Jonah 1

Introduction

Carles Feinberg, who is an authority on Jewish history, says of Jonah, “Disbelief has attacked this book probably more than any other in the Bible. It has been made the butt of ill-advised humor and undeserved ridicule.” [1] However, we should note that Jesus did not make a joke of Jonah. Rather, he used the book to make a clear prediction of his own Resurrection, as we see in Matthew 12:39-41 and 16:4 (see the parallel account in Luke 11:29-30). Neither do the Jewish people scoff at Jonah. Rather, they read the book during their most holy festival, the Day of Atonement.

Many unbelieving writers have claimed that this little book was simply taken from one of the many pagan myths. To name a few, there was the deliverance of Andromeda from a sea monster, Arion, who was thrown into the sea by sailors, and carried to shore on a dolphin, Hercules, who was three days in the belly of a sea monster as he tried to save Hesione. Irish Anglican clergyman and commentator, Andrew Faussett says, “Probably the heathen fables are, vice versa, corruptions of the sacred narrative, if there be any connection.” [2]

We do not know much about Jonah. We know his name and his father’s name, as we see later in the first verse. According to a reference in 2 Kings 14:25, Jonah was from the Galilee city of Gath Hepher. This little town is some 2-3 miles (3-5 km) northeast of Nazareth. This is the only other mention of the prophet in the Old Testament outside the Book of Jonah itself. So Jonah was a prophet who came from Galilee. This disputes the “learned” Pharisees. In John 7:52, they declared that no prophet had ever come out of Galilee.

Jonah appeared in the eighth century BC. The passage in 2 Kings that we mentioned tells us that Jonah prophesied regarding the Israelite king Jeroboam II. His reign occurred during the years 793 to 753 BC. Therefore, Jonah was one of the earliest writing prophets, along with Hosea and Amos. [3] We have to admit that Jonah’s book is unusual since it has very little prophecy and a lot of history in it.

We cannot miss the fact that Jonah was a very reluctant prophet. God sent him to the great city of Nineveh, but he refused to go. Instead, he went in the opposite direction to the area of Tarshish. His rebellious trip was interrupted by a whale of a tale.

“The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me’” Jonah 1:1-2.

The Lord commanded Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and preach. From what we know, Nineveh was indeed a great city. According to ancient historians, Nineveh was the world’s foremost city at that time. [1] Later in the book, we will see that it took the prophet a three-day walk just to visit the city. English theologian Peter Pett adds, “That great city was probably indicating Greater Nineveh, which was made up of four large cities seen as forming one.” [2]

Paul Butler gives the following description of Nineveh from an ancient writer, Diodorus: “It was the greatest city of antiquity with a population of 600,000, some 80 miles in circumference. Upon its walls 100 feet high, flanked with 1,500 towers, each 200 feet high, four chariots could drive abreast…” [3] We can understand how large the city was when we look to the last verse of the book. God tells us that there were 120,000 infants in the city.

Nineveh was founded by Nimrod (Gen. 10:11). It was a very wicked city. Their evil had become a worldwide scandal, and that wickedness had come up before God. We will note later how their wickedness was apparent in their cruel treatment of prisoners. These were often stripped naked and led along with hooks placed in their noses and lips. Ministering to Nineveh was a little like trying to minister to ISIS or HAMAS today. Thus, we can see why the Book of Jonah is called the great missionary book of the Old Testament. [4]

“But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD” (1:3). We might wonder why Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. First of all, Nineveh would soon be the capital city of Assyria, and the Assyrians would be bitter enemies of Israel.

James Montgomery Boice, noted speaker on the Bible Study Hour, says, “If we can imagine the word of the Lord coming to a Jew who lived in New York during World War II, telling him to go to Berlin to preach to Nazi Germany, and instead of this, he goes to San Francisco and takes a boat for Hong Kong.” [5] That might sum up some of Jonah’s feelings about going to Nineveh.

There is a second reason that comes out clearly in the latter part of the book. Jonah knew that the Lord was a merciful God. He was concerned that there might be repentance among the people and that his enemies would be spared. [6] Moody teacher and broadcaster, John Phillips, sees Jonah as a classic biblical example of how God can do his perfect work with an imperfect instrument. [7]

We note that Jonah was headed for Tarshish. The Greek historian Herodotus tells us that Tarshish was known as Tartessus, and it was located in southern Spain. [8] Other writers speak of it as a Phoenician mining community through the Straits of Gibraltar and on the Atlantic coast of Spain. In short, Jonah was going to the end of the world in those days, as far in the opposite direction as he could travel away from God’s assignment. Jonah had forgotten Psalm 139:7-10: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

Jonah’s Voyage And The Great Storm

We notice that he went down to Jaffa, Israel’s ancient seaport from the times of Solomon. Commentators note that his course was “downhill.” It seems to always be downhill when we run away from the Lord. At Jaffa, he found a ship going to Tarshish, and he bought his ticket. Boice, citing Barnhouse, says, “It is always that way. When you run away from the Lord, you never get to where you are going, and you always pay your own fare. On the other hand, when you go the Lord’s way, you always get to where you are going, and he pays the fare.” [9] It is interesting that centuries later, it was at Jaffa where the Lord called Peter to take the gospel to the Gentiles at the house of Cornelius. [10]

So Jonah boarded his ship in an effort to get as far away from God as possible. Boice wonders if he noticed the rats getting off the ship as he got on. [11] Baptist theologian Bob Utley notes that the ship was probably a Phoenician vessel that may have had two cargo decks with a third half-deck. If so, it would have required 30 to 50 rowers. [12] Bible scholars Pfeiffer & Harrison add that this is the only place in the Old Testament where a ship is described as having lower and upper covered decks. This is made clear in the Hebrew text. [13]

“Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up” (1:4). In Psalm 104:4, we notice how God makes the winds his messengers or servants. It seems to be an unwritten rule of creation that our sin brings difficulty and even destruction to other people. Boice reminds us of Achan’s sin, where the army of Israel was defeated, and David’s sin in numbering Israel, where 70,000 died of pestilence. [14]

Phillips comments, “When Jonah ran away from God, he upset the whole balance of nature. We are distinctly told that the bad weather was a result of Jonah’s bad behavior.” [15] It makes us wonder how many of the bad things that happen today in nature are the result of people’s sins. John, in his gospel, tells us that the world was made by the word of God (Jn. 1:1-4). When we go against God’s word, all of nature begins to work against us.

Boice goes on to bring Jonah’s sin up to date, saying, “We have to realize…that this is how it usually is with the world; the storm is unleashed because of the unfaithfulness of the church and Christians…While the storm was raging, Jonah, who represents the church, was asleep deep within the hold of the ship.” [16]

“All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, ‘How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish” (1:5-6). Feinberg notes how it is well known that sin brings insensibility with it. He says that it is a shame when the prophet of God has to be called to prayer by a heathen. [17]

This must have been some storm. These were experienced and hardened sailors, and they were terrified, even to the point of throwing away the precious cargo. The early church father Chrysostom said: “They threw overboard the wares that were in the ship into the sea; but the ship was not getting any lighter, because the entire cargo still remained within it, the body of the prophet, the heavy cargo, not according to the nature of the body but from the weight of sin. For nothing is so heavy and onerous to bear as sin and disobedience.” [18] American Pastor, Bible teacher, and author, David Guzik, wonders if their request seemed ironic to Jonah. The soldiers were demanding that he call on his God, but his only reason for being on the ship was to escape from his God. [19]

Phillips sighs, “Jonah may well have been ashamed that he, a prophet and the only man on board who knew the true and living God, was not on speaking terms with him.” [20]

“Then the sailors said to each other, ‘Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.’ They cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah” (1:7). The sailors seemed to be well aware that a sinful person could work havoc with the weather and other things on earth. The casting of lots was an ancient biblical practice. Even the Urim and Thummim (cf. Exo. 28:30) were a type of casting lots. We see the practice in several places, such as Joshua 7:16, 15:1, 1 Samuel 14:36-42, and even in Acts 1:26.

The casting of lots was a valid system of determining God’s will in the Old Testament. Proverbs 16:33 says: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.”

After Acts 1:26, we no longer see the lot cast by people in the Bible. Rather, we believers can now receive our directions from God’s Holy Spirit, which dwells in each one of us.

Jonah was probably not the least surprised to be pointed out as the culprit. He had even told the sailors that he was running away from God. It is never good to be in the company of such folk.

“So they asked him, ‘Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?’” (1:8). All of a sudden, Jonah was the center of attention and they seemed to have a hundred questions to ask him. They were urgent life-and-death questions.

“He answered, ‘I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land’” (1:9). They were further alarmed to learn that he was a Hebrew and that he served the God who made the sea in the first place. They surely needed to get in touch with this God at that very moment. Here, Jonah calls himself a “Hebrew.” This was the description used by outsiders, but they called themselves “Israelites.” [21]

“This terrified them and they asked, ‘What have you done?’ (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.) The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, ‘What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?’” (1:10-11). It was the great preacher Charles Spurgeon who said that God never allows his children to sin successfully. [22] Jonah was learning that truth the hard way. Fourth-century Christian poet and writer Paulinus of Nola wrote: “Nature, which belongs to the almighty Lord, realized that [Jonah] was revolting, and it was afraid to play conspirator by transporting the guilty man safely through its domain: it chained the runaway with winds and waves.” [23]

“‘Pick me up and throw me into the sea,’ he replied, ‘and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.’ Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before” (1:12-13). Jonah’s reply leaves much to be desired. It sounds quite negative and almost suicidal. He should have answered: “It is obvious what we must do. God wants me to go to Nineveh, and we will not be safe until I do. Turn the boat around. Let’s go back. Then the storm will stop…” [24]

“ Then they cried out to the LORD, ‘Please, LORD, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, LORD, have done as you pleased.’” Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm” (1:14-15). We have to give these pagan seamen credit in that they did not want to sacrifice Jonah just for the sea to be calm. Phillips notes how these pagan mariners were aghast at the idea of deliberately throwing a man overboard. They seemed to be horrified at this as much as they were by the storm. [25]

The early church father Jerome says of this situation, “The text does not say they seized him or that they threw him in, but that they took him, carrying him as one [deserving] respect and honor.” [26] The seamen must have been amazed to note that when Jonah hit the water, the awful storm immediately subsided.

Jonah And The Big Fish

At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. Jonah 1:16

Generally, people make sacrifices to request a miracle or some other good thing from the Lord. These sailors got their miracle and good thing and then made their sacrifice afterward. Guzik notes how many commentators feel that these sailors became followers of the true God. [27]

“Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights” (1:17). Since it was the day before submarines, the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah. In Bible tradition, this fish has come to be known as a whale, but the Hebrew words say dag gadol or big fish. This sounds impossible, but there have been stories of men being swallowed by big fish and surviving. Here are a couple of stories.

A case was reported in the year 1758 when a sailor fell overboard from a frigate, in very stormy weather, into the Mediterranean Sea, and was immediately taken into the jaws of a shark, disappearing into its innards. The captain, however, ordered a gun, which was standing on the deck, to be discharged at the shark, and the cannonball struck it, with the result that it vomited the sailor whom it had swallowed up again. The sailor was then taken up alive into the boat, which had been lowered in order to rescue him, and was very little hurt. [28]

In February 1891, the crew of the whaling ship Star of the East sighted a large sperm whale off the Falkland Islands. They harpooned the whale, and in its death throes, it swallowed a man named James Bartley. A day and a half later, his shipmates, who thought he had drowned – found him unconscious in the whale’s belly…he said he could breathe easily, but the heat was unbearable. His whole appearance was changed by the ordeal, for his neck, face, and hands, which had been exposed to the whale’s gastric juices, were permanently bleached to a livid whiteness. [29]

As followers of the Lord, we need to get used to the miraculous. The Book of Jonah is full of miracles. The storm itself was miraculous. The fact that Jonah was selected by lot was a miracle as well as the subsiding sea. Of course, the great fish appearing at exactly the right time and the swallowing of Jonah was all miraculous. His later ejection, safe and sound from the fish, was a huge miracle. Then we have the episodes of the gourd, the worm, the east wind, and finally the repentance of the Great City of Nineveh. [30]

The prophet Jonah could exclaim with the psalmist: “The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death” (Psa. 118:18).

Footnotes

1. Charles L. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1990), p. 133.

2. Robert D. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Commentary on Jonah, 1871-78, Int. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/jfb/jonah.html

3. Ibid.

Chapter 1

1. David Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Jonah, vs. 2:2.

2. Peter Pett, Commentary on Joel, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, 2013, v. 1:2. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/pet/jonah.html

3. Quoted in James Burton Coffman, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible, Commentary on Jonah (Abilene TX: Abilene Christian University Press, 1983-1999), v. 1:2. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bcc.html

4. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 133.

5. James Montgomery Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1986), p. 266.

6. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 135.

7. John Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1998), p. 140.

8. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 135.

9. Quoted in Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 268.

10. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 135.

11. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 267.

12. Bob Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Jonah, v. 1:3. https://www.freebiblecommentary.org/old_testament_studies/VOL10OT/VOL10COT_01.html

13. Charles F. Pfeiffer & Everett F. Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), p. 846.

14. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 273.

15. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 142.

16. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 274.

17. Pfeiffer & Harrison, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 136.

18. Alberto Ferreiro, ed., Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture, XIV (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2003), p. 132.

19. Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Jonah, vs. 1:5-6.

20. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 143.

21. Pett, Commentary on Joel, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, v. 1:9.

22. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 443.

23. Ferreiro, ed., Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture, XIV, p. 133.

24. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 277.

25. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 145.

26. Ferreiro, ed., Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture, XIV, p. 134.

27. Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Jonah, vs. 1:11-16.

28. Pett, Commentary on Joel, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, Int.

29. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 146.

30. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 134.