and did so with cruelty. In fact, after King Solomon died and the country of Israel split into two countries, Israel in the north and Judah in the south, Israel was actually conquered by Assyria in 722 BC. At first, Jonah fleeing from God seems puzzling. He was given a chance to tell the biggest empire (and also his enemy) that their number was finally up and God was going to punish them for their wrongs, and yet Jonah runs. Why? Well, other than the fact that he probably feared for his life (after all he was a foreigner and an outsider telling the capital city they were about to fall which probably did not win him any popularity contests), Jonah knew that God was merciful. Yes, the Lord would judge the hard-heartedness of Assyria if they did not repent, but by sending Jonah, He was also giving the Assyrians the chance to repent and therefore be spared. 

Jonah did not want that! The Assyrians were not God’s people and if anything, they were the opposite. How dare He show grace to them? So Jonah flees, boards a ship and flees in the exact opposite direction from his God-instructed destination. Suddenly, on the seas a storm billows up and with the waves crashing against the side of the ship, each sailor prays to his own god, but it is Jonah who reveals he is the reason for the storm. Ironically, these sailors now call upon the true God as they throw a willing Jonah overboard, so God is using Jonah to reach these men, showing them grace, and Jonah does not even realize it. 

Jonah spends three days in the whale and miraculously survives while realizing what he had done. He repents and God orders the whale to spit Jonah back onto dry land so that he may complete his mission. Jonah travels forth to Nineveh and, much to his chagrin, the city actually listens and repents of its wickedness! True to God’s character, he does indeed show mercy upon the Ninevites and does not destroy the city. Jonah, angered that the people were spared, expresses his outrage at God for showing compassion and then wishes for his own death. Yet, God concludes this book with many points to make to Jonah. 

Throughout the book, God’s identity as creator is emphasized, and every element is under His control and fulfills his purposes; he is all-powerful. Second, His grace and compassion is shown to those whom we think are “outsiders” or “beyond all hope”; he is all-good. Combined, these two make a third point: God’s ultimate purpose is to save and not destroy. Fourth, Jonah and the rest of Israel were chosen by God to be a light to all nations so that they would turn to Him and find life; we in the church have the same purpose. Ironically, it is the Gentile “outsiders” the sailors and the Ninevites who are the ones who show us God’s grace is available to any who would accept it and turn to Him for salvation. 

We have been given the Great Commission to preach that same grace and mercy to all people, even those who make us uncomfortable. Yet, if we truly understand, appreciate, and celebrate the gospel then this should increase our joy in sharing it and encourage us to look for opportunities to do so because we have been given a gift and a desire and we wish to share that with the world. We should not be upset when God shows compassion and forgiveness to the worst of sinners because that is exactly what He has shown to us when we did not deserve it. As one of my books says, “The ship of the whole human race has sunk, and we are all splashing around helplessly in a sea of sin and death. We have been hauled aboard a lifeboat by unseen hands. Let’s get busy helping to haul aboard as many others as we can. That is what I pray we all will do. 

Your Brother, 

Craig