Listen to chuck swindolls overview of jonah in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. Jonah 1 niv bible the word of the lord came to jonah. The book of jonah, written primarily in the third person, does not explicitly name the prophet as the author of his own account, but we have no reason to doubt either the inspiration or the historical veracity of the book. The modern day jonah at the center of joshua max feldmans brilliantly conceived retelling of the bibles book of jonah is a lucky guy. The book of jonah preface those of you who are familiar with the story of jonah and the whale know that jonah hopped a ship heading in the opposite direction when god commanded him to go preach to the ninevites. The foundational source for the book was likely jonahs own telling of the story after his return from nineveh. Concern for the salvation of all people, including ones enemies, is the proper attitude for people of god. You will also remember how god provided jonah with a living submarine to get him back where he belonged. The main theme of the book of jonah is gods sovereignty over all people and his divine plan to extend his gift of mercy and salvation beyond israel to include the gentile nations. How many of the citys inhabitants could not discern their left hand from their right hand. Ac 1188 2 but then we find a startling, thoughtprovoking passage in the work called spiritual. Jonah started out and made his way into the city the distance of one days walk, and proclaimed. Although the book is written in the third person, the traditional view is that jonah is the author of the book, and there is no persuasive reason to theorize about an unknown author.
The book of jonah is one of the key readings in judaism during yom kippur, the day of atonement, which occurs on the tenth day of tishri following rosh hashanah, generally in september or early october. Jonah went at once to nineveh in accordance with the lords command. Book of jonah read, study bible verses online bible study tools. Which direction did the scorching wind upon jonah come from. Regretfully he had to resign prematurely from the jerusalem bible project and in one letter referred to his listing as a principal collaborator as an undeserved courtesy. In this final study of the book of jonah, you will learn what the book of jonah is all about. Although the author of jonah is never identified in the book itself, jonah himself has traditionally been identified as the author. Now he obeys and goes to nineveh, the capital of israels ancient enemy. It is one of trei asar the twelve prophets in the tanakh.
At the end of the day, god is less concerned with what we do for him than who we are in him. The issue is complicated somewhat by the use of the. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. It tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to. Then the lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. He was gods instrument to carry out gods will on earth. The bible tells us that god prepared a great fish which swallowed jonah. Jonah 1, new international version niv the bible app. It is one of trei asar the twelve prophets in the tanakh, and in christian tradition as oi dodeka prophetai or ton dodekapropheton, greek for the twelve prophets. It is an important book to both religious traditions christianity and jewish. The story has a long interpretive history and has become well known through popular childrens stories.
Nineveh was an enormously large city a three days walk across. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. Still, the book gives significant clues about how it was meant to be read. Book of jonah, the fifth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the. A they drew lots b jonah confessed c they guessed d they saw a vision 7 what was the crews reaction when they heard that jonah was fleeing from the living god. It tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to prophesy the destruction of nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission. He went down to joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. Though some modernists argue that the concept of a bodily resurrection of christ from the dead was unknown in old testament times, jesus demonstrated otherwise. All of nature obeys god in this book but a prophet of god does not. The book is anonymous, and there are no indicators elsewhere in scripture to identify the author.
Jonah flees from the lord the word of the lord came to jonah son of amittai. Literary characteristics unlike most other prophetic parts of the ot, this book is a narrative account of a single prophetic mission. See more ideas about jonah and the whale, bible crafts, sunday school crafts. As we have seen, jonah, like many literary works, does not identify its genre but leaves it to the reader to discern.
Caught in a storm, he orders the ships crew to cast him overboard. Jonah is commanded to go east to nineveh but flees toward the westernmost possible point 1. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. Jonah 1 niv bible the word of the lord came to jonah son. Focused on the prophet rather than his prophecy, the story of jonah gives us a picture of a man on the run due to his own selfish desires. Nov 19, 2012 so based on the date and message of the book of jonah, the view of this commentary is that jonah is the originator of the story, but it was passed down orally for several hundred years, being modified and changed over time, until it was eventually recorded by a later author who lived in judea during the postexilic time period, and was using the. I am drawn to the book of jonah not only because i. Set in the reign of jeroboam ii, it was probably written in the postexilic period, some time between the late 5th to early 4th century bc. The book of jonah presents a beautiful type of the resurrection of christ from the dead. The book of jonah recounts real events in the life and ministry of the prophet himself. Jonah or jonas, in the hebrew bible tanakhold testament, is a prophet of the northern kingdom of israel in about the 8th century bce. In the new testament, no other old testament prophet is named by jesus more than the prophet jonah.
Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. Feldmans intriguing first novel, a modern retelling of the bibles book of jonah, examines the dilemma of faith amid lifes failures and loss. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. Few figures illustrate that truth better than jonah. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, lord, have done as you pleased. Jonah is identified as a prophet and servant of god during the reign of king jeroboam ii of israel 2 kings 14. Full text in english of the book of jonah my jewish. Instead of showing mercy to his enemies, he determined to keep gods grace to himself rather than share it with. Set in the reign of jeroboam ii 786746 bc, it was probably written in the postexilic period, some time between the late 5th to early 4th century bc. Go to the great city of nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me. He went down to joppa, found a ship going to tarshish, paid the fare, and went down in it to go with them to tarshish. Ac 1188 2 but then we find a startling, thoughtprovoking passage in. It also states that previously jonah had the pleasant task from of delivering the good report from god that israel would enjoy a season of peace. It concerns a disobedient prophet who rejected his divine commission, was cast overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and returned to his starting point.
Unlike other old testament prophetic books, jonah is not a collection of the prophets oracles but primarily a narrative about the man. Jonah is the fifth of the twelve prophets in the book of the twelve in hebrew scripture. The book of jonah includes the famous story of the great fish often erroneously thought of as a whale has led many to dismiss this book as merely a biblical fish story. It is a mistake to assume that events and actions of the book are not historical in nature. The book of the twelve prophets was originally on one parchment roll. Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the lord, what he did in the red sea, and in the brooks of arnon, deuteronomy 31. The book depicts the larger scope of gods purpose for israel. The book of jonah is unique among the books of the prophets. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim in the hebrew bible. Jonah the book of jonah the king james version old. Jonah mosaic in aquileia cathedralmosaic of the biblical story of jonah. When god calls abraham to offer his son isaac as a sacrifice, abraham gets up early in the morning and goes, but when god calls jonah, jonah runs away.
Unlike other prophetic books, jonah focuses on the prophet himself rather than on his message. The title of the book is the name of the main character, jonah. Written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. Tolkiens main part was the translation of the book of jonah a book in the old testament that tells the story of jonah and the whale. Date since jonah prophesied during the reign of jeroboam ii 782753. Jonah 1 new international version niv jonah flees from the lord. Full text in english of the book of jonah my jewish learning. Apocalypse explained ae 538 11 particulars in the book of jonah are historical, and yet prophetical, involving and representing such arcana, as do all the other historicals of the word. And jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah flees from the lord 1 the word of the lord came to jonah son of amittai. Book of jonah, the fifth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, embraced in a single book, the twelve, in the jewish canon. Meet the god of second chances in the book of jonah. The book of the twelve prophets was originally on one.
Watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down. Jonah 1 niv jonah flees from the lord the word of bible. Gods determination to get his message to the nations. The audience of the book of jonah was the people of israel and all future readers of the bible and, typically, prophets issued warnings or gave instructions to the people of israel. Using human logic many so called scholars, have questioned the authenticity of the book of jonah, because they find it hard to believe a fish could shallow and man and the man live. Because it tells of a fish swallowing a man, many have dismissed the book of jonah as fiction. Book of jonah encyclopedia of the bible bible gateway.
Gods ministry to jonah chapter 4 the bible exposition commentary, cook communications, colorado springs, 2002, p. The book of jonah is the fifth book in the christian canons and the jewish tanakh. Our previous treatment of jonah illustrates the importance of the discernment of genre for interpretation of the bible. So based on the date and message of the book of jonah, the view of this commentary is that jonah is the originator of the story, but it was passed down orally for several hundred years, being modified and changed over time, until it was eventually recorded by a later author who lived in judea. Blessed with ambition and good looks, jonah jacobstein is a 32yearold new york city corporate lawyer who has recently been placed on a highprofile case.
Watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Book of jonah jonah chapter 1 jonah chapter 2 jonah chapter 3 jonah chapter 4. This problem of failing to discern a books genre goes beyond jonah to much of the literature in the bible. The name jonah means dove in hebrew, but jonahs character is anything but dovelike. Those who are orthodox are more into the later holy scripture like the. Fortunately, biblical scholarship has long been aware of the importance of properly discerning a works genre and has recently made crucial insights about various genres present in the bible that allow for a more precise understanding. A commentary on the book of jonah cooper abrams bible truth. The message of the book of jonah christian articles. The book is replete with irony, wherein much of its humor lies. The book of jonah was likely written between 793 and 758 b. Study scripture verses with commentary, concordances, and use highlighting, underlining, take notes in the bible. He is the central figure of the book of jonah, in which he is called upon by god to travel to nineveh and warn its residents of impending divine wrath. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord.
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