INTRODUCTION TO JONAH 

The book of Jonah was written by Jonah in about the eight century before Christ. This book shows forth God’s mercy to a disobedient servant, Jonah, and a wicked nation. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria to the far northeast of Palestine.

Nineveh was to be saved and Jonah was to tell them to turn to the Lord God. But Jonah did not want to go and preach to them. He tells us why in Chapter 4 verse 2. So he ran in the opposite direction. However, you can not run from God’s calling. Jonah made himself miserable. He is never happy, even over Nineveh repenting. God sent and prepared four things in Jonah’s path, to teach him a lesson. God sent a storm, a fish, a gourd, and a worm. We know that a great fish swallowed Jonah, for Jesus used it as a reference of His own death and resurrection. (Matt. 12:38-41; 16:4; Luke 11:29-30)

It seems that Jonah had a “self-problem”. He was angry. Note all the personal pronouns in 4:1-3; “I, my, me”. Jonah knew God was gracious, merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. Notice that he did not answer God, 4:4-5. The book ends with a question. (4:11) Should He not save these people who repent, even the children. (“cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand;—“) God sends things in our lives to reach and teach us a great lesson. He wants to save whosoever will, even if it is our worst enemy. Therefore we should rejoice. There should be no prejudice toward any person, race or nationality, for God so loved the world that He gave His son to die for us.

When God sends things in our life, obey when He speaks through His Word and by His Spirit. Also guard against the self-life. Obey God’s Word daily.