The book of jonah explained

The book of jonah is about an event that jesus said took place in history. It is the custom in some communities to ask a stranger to offer a commentarycalled a. Throughout the book, jonah is repeatedly referred to in the third person, causing some to search for. The book occupies a unique place among the miner prophets, because it contains not one direct. The book makes no direct claim regarding authorship. Verses 12 this book is a story about god and jonah. The book of jonah was likely written between 793 and 758 b. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan.

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. The haftarah for yom kippur afternoon, known as maftir yonah, is one of the most celebrated haftarot of the year. 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. The witness of jonah max reich the messianic hope of israel. 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. Watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. 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. The book begins with god telling jonah to go to the great city of nineveh. Commentary on the book of jonah relevant bible teaching. Passing over the brief prophecy of obadiah, with its veiled reference to the messiah in saviours who will go up on mount zion, under the leadership of the jehovahsaviour, for the kingdom shall be the lords obadiah 1. Jonah shows us that god has a way of bringing us to the place where we want what he wants. It is about gods grace but also accepting gods calls in our lives as well as accepting gods grace when it happens for others. 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.

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. Although the author of jonah is never identified in the book itself, jonah himself has traditionally been identified as the author. It spits him out when jonah repents, and god tells him to go to nineveh again. Listen to chuck swindolls overview of jonah in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. The book is named after its principal character, whose name means dove. The book of jonah is narrative history and a prophetic oracle. David kimchi was an important scholar of hebrew grammar and wrote michlol, an early comprehensive study of it. Jonah is identified as a prophet and servant of god during the reign of king jeroboam ii of israel 2 kings 14. The simple, expansive story of jonah thin difference.

Intro to jonah biblica the international bible society. The name jonah is derived from the hebrew word yonah meaning dove. The book of jonah appears as one of twelve small books of scripture known as trei asar the twelve. The book of jonah is more than just a delightful story for children. 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. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries.

What happens when god wants a person to do something, but the person doesnt want to do it. The book of nachum speaks almost entirely of the sinful city of nineveh and its final destruction. This makes jonah one of the few prophets who hailed from the northern kingdom of israel. Many critics however want to lower the book of jonah to an allegory, a parable or a legend because of the miracles described in it especially the appearing of the great fish devouring jonah. Reasons to trust the book of jonah it contains verifyable geographical and historical data. 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. Jonah 2 niv bible from inside the fish jonah prayed to. Mar 16, 2019 written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. Key personalities include jonah, the captain and the ships crew and the people of nineveh. It is incredible that one could be alive for three days in a fishs belly. A wild storm threatens jonah s runaway ship voyage. Miracles are also seen in many other credible bible books. But he could not understand how god could love even foreign nations who did bad things.

The story of jonah and the whale the book of jonah explained by jewish commentaries. The book of jonah demonstrates the sovereignty of the almighty as he employs his creation to accomplish the divine plan. Jonah, insights into the prophetic gift bible explained. Following the lead of the hebrew masoretic text, the title of the book is derived from the principal character, jonah. Commentary on the book of jonah jonah 1 1the word of the lord came to jonah the son of amittai saying, 2arise, go to nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before me. One could describe kimchis commentary as psychological.

In a book completed over two centuries earlier, the prophet jonah candidly relates what he personally experienced in connection with his missionary assignment. Unlike other old testament prophetic books, jonah is not a collection of the prophets oracles but primarily a narrative about the man. This was strange, because usually the preacher is pleased when the congregation repents, but jonah wasnt. Jonah free bible commentary in easy english easyenglish bible. The purpose of this book is to show that god is a merciful and gracious god. It is a story we should understand and apply in our communities today, where irrational words and actions are driving tribal passions instead of the mission of gods grace. Jonah berger is a marketing professor at the wharton school at the university of pennsylvania and internationally bestselling author of contagious, invisible influence, and the catalyst. Disobedience and revival are the key themes in this book. The word of the lord came to jonah and jonah refused. Mar 01, 2019 jonah teaches us a valuable lesson about fate and the blindness we face when we allow emotion to overcome us. Jonah is not what we expect for a writer of jewish fiction. Summary of the book of jonah the story of the bible. The book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who.

He was gods instrument to carry out gods will on earth. During jonahs years as a prophet, israel stood tall. It is an important book to both religious traditions christianity and jewish. The purpose of jonahs prophecy is to show the sovereignty of god at work in the life of an individual the prophet jonah, and his concern for his own people and. In his article, he attacked the book of jonah by stating. Jonah is the book of the bible which perhaps has been criticized more than any other. To conclude that someone else wrote the book is difficult since the information about jobs experience in the fishs stomach and in chapter 4 requires firsthand knowledge. The book is prose narrative throughout, except the prayer of thanksgiving in the second chapter jon 2. He is cast into the sea, and miraculously preserved. The professed people of god did not have a desire to share truth with heathen nations. See the opening of exodus, leviticus, and other historical books. Jonah s mission to nineveh implied that a heathen city afforded as legitimate a field for the prophets labors as israel, and with a more successful result compare am 9. Professor settle listed several alleged inaccuracies contained in the book.

The book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who despises his god for loving his enemies. Although yonah is generally defined as dove, its actual meaning. Though the book does not identify its author, tradition has ascribed it to the prophet himself, jonah son of amittai. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord. The story of jonah and the whale the book of jonah. Apr 12, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. But it displeased jonah exceedingly, and he became angry.

Aug 10, 2010 and one of the synagogue readings for yom kippur is the book of jonah in hebrew, sefer yonah. In the midst of the obscure prophecies before and after this book, wherein. The author of the book is the prophet jonah who wrote his own autobiography. The surprising reaction of jonah to gods command is explained by the story that he had previously been given a similar commission to perform in jerusalem, and that the inhabitants had repented and averted the evil decree. The book of jonah shows us important principles about the sovereignty of god. I am drawn to the book of jonah not only because i. Dive into an intriguing tale of mercy in the book of jonah. And one of the synagogue readings for yom kippur is the book of jonah in hebrew, sefer yonah. A free bible commentary on the book of jonah in simple english. Concern for the salvation of all people, including ones enemies, is the proper attitude for people of god. Written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. 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. The man jonah was the main character of the book, he was the son of amittai jonah 1. Its treatment of that mission is thus similar to the accounts of the ministries of elijah and elisha found in 1,2 kings.

The 60 years of micahs prophetic activity lie between those of obadiah and jonah, stretching from 777 b. This book of jonah, though it be placed here in the midst of the prophetical books of scripture, is yet rather a history than a prophecy. Jonah teaches us a valuable lesson about fate and the blindness we face when we allow emotion to overcome us. The story of jonah has numerous theological implications, and this has long been. Unfortunately, many christians thoughtlessly cast aspersions upon this important book in the canon of scripture without realizing that they are playing into the hands of the critics and innocently becoming the dupes of the skeptics. His making use of us is an evidence of his being at. The prophetic significance of this book not only lies in the short message in nineveh but also in the entire history of jonah described in his book. Hes a worldrenowned expert on social influence, word of mouth, and why products, ideas, and behaviors catch on and has published over 50 papers in toptier academic journals. God spoke to jonah in his own unique and powerful way and he told jonah to do two things. This summary of the book of jonah provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of jonah. The book of jonah cannot be accepted as history settle, b4. The book depicts the larger scope of gods purpose for israel. He examines jonahs inner process, telling us what jonah must have. The book of jonah recounts real events in the life and ministry of the prophet himself.

Highlights from the books of obadiah, jonah, and micah. Jonah was commanded by god to give warning to the city of nineveh capital of assyria so that people may repent. His making use of us is an evidence of his being at peace with us. The book of jonah is the fifth book in the christian canons and the jewish tanakh.