Kingdom of Israel, reign of Jeroboam II · around 790-760 BC
Jonah in the Bible
The reluctant prophet and the mercy of God. Name meaning: “Dove”
A prophet of Israel under Jeroboam II, Jonah is ordered to go and preach in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, Israel’s dreaded enemy. He flees in the opposite direction, is swallowed by a great fish, and then obeys: the whole city repents. But Jonah is angry that grace has been shown to his enemies. His story reveals a God who loves the pagans too, and Jesus makes it the sign of his own death and resurrection.
Key moments
- Announces the enlargement of Israel under Jeroboam II 2 Kings 14:25
- Flees to Tarshish instead of going to Nineveh Jonah 1:3
- Asks to be thrown into the sea Jonah 1:12
- Three days and three nights in the belly of the fish Jonah 1:17
- “Salvation is of the LORD” Jonah 2:9
- Proclaims, “Yet forty days” Jonah 3:4
- Is angry at God’s mercy Jonah 4:1–2
- Jesus makes him the sign of his resurrection Matthew 12:40
Strengths
- Knowledge of God’s character
- Frankness before God
- Prayer in distress
- Late but real obedience
Weaknesses
Jonah disobeyed by fleeing from the presence of the LORD (1:3). Worse still, he was angry at God’s mercy toward his enemies, to the point of preferring death, and cared more about a plant than about a hundred and twenty thousand people (4:1-3, 9-11).
Lessons for today
- We cannot flee from God’s presence; disobedience always makes us “go down” (1:3-5).
- God is the God of second chances: his word came to Jonah “the second time” (3:1).
- No people, no person is too wicked to repent and be forgiven (3:10).
- Our heart must align with God’s, who has pity even on our enemies (4:11).
But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
People around Jonah
- Amittai — His father
- Jeroboam II — King of Israel under whom he prophesied
- The sailors — Pagans who came to fear the LORD
- The king of Nineveh — The ruler who led his city’s repentance
- Jesus Christ — The one who made Jonah the sign of his death and resurrection
Stories with Jonah
Quiz: how well do you know Jonah?
To which city did God send Jonah to preach?
The word of the LORD said: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it!” Jonah 1:1–2
Where did Jonah try to flee?
“Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD”; he boarded a ship at Joppa. Jonah 1:3
How long did Jonah stay in the belly of the fish?
The LORD prepared a great fish, “and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17
There are many more questions like these in Bible Academy, each with its explanation and verse. Start your free trial.