Jonah essay

Pick one of the minor prophets (or two if there is not enough information in one), and write a page summarizing the prophet’s message. Include his target audience, date of composition, and, if possible, where the prophet lived. Include in your paper if the prophet’s message was personally meaningful and how.

One of the most well-known stories of the Old Testament is that of Jonah. In addition to having his own book in the Old Testament, he is mentioned previously in the second book of Kings. In chapter 14, verse 25 reads that the king of Israel, Jeroboam II '….restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath unto the sea of Arabah, according to the work of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was of Gath-hepher.' Gath-hepher was located in the tribe of Zebulun according to Joshua 19: 10-13. According to monastic tradition of area, this town is now El-Meshed, a present Arab village which is located three miles northeast of Nazareth. Because Jonah is mentioned at the time of Jeroboam II we can place his lifetime at 788 B.C.

Jonah is commanded by God to go and preach repentance to the people of Nineveh, which was a great city in Assyria. Jonah was not surprised by the fact that he had received a call from God, but in where he was to go. Jonah was a Hebrew and the inhabitants of Nineveh were Gentiles so for Jonah to be sent to the heathen enemy and give them a chance for repentance went against everything that Jonah had been taught of his people. The thought that everyone was given a chance to repent, and not just those who were God's chosen people, was shocking for him and very difficult for him to follow.

Jonah boards a ship bound for Tarshish, which was in the opposite direction of Nineveh. God sends a great storm, threatening the ship and every life on it, and Jonah offers himself to be thrown overboard because he knows that he is the reason for the storm. The other men on the ship plead with Jonah for any other answer before finally giving in to him. Even after they do so, they plead with the Lord to forgive them for what they view as the shedding of innocent blood. Jonah is swallowed by a whale and sits in its belly for three days. Jonah offers a sincere and meaningful prayer of repentance to God and vows that he will fulfill the mission that had been given to him. The whale is directed by God to expel Jonah onto the dry land.

Jonah enters Nineveh and cries repentance to them, proclaiming that in 40 days time that they will be destroyed if they do not change their wicked ways. Everyone in Nineveh believes Jonah and repents, dressing themselves in sackcloth and ashes to show their humility. Jonah is furious that God has forgiven them their trespasses, not understanding God's love for all of His children. God provides a gourd for Jonah to give shelter from the sun and heat of the desert. During the night God causes a worm to enter the gourd, destroying it and creating pity for the gourd from Jonah. God then asks Jonah how he can have pity for a plant whose creation he had no part in, but none for thousands of God's children who had never been taught right from wrong.

The lesson to be learned from Jonah is that our charge is to be humble and charitable to all of God's children. Regardless of their knowledge of Him or not.