by Janet Mushi | 10 July 2018 08:46 am07
Jonah was a prophet during the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel. God used Jonah mightily to bring messages of warning and hope to Israel, as recorded in 2 Kings 14:23-25 (NIV). However, God’s plan extended beyond Israel’s borders, and He commanded Jonah to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.
Theological Note:
Assyria was a dominant empire often used by God to discipline His people (Isaiah 10:5). Yet, God’s mercy extended even to these foreign nations. This reflects the universal scope of God’s salvation plan (Jonah 4:2), showing His desire for all people to repent and be saved (2 Peter 3:9).
Nineveh was a city steeped in wickedness, likened to Sodom and Gomorrah (Jonah 3:8-9). God intended to destroy it but first sent Jonah as a prophet to warn them—demonstrating God’s justice tempered by mercy.
Instead of obeying, Jonah fled to Tarshish, possibly modern-day Spain or Lebanon, trying to escape God’s presence (Jonah 1:3 NIV). However, as the psalmist reminds us, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7 NIV).
Jonah boarded a ship, but God sent a great storm (Jonah 1:4 NIV). The sailors feared for their lives and prayed to their gods, casting cargo into the sea to lighten the ship (Jonah 1:5 NIV).
Jonah was below deck, asleep—a symbol of spiritual apathy and disobedience. The captain woke him, urging him to pray to God for deliverance (Jonah 1:6 NIV).
They cast lots, and Jonah was identified as the cause of the storm (Jonah 1:7 NIV). When questioned, Jonah confessed his identity and that he was fleeing from God (Jonah 1:8-10 NIV). The sailors were afraid and asked what they should do to calm the sea. Jonah told them to throw him overboard, acknowledging the storm was because of him (Jonah 1:11-12 NIV).
The sailors reluctantly obeyed, and the storm ceased (Jonah 1:15 NIV). They feared the Lord greatly, offering sacrifices and making vows (Jonah 1:16 NIV).
God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, where he remained for three days and nights (Jonah 1:17 NIV).
Jonah’s story highlights God’s sovereignty over creation—the wind, the sea, and even the fish obey Him (Psalm 89:9 NIV). It also illustrates human resistance to God’s will and God’s patience in dealing with sinners.
In Scripture, the sea often symbolizes chaos and large multitudes of people or nations. Revelation 13:1-2 (NIV) describes a beast rising out of the sea, symbolizing a powerful kingdom or empire composed of many peoples (see also Daniel 7).
Theological Insight:
The beast represents worldly powers opposed to God, empowered by Satan (Revelation 13:2). Jonah’s flight toward the sea can be seen as symbolic of Christians who flee from God’s will into the chaos of the world, thinking it is safe, but unaware of spiritual dangers lurking.
Revelation 17:15 (NIV) confirms the sea represents “peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages,” highlighting the widespread influence of the beast.
Jonah’s wavering faith and disobedience parallel Christians today who are unstable in their walk—turning to worldly pleasures and sin while claiming faith in God.
1 Corinthians 10:11 (NIV) reminds us that these stories were written “as examples to warn us,” urging believers to stand firm and avoid falling into disobedience.
Similarly, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 (NIV) warns that the Day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, “like a thief in the night,” when people falsely believe there is “peace and safety.”
Daniel 7:1-8 (NIV) describes four beasts from the sea, with the fourth beast being terrifying and powerful, associated with the end times and the Antichrist’s reign for three and a half years—the “Great Tribulation.”
Jonah’s three days inside the fish symbolically foreshadow the tribulation period when many will face judgment. The beast “with ten horns and seven heads” (Revelation 13:1 NIV) will rise and bring severe persecution.
God’s grace is holding back judgment now, but one day the “storm” will come. Like Jonah, many are asleep in spiritual complacency, unaware of impending danger.
God is calling His true church—the faithful Bride—to prepare for the coming Rapture. Those who heed God’s call and repent (Acts 2:38) will be saved.
Repent today. Be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins (Acts 2:38 NIV). Start your walk of obedience and holiness now.
God bless you richly.
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