Intro
I realize not everyone is a dork like me and likes to know all the historical background jibber jabber to every book in the Bible. So I will spare you the reading and give you the option. If you are interested in this material, one of my most favorite professors @ seminary has written a very concise and quality intro in the Bible Knowledge Commentary. You can find this introduction here: {to be posted in a few}
I do want to point out one thing from the introduction. Jonah was flighty. The only Old Testament prophet to run from God. This is where Jonah hits hard on the home front. You may have thought that Jonah was just about a big fish that eats a prophet because he didn't want to go to Nineveh. It is this and much much more. Jonah hits me in the kisser because I am prone to flightiness. In fact, I think we might all be able to admit that from time to time we are tempted to run from God. Jonah was given a difficult job to do. His answer- flee! Jesus has given us a difficult job. If you are like me- you are tempted to flee, and have fled from time to time.
Get ready for Jonah, because it will smack you in the mouth and knock you down. But when you get back up, you will have a renewed sense of purpose and conviction, hopefully, in obedient conformity to God's most non-conformist ways!
Jonah Ch 1:1-3
1. The word of the Lord came to aJonah the son of Amittai saying,
2 “Arise, go to aNineveh the great city and bcry against it, for their cwickedness has come up before Me.”
3 But Jonah rose up to flee to aTarshish bfrom the presence of the Lord. So he went down to cJoppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Nineveh, the capital city of Babylon, was a very great city. But equal to its greatness was its wickedness. Their wickedness was so great that it wafted up to God's nose and smelled awful. The world is a super wicked place now. But it was also super wicked then. Amidst all this wickedness, you had to be pretty stinkin' wicked to draw the extra attention of God. So God decides to send His prophet Jonah to go bring a message to Nineveh. A totally acceptable and normal thing for God to do. God's message to Nineveh? Most likely a message of judgement in hopes they will repent.... God always gives the repentant heart a way out.
Notice the play on words here- God tells Jonah, "arise- flee to Nineveh." What does Jonah do, he arises and flees to Tarshish. The exact opposite direction of Nineveh, the exact opposite of God's will! He was attempting to run from the presence of God. He went to the port of Joppa and went down into the ship--- down into a dark place, both spiritually and literally. He was on the run.
What is Jonah thinking? He is thinking probably lots of things, but paramount in his brain are most likely two things- (1) Nineveh is such and evil place they will probably kill me and (2) The Ninevites are filthy gentile good-for-nothings, why should I go to them. Jonah's selfishness is oozing out of his eye sockets. God is about to bring the pain on Nineveh. Those women, children, dogs, and cats- their doom is immanent. But rather than confront the Ninevites with God's message- Jonah takes the easy road and bails in a futile attempt to run from God and God's message.
Hmm. I don't want to ruin the whole book for you. But remember God told the Israelites that they were to be a "light to the nations." To live in a such a way that other nations will salivate to worship Yahweh. To have an insatiable desire to bask in the light of God's glory. Also remember that God's mandate to we believers- we spirit-filled folk- is to be a light to the nations. To live in such a way that people can't help but crave God's presence.
So this leads me to a point that I am not going to hit hard right now, just tap. Can we relate to Jonah at all here? I can. The world is a sick and wicked place. People are dying, simply put. The Word has a message of eternal life, salvation, peace, and comfort- but I am too scared sometimes, or too selfish, to shine it. This is why I have a love/hate relationship with Jonah. It smacks me in the mouth with conviction. I actually just picked myself off the ground.
I have given you a lot to think about already. I will take the rest of Ch 1 next time. Until then- have this in your fore, "do I share God's will for the wicked?"
PJ
