Old Testament Heroes – Jonah

Class Date: May 18, 2022

Jonah is an unusual book. Jonah is included in the books of the minor prophets because Jonah is mentioned as a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II in the 8th century BCE. Most scholars date the writing of the book the to 6th or 5th century BCE due to the historical context of the story, so the story of this prophet took place long after Jeroboam II’s rule. There are four sections/chapters which are as follows:

(1) The call of the prophet and his attempt to flee in a cargo ship.

(2) Jonah is thrown overboard in order to still a dangerous storm, after which he is swallowed by “a big fish”. This section includes Jonah’s prayer while he is inside the belly of the fish.

(3) The fish vomits Jonah on shore and Jonah decides he cannot escape his fate , so he goes to the great city of Nineveh and tells the people that they have forty days to repent or be destroyed.

Nineveh was the capitol city of the Assyrian empire. In 721 BCE the Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel. In 701 BCE they laid siege to Jerusalem. The returning exiles hated the Assyrians. This is why Jonah does not want to warn the people. He thinks God may forgive them, which is the last thing he wants.

(4) Jonah leaves the city, wanting to die because God was merciful to the penitent Ninevehites. In this last chapter, God expresses his compassion for all people. The job of a prophet is not simply to condemn, but to teach other peoples about the mercy of God so that they might repent of their evil deeds.