Day 32 – Thursday -- The Book of Jonah

Day 32 – Thursday

The Book of Jonah

We all know this story. But did you know that this is the only book in the Bible where God commands a fish to vomit? Did you know that Jonah’s prayer while in the belly of the fish is a psalm? Did you know that Jesus quotes from this book? Did you know that the core statement about God is in this book? Did you know that God uses a worm to do God’s will?

This little fictional short story is powerful. We could also call it a parable. First, Jonah tries to run from God. Is this where Francis Thompson got his inspiration for his famous poem, “The Hound of Heaven”? Thompson (1859–1907), a devout Catholic, was a failure in life. He ended up homeless, selling matches on the streets of London. He became a drug addict, having to be taken care of by a prostitute. Yet, out of his heart came this poem. Here are the first lines:

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;

I fled Him, down the arches of the years;

I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind; and in the midst of tears

I hid from Him, and under running laughter.

Up vistaed hopes I sped;

And shot, precipitated,

Adown Titanic glooms of chasmed fears,

From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.

But with unhurrying chase,

And unperturbed pace,

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,

They beat - and a Voice beat

More instant than the Feet -

'All things betray thee, who betrayest Me'.

Jonah was hounded by God too. The sailors threw him overboard and he was swallowed by a big fish. (No mention of a whale.) He stayed in the belly of the fish for three days.

Jesus once said, For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights (Mathew 12.40, NLT). Both Jonah and Jesus were “resurrected” on the third day. Then for 40 days Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh; and Jesus spend 40 days instructing his disciples after his resurrection (Acts 1.3). Jonah learned that God loves all nations; and Jesus told his disciples, Go and make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28.19). So, Jonah is a type for Jesus and the Church’s mission.

The point of the Book of Jonah is that God’s mercy is transnational. No nation or people has a monopoly on God’s love. Jonah knew in his heart that God would be merciful to Nineveh, and he didn’t want any part in it. God’s heart was larger than Jonah’s. So when Nineveh repents and accepts God’s offer of love, Jonah pouts. He doesn’t like it that God is so merciful. He wants an enemy. He wants someone to hate. And he wants to be part of a superior people. But God will not allow it.

There is comfort in being exclusive. It somehow feels good. It gives you a sense of power and control. You can keep people out and feel like you are superior. But when you get close to God, you don’t feel a need for that kind of power any more.

We’ve seen this core statement about God before. Here it is again in Jonah 4.2 from the Common English Bible version:

I know that you are a merciful and compassionate God, very patient, full of faithful love, and willing not to destroy.

Finish this: If I were a gate keeper for the kingdom of God, I would like to keep out…