Bible Book of Jonah | God's Mercy for All
The story of a reluctant prophet who learns of God's wide-reaching mercy for even his enemies in Nineveh. Jonah chapters explained with summary and commentary.
About Jonah
Genre: Minor Prophet. Theme: God's Mercy for All
- Author
- Jonah
- Date
- c. 760 BC
- Read Time
- 10 mins
- Purpose
- To show God's compassion for all nations.
- Key Verse
- Jon 4:2 - I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.
- Christ
- The Sign of Jonah.
- Audience
- Israelites who wanted God's judgment for others and mercy only for themselves
- Setting
- Nineveh, capital of Assyria.
- Prophetic Irony
- The only prophet in the Bible who is angry because his preaching was *too* successful.
- National Prejudice
- Exposes the heart of a religious person who hates the 'enemy' more than they love God's mission.
Jonah is a story *about* a prophet rather than a collection of his words, focusing on God's compassion for all nations.
A perfectly symmetrical narrative: The Fish (Ch. 1-2) and the Fig Tree (Ch. 3-4).
Jesus is the 'Sign of Jonah' (Matt 12:39-41), whose three days in the earth resulted in salvation for the world.
Overview of Jonah
Jonah 1 - Story of Jonah and the Whale
The LORD sent Jonah to Nineveh. Jonah fled by ship. A storm arose and the men threw Jonah into the sea. A great fish swallowed him.
Jonah 2 - Jonah's Prayer
Jonah prayed: "I cried out in my distress. Waters surrounded me. You brought me up from the pit!" The fish vomited him onto dry land.
Jonah 3 - Jonah Preaches at Nineveh
So Jonah went to Nineveh and said, "Nineveh shall be overthrown!" The people fasted and wore sackcloth. God relented of the disaster.
Jonah 4 - Jonah's Anger and the Lord's Compassion
Jonah was angry and said, "O LORD, take my life." A plant sheltered Jonah but it died. The LORD said, "Should I not pity Nineveh?"