INTRODUCTION
The book of Jonah is an historical and prophetic narrative. It is a story which unfolds quickly. Jesus, our Lord, treated this book as FACTUAL -- see Matthew 12:39-41.

Jonah both provides history and prophetic understanding. In 2Kings 14:25 we have his name recorded as a prophet, yet little is said about him. Historically, this book supplies more information about Jonah BEING a prophet. The book of Jonah records historically how and why Jonah was considered a prophet.

In the prophetic narrative sense, Jonah provides an understanding of God's mercy, man's unwillingness to perform God's will, and a "sign" for the Jews about Jesus our Lord.

AUTHOR: Jonah of Gath-hepher in Galilee, a city which belonged to the tribe of Zebulun. According to both 2Kings 14:25 and Jonah 1:1, he was the "son of Amittai," of which nothing is known.

DATE: Probably during the period from 780 to 750 B.C., according to the dates of the reign of Jeroboam II.

THEME: The mercy of God for the lost.
Perhaps secondary themes may also be seen: 1) The use of God's people to deliver a message realistically even when they are unwilling to do so, 2) The consequences of a child of God refusing God's will.

CHAPTER 1

1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

We don't know HOW God spoke to Jonah; but we know God DID speak to him. He was told to go and "cry against" Nineveh because "their wickedness" was exposed to God. ALL wickedness is exposed to God. And God sends prophets to preach against the wickedness, but also to provide salvation's offer through repentance.

Nineveh was a "great city" comprising MORE than 120,000 persons (See Jonah 4:11). The city itself was located on the East bank of the Tigris River in Mesopotamia. Later, in 700 B.C., Sennacharib made this city the capitol of his empire.

When God spoke to Jonah, He gave Jonah a MISSION. Dear Christian, when God speaks to YOUR heart, He gives you a MISSION. Have you recognized it? Are you working in it?

3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Instead of ACCEPTING the mission, Jonah tried to FLEE from it. Instead of accepting God's WILL, he REBELLED! He tried to get as far away as he could from the mission work to which he was assigned!

Jonah was trying to get to Tarshish. And he went "down" (from Israel) to Joppa which is located on the Mediterranean Sea. (Anytime one leaves his/her God-assigned mission work, he/she is going "down.") There he purchased a place on a ship going to Tarshish.

Jonah's purpose was to go "from the presence of the LORD." Now we know that a lost sinner tries to run from the presence of the Lord because he/she wants to escape the conviction of God's Spirit upon his/her own spirit. But why does a SAVED sinner try to run from the presence of the Lord?

Perhaps Jonah's purpose was to escape the commissioning call of God for prophetic ministry. Saved people will do lots of things and go many places to escape the commissioning call of God for WITNESSING to lost souls! Perhaps one of the purposes of this story is to tell Christians that you CANNOT escape the call to be "witnesses" for Christ!

4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. 6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. 7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. 8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? 9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. 10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. 12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. 14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee. 15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

Notice it was GOD Who sent the wind that put the sea in turmoil. God is SOVEREIGN! He is in control of ALL things. And God will USE things to move people where He WANTS them!

The sailors were afraid and each of them was praying to "his god." That simply means they didn't KNOW God, and were praying to their idols (or imagined gods). Finally, the shipmaster noticed Jonah asleep and not praying. God used that shipmaster to bring conviction upon a wayward soul! He told Jonah to get busy PRAYING! Jonah didn't WANT to pray, because He didn't want to HEAR God!

The sailors decided to "cast lots" and see who was the cause of the problem. The lot fell on Jonah. He confessed that it was his fault that the sea was boiling and the ship was in danger of sinking. Christian, did you know that your failure to "witness" for Christ causes DIFFICULTY for others?

The sailors asked Jonah what they had to do to be released from the difficulty. He told them to cast him into the sea. That, to me, adds significance to what Jesus said in Matt 5:13, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."

The sailors didn't want to do what Jonah said because they didn't want him to die at their hands (vs 13). But then, they ALL prayed to GOD (vs 14), and then did as Jonah said (vs 15).

God used ole Jonah even though he was UNWILLING! These sailors came to know that GOD is REAL! And they even acknowledged Him as SOVEREIGN!

16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. 17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

These sailors "feared the LORD exceedingly!" They came to know Him as ETERNAL GOD! They even "offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made VOWS!"

And as for Jonah, God had yet a USE for him. So God PREPARED a "great fish" to swallow him and keep him from drowning. Jesus called the great fish a whale (Matt. 12:40). Actually, the Greek word used to translate Jesus' statement is ketos (kay' tos), which means large fish, and is translated whale in the King James Version of the Bible. There is no reason to believe it was NOT a whale! And we cannot say that a whale can't swallow a man, because Jonah 1:17 says that God PREPARED that fish!

One elderly lady on a plane was noticing the young boy who was seated next to her reading a Bible. She asked him, "Do you believe that book?" He said, "Yes, Ma'am." She said, "So you really believe Jonah was swallowed by a whale?" He said, "Yes, Ma'am." She said, "Son, I'm a biology professor, and I can tell you that a whale cannot swallow a man." He said, "Ma,am, you'll pardon me for faith, but I believe if God wanted to, He could prepare a gnat to swallow a man." She said, "Well, son, it's physically IMPOSSIBLE!" He said, "Well, Ma'am, when I get to heaven, I'll ask Jonah about it." She said, "What will you do if Jonah's not in heaven?" He said, "Then YOU can ask him!"

Can you imagine being in a whale's belly for three days and nights? When Christians refuse the will of God, and rebel against being witnesses for Christ, things just as bad can happen!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.