Key word: Appoint
God appointed Jonah several things to do. His will: a wind, a fish, a plant, a worm, a wind (again) and a prophet. Only the prophet resisted.
Jonah is one of the best-known stories in the Bible. Because of its storyline it has become a children’s classic, but has a sobering message, which is played out in five scenes:
#1 The commission of Jonah (1:1-2). Jonah is given a unique calling: a Jewish prophet taking a message from God to a Gentile city. Nineveh was the capital of the evil Assyrian Empire. The Assyrians were destroying nation after nation and had its sites on Israel. Jonah and all Jews hated Assyria, and here is the Lord sending one of His prophets with a message that could lead to repentance.
#2 Jonah’s rebellion (1:3-16) The prophet refused to go and actually books a trip to Spain – the opposite direction by all rights God should have brought judgment on Jonah, but instead He has mercy. “Mercy”, is God’s ministry to the miserable according to D. Pentecost. After a storm, Jonah is thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish.
#3 Jonah’s repentance (1:17-2:10) With 3 days in the fish, Jonah has time to contemplate his life, and ultimately realizes his rebellion is wrong and stupid. He now repents and confesses that salvation, both physical and spiritual is of the Lord (2:9).
#4 Jonah obeys (3:1-10). God recommissions Jonah and this time he obeys and delivers the message God had given him.
#5 Jonah’s heart exposed (4:1-11). When the Ninevites repent Jonah is angry. In his heart, he wished that they would resist and God would destroy them. Now Jonah is also angry with God for being merciful. He would rather die than live like this (v. 3). God rebuked His prophet but the book ends without knowing Jonah’s response. It is almost like the Lord is asking us to conclude the story. But our story ends with our response to Christ.
Key verse: Jonah 2:9 – “Salvation is from the Lord.”
