Introduction:
Jonah, a prophet of the Lord, is a central figure in the Book of Jonah, one of the twelve minor prophets in the Old Testament. His account is unique among the prophetic books, focusing more on the narrative of his life and mission rather than his prophecies. Jonah's account is a profound exploration of themes such as obedience, repentance, and God's mercy.

Historical Context:
Jonah, son of Amittai, is believed to have lived during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel (circa 793–753 BC). This period was marked by Israel's expansion and prosperity, yet also by spiritual decline and idolatry. Jonah's ministry is set against this backdrop, highlighting the tension between God's covenant people and the surrounding nations.

The Call and Flight:
The Book of Jonah begins with God's command to Jonah: "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me" (Jonah 1:2). Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was notorious for its brutality and sinfulness. Instead of obeying, Jonah attempts to flee from God's presence by boarding a ship to Tarshish, demonstrating his reluctance to see God's mercy extended to a foreign nation.

The Storm and the Fish:
As Jonah sails away, the Lord sends a great storm, threatening the ship and its crew. Recognizing the storm as divine intervention, Jonah instructs the sailors to throw him overboard to calm the sea. Swallowed by a great fish, Jonah spends three days and nights in its belly, where he prays to God in repentance and thanksgiving. "In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me" (Jonah 2:2). God commands the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land, giving him a second chance to fulfill his mission.

Preaching in Nineveh:
Obeying God's command, Jonah goes to Nineveh and proclaims, "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned" (Jonah 3:4). The people of Nineveh, from the king to the commoners, believe God and repent in sackcloth and ashes. Their genuine repentance leads God to relent from the disaster He had planned, showcasing His compassion and willingness to forgive.

Jonah's Anger and God's Lesson:
Despite Nineveh's repentance, Jonah becomes angry, revealing his struggle with God's mercy towards the Assyrians. He laments, "I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion, One who relents from sending disaster" (Jonah 4:2). God uses a plant, a worm, and a scorching wind to teach Jonah about His concern for all creation, emphasizing His sovereign right to extend mercy.

Theological Themes:
Jonah's account underscores several key theological themes. It highlights God's sovereignty over nature and nations, His desire for repentance, and His boundless mercy. Jonah's reluctance and anger contrast with God's compassion, challenging readers to reflect on their own attitudes towards God's grace and the call to love one's enemies.

Legacy and Influence:
Jonah's narrative has had a lasting impact on both Jewish and Christian traditions. In the New Testament, Jesus refers to Jonah's three days in the fish as a foreshadowing of His own death and resurrection (Matthew 12:40). Jonah's account serves as a powerful reminder of God's call to mission and the universal scope of His love and mercy.2 Kings 14:25
He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath to the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jonah 1:1
Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 12:39
But he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Prefaces to the Commentaries on the Minor Prophets.
... It gives the order of the Twelve Prophets adopted by the LXX. ... to explain, at your
command, Pammachius, and after a long interval of silence, Obadiah and Jonah. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/prefaces to the commentaries on.htm

The Prophet Jonah.
... heart. Not even with one step did Jonah touch the territory of the false prophets,
who prophesied out of their own hearts. He retained ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet jonah.htm

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... 6. Micah. 6. Jonah. 2. This precious collection contains the earliest as well as
the latest writings of the Hebrew prophets, except such as are embodied in the ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

'A Greater than Jonas'
... as one of an order, with Jonah in his personal character as a servant of God, with
Jonah as a prophet charged with a special work. I. The prophets and the Son. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/a greater than jonas.htm

Isaiah.
... who prophesied before the exile. These are,. (1) Jonah, Amos and Hosea,
prophets of Israel. (2) Obadiah, Joel, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum ...
/.../gerberding/the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter xv isaiah.htm

Jonah
... the poor success the Hebrew prophets had in their own land, such a wholesale conversion
of a foreign city, even if such a visit as Jonah's were likely, must be ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/jonah.htm

Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved.
... of adultery, Jesus here evidently uses it in its symbolic sense as used by the prophets. ...
20]; and there shall no sign be given to it, ^c but the sign of Jonah. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xlix sign seekers and the.htm

Messianic Predictions in the Prophets.
... among the prophets. But the transition to him from the Psalms and [Pg 165] the Song
of Solomon could not be Immediate. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and ...
/.../christology of the old testament/messianic predictions in the prophets.htm

Of the Times of the Prophets Whose Oracles are Contained in Books ...
... To these are added Jonah in the reign of Uzziah, and Joel in that of Jotham, who
succeeded Uzziah. But we can find the date of these two prophets in the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 27 of the times of.htm

The Divided Kingdom.
... The prophets of this period are Jonah, Amos and Hosea, and the prophecy of each
should be read following the outline given in the author's "The Bible Book by ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiii the divided kingdom.htm

What is the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal? | GotQuestions.org

What was a prophet in the Old Testament? | GotQuestions.org

What is a prophet in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus