This chapter recounts the divine commission which came to jonah, instructing him to prophesy against the city of nineveh because of their great wickedness, the prophets rebellious disobedience in trying to avoid the assignment by fleeing in the opposite direction, the judgment of god against him in the great storm that threatened the wreck of his ship, the prophets guilt exposed. God spoke to jonah in his own unique and powerful way and he told jonah to. Jonah 4 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the. Jonah was apparently an older contemporary of hosea and amos. Many have questioned whether the book of jonah is historical.
I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate god, slow to anger and abounding in love, a god who relents from sending calamity. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. Decidedly not dead, jonah runs away again and hangs out in makeshift hut. Jonah had made a serious mistake and suffered serious consequences. Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary.
This chapter recounts the divine commission which came to jonah, instructing him to prophesy against the city of nineveh because of their great wickedness, the prophets rebellious disobedience in trying to avoid the assignment by fleeing in the opposite direction, the judgment of god against him in the great storm that threatened the wreck of his ship, the prophets guilt. The book of jonah is more than just a delightful story for children. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. Jonah chapter 1 kjv king james version jonah knew he had done wrong and told them to throw him overboard but god sent the whale to rescue him. It tells the story of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai. Jonah describes the waters compassing him about an image of distress similar to the psalms water imagery. May 19, 2014 discussions on the old testament the book of jonah. The book of jonah the holy bible chapters 1 4 audio narration. Here are 10 valuable lessons gleaned from jonah s encounter with the great fish and the people of nineveh. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. Jonahs lack of response indicates that he got the point. We hear from jonah himself that god is merciful and compassionate, slow to become angry, and rich in faithful love.
Now nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days journey. He ordered jonah to leave his city and never return. Having called upon their gods for help, the sailors did what they could to help themselves. The book of jonah stands as an important link in the prophetic chain, giving readers a glimpse of christs death and resurrection hundreds of years before they actually occurred. This is not an ordinary storm, but an extreme one set hurled, from god. Apr 30, 2018 as with chapter 3, grace is a major theme in the book of jonah s final chapter. Jonah 14 niv jonah flees from the lord the word of bible. Sin brings storms and tempests into the soul, into the family, into churches and nations. Jonah flees from the lord the word of the lord came to jonah son of amittai. Jonah repines at gods mercy to nineveh, and is reproved.
Jonah was called by god to take a message to nineveh modern mosul in iraq but ran away instead. The sailors of the ship became concerned because of the great storm that brewed and jonah explained that god was bringing judgment upon him. He went down to joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to tarshish, away from the. Jonah 14 esv jonah flees the presence of the lord bible. The miracles partially look like coincidents but the hand of god is behind them all. Now the word of the lord came to jonah the son of amittai, saying, arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it. The way we fully understand ourselves is to compare our selfinterest with gods sacrificial love.
Jonah, however, is sent to nineveh, not solely for ninevehs good, but also to shame israel, by the fact of a heathen city repenting at the first preaching of a single stranger, jonah, whereas gods people will not repent, though preached to by their many national prophets, late and early. The major question of jonah 4 is connected to the books abrupt ending. Jan 20, 2016 the gentle humor of this wonderful tale of the badtempered prophet is given full reign here. Gods love for all people the overarching theme of the book of jonah is the love of god for all persons and even animals, despite the prophets stubborn resistance to loving the ninevites whom the israelites feared and hated. As the story unfolds one cannot miss the interplay between god and jonah. But jonah did not want to do this and he decided he would run. He and his commanders ridiculed jonah and called him a babbling fool. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. Discussions on the old testament the book of jonah. Verses 12 this book is a story about god and jonah.
Key personalities include jonah, the captain and the ships crew and the people of nineveh. Nineveh means the residence of ninus, that is, nimrod. Jonah says, really, god, just kill me now, which is overthetop emo even for a prophet but a not so subtle callback to the lament in the third chapter of the book of job. Jonah disobeyed, boarded a ship and headed for tarshish. It is a well known story for obvious reasons, not least of which are a disobedient prophet, an obedient fish and a wicked nation that starts out bad, yet ends up good. Chapter 4, the last in the book of jonah, should be filled with great thankfulness and rejoicing then. He really did not want to answer gods call to minister in nineveh. Our study of each chapter of jonah will begin with quotes from a work of the writings called summary exposition of the prophets and psalms. When we left jonah at the end of chapter three he had just witnessed what could well be the greatest revival recorded in the bible. He declared that everyone in nineveh should give up their evil ways and violence, and wear sackcloth as a sign of repentance. But the lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. Jonah 4 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. We will reap the evil we sow this is our choice but its gods disapline so we will come to our senses like the prodical son did and what a wonderful welcome home. The book of jonah hebrew is one of the minor prophets in the hebrew bible.
Unlike the other prophets, the book of jonah is almost entirely narrative, with the exception of the poem in chapter 2. Jonah 14 nkjv jonahs disobedience now the word bible. The lord has brought up jonahs life from corruption, and jonah responds with thanksgiving, looking towards gods holy temple. Previous book previous chapter read the full chapter next chapter next book. In chapter 1, god directed jonah to go to nineveh however. He went down to joppa and found a ship going to tarshish. Jonah 1 jonah running from god a sermon by jeremy myers. The book of jonah is narrative history and a prophetic oracle. Unfortunately, gods grace and mercy is set against jonah himself, who is a walking illustration of judgment and unforgiveness. When the call of god came to him, jonah could not see beyond his own selfish desire for god to punish the assyrians. God matches every move of jonah with a counter move of correction. Jonah 1 niv jonah flees from the lord the word of bible. The book of jonah is not prophecy, as the books we have been studying.
Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. Dltks bible stories for children jonah chapters 1 4 jonah king james version. Jonah 1, new international version niv the bible app. Such was the magnitude of the storm that all the sailors began to cry out to their gods to help them. Jonah still maintains a false jewish nationalism and hatred of all nonjews, especially assyrians. After jonahs complaint, god explains in verses 1011 why it is silly for jonah to care so much about a plant and so little about a city full of peopleand thats the end. In jonah chapter 1, god commanded him to go to nineveh, a city that had grown very wicked. First is gods grace shown to his prophet, jonah, by extending him a second chance after his flagrant rebellion in chapter 1. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. We find that god has ways of getting him to answer his call. He directed that a temple be built and all his people should worship the god of jonah. The purpose of this book is to show that god is a merciful and gracious god. Jonah 1 jonah flees the presence of the lord 1 now the word of the lord came to a jonah the son of amittai, saying, 2 arise, go to b nineveh, that c great city, and cry out against it.
This seems to be a fast growing plant which in hot climates grows rapidly to give shade with its large leaves. But the book of jonah is not meant to be a historical account. Chapters 1 and 4 are the book ends on either side of the prophets grudging obedience in chapters 2 and 3. Jonah flees the presence of the lordnow the word of the lord came to jonah the son of amittai, saying, arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up befor. Jonah 1 now the word of the lord came to jonah the son. Jonah, because of his rejection of gentiles and distaste for their participation in salvation. The gentle humor of this wonderful tale of the badtempered prophet is given full reign here.
As with any good narrative, the story of jonah has a setting, characters, a plot, and themes. The actual prophetic word against nineveh is given only in passing through the narrative. It is a well known story for obvious reasons, not least of which are a disobedient prophet, an obedient fish and a. Jonah s flat refusal to preach the word of the lord to the people of the wicked city of nineveh leads. That is what i tried to forestall by fleeing to tarshish. Jonah flees the presence of the lord now the word of the lord came to. He thought he could escape on a boat bound for tarshish, which was about a thousand. Verse click for chapter new international version then the lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to. Jonah was heading in the wrong direction both physically and spiritually. He wanted jonah to preach against this city because of its wickedness.
Now l nineveh was an exceedingly great city, 1 three days journey in breadth. He booked passage on a ship to get himself away from this call of god. In this sermon, jerry gifford deals with how the book of jonah ends abruptly with a question. For being only four chapters long, the book of jonah packs quite a punch. Jonah 14 kjv now the word of the lord came unto bible. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. This whole chapter of eleven verses deals almost exclusively with jonah s disappointment, anger, and resentment because of the conversion of the ninevites, and with the gentle persuasion of the lord, who provided motivation for jonah, pointing him toward a more acceptable attitude. This work includes a versebyverse overview of all four chapters of jonah that provide general information about the internal sense. Jonah 1 commentary commentary critical and explanatory. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord.
Go to the great city of nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me. The assyrian power was looming threateningly on the northern horizon, and a flash or two had already broken from that cloud. The sailors threw him into the sea where he was swallowed by an enormous fish. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. This is an account of jonah s call to minister at nineveh, and his reaction to that call. God, however, takes the opportunity to toy with him again. Jonah 1, english standard version esv the bible app. Jonah 1 now the word of the lord came to jonah the son of. Jonah 14 new king james version nkjv jonah s disobedience. But it displeased jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. He thought he could escape on a boat bound for tarshish. Jonah chapter 1 coffmans commentary of the new testament. Commentary by jack kelley for being only four chapters long, the book of jonah packs quite a punch. The book begins with god telling jonah to go to the great city of nineveh.
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