This Is the Old Testament is part of a twelve-week thematic overview of the entire Bible. Each day we’ll read a thematic selection from a different book or two of the Bible, along with supplemental passages that show how the theme of that day’s main reading is found throughout Scripture. We’ll also read a brief summary of each book and a reflection on how the book fits into the larger story of Scripture. This week, we’ll continue looking at the Minor Prophets.
What Is Jonah? The book of Jonah is a prophetic narrative that recounts the events surrounding Jonah’s call to preach to the people of Nineveh. It includes the prophet’s time in the belly of a fish, his reluctant message to a repentant Nineveh, and his disappointment with God’s mercy toward the people of this ancient Assyrian city.
How Jonah Fits Into the Story: The book of Jonah shows that God’s gift of salvation is offered not just to Israel, but to the whole world. It displays God’s power over nature and the futility of ignoring His instruction. Jonah’s time in the fish foreshadows Jesus’s burial and resurrection, pointing to Christ’s ultimate fulfillment of the salvation Jonah himself preached.
Reflection Questions:
1. Why do you think Jonah was angered by Nineveh’s repentance? What root sin was at the heart of his actions?
2. How does today’s reading shape your understanding of the story of redemption?
Take time to reflect on your responses and share what you are learning with others in the community in the comments.
I think Jonah was experiencing pride because we wasn’t the one to bring them to repentance. I think God used the plant as an example or better yet a reminder of his power over all, that the credit goes to God and not to the flesh.
In the NLT version Jonah 4:3 says “just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen”. For some reason I feel like Jonah was angered because he wanted to be this great big prophet who predicted the fall of the Ninevehites and when that didn’t happen it was more of a pride thing. Instead of thinking about the 120k people that were saved he was thinking about himself.
How many times do I do this (make everything about me)? Lord I ask that you continue to show me my sin. Also I feel like Gods mercy continues to flow into Jonah- He just saved Jonah from the sea and instead of scolding Jonah for being angry he shaded his head to teach Jonah in Love!!! What a great story!! Praying for everyone today – praying that you put on the armor of God and reach that one sinner!!
No matter how far away you feel you are from God, he will always come after you.
VICTORIA E. – Thanks for your reply! Praying with you!
I think Jonah’s anger stems from the root of basic human nature since the fall of man. We want to see people punished for the wrongs they do. Even Christians, under the guise of righteous indignation, want to see people judged by God for their unbelief. Compassion is much more difficult to sincerely show unless we are firmly rooted in Christ and having had a transformation of the heart so that we can see others as God sees them. If we truly have the mind of Christ we will grieve for their sin as Jesus does and pray they will turn to Him and seek forgiveness. When they do we will genuinely rejoice with the angels in heaven.
Redemption is something we all need. Christ came to die for my sins which I rejoice about. God loves us no matter what we do and will forgive us if we ask.
God bless all of you my sisters.
Sisters, thank you for your prayers. The appointment went well, now to wait for confirmation that the procedure was successful next week. Continued prayers for development and health of our little embryo are so so much appreciated. For today’s reading, I always thought Jonah was so interesting, that he literally ran away from God and yet God still used Jonah and showed him mercy rather than just striking him down or allowing him to perish in the belly of that whale.
Adrienne I am so sorry to hear this! I will be praying for Brittany.