Background
Jonah prophesied in the 8th Century during the reign on Jeroboam II. During this time in history, Israel had already split into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel was deep into idolatry and worshipped golden calves set up in Dan (in the north) and Bethel (in the south). The northern kingdom is on the cusp of being invaded and defeated by the massive empire called Assyria.
During the time of Jonah, the Assyrian Empire controlled most of present-day Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. (Later in history, Assyria conquered Lebanon, Israel and Egypt.) The city of Nineveh was Assyria’s capital. It was located on the Tigris River and is located near the present-day city of Mosul in Iraq.
During Jonah’s prophecy, Assyria was already threatening the northern kingdom of Israel. Assyria was seen as a huge threat to Israel. Assyria was Israel’s enemy. Jonah being called to go to Nineveh would be similar as a Christian being called to go to Iran’s capitol of Tehran and preach the gospel of Jesus in the middle of the city. It would be a certain death sentence. Jonah probably felt that this was an extremely dangerous mission. Moreover, Jonah knew if the people of Nineveh repented, that meant God would not destroy Israel’s chief enemy. If God spared Assyria, this would mean Israel would continue to be battered ad threatened by Assyria. If Jonah did not go to Nineveh, the Ninevites would not repent, and the the Ninevites would suffer the punishment set forth by God.
Jonah
Jonah’s name means dove. If we think back to other places in which a dove is mentioned, the first place I think of is Noah and the flood.
In Genesis chapter 6, God is sad He made man because the thoughts and intents of man’s heart were only evil continually. God decides He will destroy man and all living things which inhabit the earth in an effort to restore the earth back to a more holy state.
5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. 6So the LORD was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7Then the LORD said, “I will wipe out mankind whom I have created from the face of the land; mankind, and animals as well, and crawling things, and the birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:5-8)
The only people which would be saved are Noah, his wife, his three sons and his three sons’ wives.
Noah builds an ark and preserves his family and a small portion of the animals. When the flood waters are receding, Noah is trying to figure out how much of the earth still has water on it. He sends out a dove. It returns back to the boat. Noah waits more days. He sends out the dove. It returns with an olive leaf. Noah sends out the dove again, and this time it does not return.
6Then it came about at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made; 7and he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth. 8Then he sent out a dove, to see if the water was low on the surface of the land; 9but the dove found no resting place for the sole of its foot, so it returned to him in the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took it, and brought it into the ark to himself. 10So he waited another seven days longer; and again he sent out the dove from the ark. 11And the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, in its beak was a fresh olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was low on the earth. 12Then he waited another seven days longer, and sent out the dove; but it did not return to him again. (Genesis 8:5-12)
From Noah’s story, we can see the dove is a symbol of peace. The dove was sent out of the ark after the wickedness of the earth was destroyed. When the waters receded (and God’s wrath had abated), the dove was sent out and found new life beginning again. Peace was restored to the earth.
Jonah is also a dove who proclaims peace. This time, though, God is sending out the dove BEFORE He destroys the people. Jonah is sent to proclaim God’s wrath against the people, BUT Jonah has a special plea for the people. If they repent and turn back to God, then God will turn away His wrath. The people will be spared.
Other Notes about Jonah
Jonah lived in a city called Gath-hepher. This was located just north of Nazareth in the region known as the Galilee. There is another prophet about 100 years after Jonah who is called Nahum. Nahum also prophesies about Nineveh. Nahum was from the Galilee.
Jonah prophesies around the same time as Hosea and Amos.
Jonah 1 (READ JONAH 1)
God calls Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh. Jonah is partially obedient. He arise, but he goes to Joppa to find a ship going to Tarshish.
There is much discussion about where Tarshish is located. Tarshish is often thought to be in Spain. However, some scholars argue it is Great Britain or an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Wherever it was, Tarshish was a VERY long ways from Israel and was in the OPPOSITE direction from Nineveh.
Verse 3 states Jonah was going away from the presence of the LORD. There was a tradition in the ancient times that the god of a nation only was in control of the land of that nation. For example, the gods of Egypt only could exert their powers in Egypt. Once a person came to Israel or Midian or any surrounding region, the gods of Egypt no longer had power.
This is at the heart of the plagues God sent on the Egyptians. The Egyptians thought their gods were all mighty and powerful. The Egyptians gods ruled the land. Each of the plagues God sent on the land was a challenge to one (or several) of the Egyptian gods. When each of the plagues came to the land, the Egyptian god was defeated, and the God of Israel showed His power over all the world.
Let’s briefly explore the topic of the Ten Plagues. Looking ar the first plague, we see how the God of Israel defeated the Egyptian gods who protected and looked over the Nile River.
The First Plague
The first plague was directed against the Nile River, the life and heart of Egypt. Egypt was a desert country, and its economy and livelihood depended on the Nile. Its crops were irrigated by the Nile, and its fields depended on fertile soil washed in by the river. The Nile was also the primary“highway” for the country—much of its trade and commerce depended on it.
So what happened to this lifeblood of the nation?
Let’s read about it in Exodus 7:19-20: “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron [Moses’ brother who accompanied him], “Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.”’
“And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.”.
While this plague was primarily directed against the Nile River, it went beyond that. All other water sources were affected, including irrigation streams and pools and even water stored in pitchers and buckets in people’s houses.
This was a terrible disaster for the Egyptians. The whole lifeblood of the country was poisoned and undrinkable. And if that weren’t bad enough, “the fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:21).
This was a complete catastrophe. The Egyptians’ supply of water for drinking, bathing and washing was now a toxic mess. The fish, one of their major food sources, were wiped out. This was utterly devastating to the country.
So how was this a judgment against the Egyptian gods? Because the Nile was so important to the Egyptians, they worshipped several gods who were responsible for watching over it. The great god Khnum, usually represented as a human male with a ram’s head, was viewed as the giver and guardian of the Nile River.
Another god, Hapi, spirit of the Nile, was credited with the annual Nile flood that brought in thousands of tons of fresh topsoil to refertilize the land every year. He was also honored as god of fishes, birds and marshes, which is why he was often depicted with marsh plants on his head. Also linked to the Nile floodwaters were the gods Sodpet and Satet.
One of Egypt’s trinity of greatest gods was Osiris, god of the underworld. The Egyptians viewed the Nile River as his bloodstream—and now it was literally like blood! You can imagine the horror and feelings of abandonment of the Egyptians as they looked on the formerly beautiful, powerful and life-sustaining river that was now a giant stinking cesspool with tons of dead and rotting fish lining the shores. This struck also at Hatmehit, guardian goddess of fish and fishermen.
These great gods of Egypt proved powerless to prevent this great plague on the Nile. They were shown to be nothing compared to the God of Israel!
Although God is the God of the whole earth, it was a common misconception that God was only the God of Israel and one could flee God by leaving the land of Israel. It seems this is what Jonah believed. He thought if he left Israel and went in the opposite direction, he could flee from God.
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