Lessons From the Book of Jonah (Part 1): New Beginnings With God

The adventures of Jonah (Jonah 1-4) are some of the most fascinating stories in the Bible. Let us unpack some lessons from it together.

Who is Jonah son of Amittai?

The adventures of Jonah (Jonah 1-4) are some of the most fascinating stories in the Bible. In four chapters Jonah had gone on an Odyssey—he boarded a ship, attempted suicide, fasted in the belly of a big fish, took a three-day journey to Nineveh, caused a national revival, and spent many lonely moments under a tree. Without an army and having no political affiliations, this man almost capsized a ship and his message shook the government of Nineveh. What a bloke!

Jonah was a prophet of God as stated in 2 Kings 14:25 and the book that bears his name tells us that he was accustomed to hearing from God. In fact, we see that Jonah did not just hear from God; he understood the mind of God (at least to an extent). He knew the crusade at Nineveh would produce a revival; he just wasn't ready to accept it. He also knew (without anyone telling him) that the storm that rocked the ship was a sign from God. Thus, if Jonah was this knowledgeable about God, why was he adamant in his refusal to go to Nineveh?

Jonah's view about Nineveh

To answer the question about Jonah's disobedience stated above, we need to understand that Jonah, as a Jew, saw the Jews as the only 'chosen ones' of God. Israel was the nation and firstborn of God (Exodus 4:22) — so what Jonah found puzzling was 'how God could possibly want to have other sons like Israel?'

This view was further evident even in the first church in which the Jews were reluctant to extend the gospel outside the shores of Israel.

Peter was surprised when the Holy Spirit came into the house of Cornelius (Acts 10:45); in fact, he needed 'a vision'—no, 'three visions'—before he could even step a foot in Cornelius' house. It took the audacity and revelations of Paul (Galatians 2:1-14), and the persecution of the church for the gospel to go beyond the shores of Israel. But the prediction of the gospel coming to the Gentiles had been prophesied (Micah 4:2; Zechariah 8:22; Amos 9:12) and Jesus Himself echoed it (Mark 13:10). You can, therefore, imagine Jonah (who lived between 786-746 BC) receiving a message of salvation to non-Jews, and even worse, to enemies of Israel. It was inconceivable!

Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrians and enemies of Israel. 2 Kings 15:29 & 2 Kings 17:3-6 capture the details of the Assyrian invasion of Israel which led to many Israelites being deported. Even though the Assyrians are not at par with other age-long enemies of Israel like the Amalekites or Philistines, they were not allies with Israel either.

God's view of Nineveh

God, up until this time, made little mention of salvation coming to Nineveh or other non-Jewish nations, so this was something new to Jonah. It was a new message and a new eternal plan—at least, from Jonah’s understanding of it. That which seemed to have been hidden from the Jewish nation is now being revealed—that salvation will someday come to non-Jews. However, Jonah didn't have enough faith to see what God was trying to accomplish.

---

What God sees is not what man sees....“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Is 55:8-9

---

Every time God wants to chart a new path, he needs people who are ready to leave their old ways, adopt a new strategy and go on uncharted paths with Him. Abraham had to leave his extended family and country to follow ‘blindly’ to a land he knew nothing about; the disciples left all to follow a carpenter-turned-rabbi. Noah because of God's bidding left the familiar to start building an ark that would take 120 years, because a so-called ‘flood’ which the science of his day refuted. Joseph’s life went from bad to worse while he held onto integrity; he went from being a noble son (with a colourful regalia) to a dude in a dry well in Dothan, then a servant of Potiphar and afterwards a prisoner—before God elevated him to become a Prime Minister in a foreign land. What an interesting timeline! The examples are without end.

The biblical narratives repeatedly confirm that when God wants to do something new, he calls someone. We see this especially in the Book of Judges when God raised various judges at various times to deliver His people from various enemies. Jesus continued the same tradition when He called the 12 disciples to join him in launching a new dimension of the relationship between man and God. In all these cases, those who were called needed great faith to follow through with God’s plan for their lives as the path of the Lord—narrow and challenging as it may be—always leads to a glorious end.

When God calls a man there is always a new work He intends to do through that person, but the person must be ready to go on the journey with Him.

May we have enough faith to trust God unflinchingly, allow Him to be Lord in our lives and lead us on the path He desires in Jesus’ name.