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● Some have suggested that the story should start with “Once upon a time…” Actually, this is just the kind of fantastic story that we would expect to find on a flannel-graph! Story is the means which God has chosen to reveal himself; story was Jesus’ primary means of communication. He told stories based on the experience of the people and stories which pressed them beyond the limits of their own experience. He told stories which evoked strong emotions and opinions and told them in such a way as to make truth available, but not always easy to ascertain (“Anyone who has ears, let him hear…”); he challenged people to think for themselves. ● As I read and re-read the story of Jonah, I’m not so much struck by the miraculous or the hardly believable (i.e. the big fish swallowing Jonah). I’ve already conceded that God is super-natural and it’s not big deal for him to cause a big fish to swallow a guy (we’ve all seen it attempted in “Jaws”). In fact, the story could have depicted Jonah as being swallowed by a “guppie” and I’d have no issue with that! Neither am I struck by Jonah’s initial disobedience (I’ve got a long personal history of such behavior). Actually, it’s almost typical behavior for even the “heavy-hitters” of our faith like Moses and Gideon and Jeremiah. I guess what disturbs me most is the reason behind his resistance and disobedience in his own self-confession. Main characters: [typically would be regarded as Jonah and a big fish] The first few verses introduce us to the main players… God, city of Nineveh and Jonah. God- depicted as “angry” and “merciful” (it’s seems paradoxical, but they are both essential qualities of “love”: none of us would love a God who was indifferent to such atrocities as committed by the people of Ninevah. God’s anger is always the appropriate response to evil). Ninevah- the target: of Jonah’s anger and God’s mercy. Jonah- possessing all the qualities that God is looking for in a good prophet… disobedient, defiant, self-righteous, self-absorbed, prejudiced, bitter and angry! ● Eventually, we come to the ‘big fish’. But, don’t get focused on the fish in this story; make no mistake, the main character is God and the highlight is never on man’s sin, but on God’s grace! (God’s relentless pursuit of rebellious humanity). History: Nineveh. It is the city that was founded by the great warrior Nimrod who is one of Ham’s descendants who was the son Noah cursed (He also built Babel and is responsible for the Assyrians (naming your son ‘Nimrod’ is bound to create an angry streak in him somewhere!) Nineveh is a horrible place [Nineveh was next to the Tigris River in what is now Iraq]. It was located in the nation of Assyria and was famous for their godlessness, brutality and cruelty [the book of Nahum (the sequel to Jonah), outlines the depth of depravity manifested by the Ninevites]. A city of over a half-million people who were convinced of their invincibility and a constant enemy of Israel. Nineveh was surrounded by a 10 story wall that was wide enough to have three chariots race next to each other around the wall. Jonah 1:1-3 (read) “The word of the Lord came…”- not just to be understood as commands or orders, but as God’s purposes for his creation. “Isn’t it interesting how readily available the resources are when we determine to ‘run from God?!” ● This is the moment Jonah has been waiting for! Not only has God finally sided with him in his hatred for these people, he’s actually going to allow Jonah to deliver the “good news” [it’s like getting to tell your brother/sister that they are about to be severely punished; or, overhearing that your antagonistic boss is about to be fired and you get to tell him]. This is the QUEEN MOTHER of “I know something you don’t knows!” To Jonah, the Ninevites represent all that’s wrong with the world; all that stands in the way of him being able to enjoy the peace and comfort he deserves. It was US versus THEM. The only viable option? “elimination”. ● God tells Jonah to go to Ninevah, so Jonah naturally hops a ship for Tarshish (Nineveh is east, and Tarshish? You guessed it… west). Jonah 1:4-17 (read) Jonah has become so calloused and indifferent to the plight of “those people” that while everyone is in crisis mode- scrambling for their very lives, Jonah is below deck… asleep. ● “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us and we will not perish” (1:6). They are all but admitting that their gods are both ‘indifferent and ‘powerless’ (take notice… we will not perish). This is the perfect opportunity to introduce them to the one true God… the one that is attentive and involved. They’ve concluded that they cannot help themselves and are willing to concede that their understanding of God may be flawed. The sailors were really asking… “Is your God aware of our situation? Does he care? If so, can he help us?” Jonah 2:1-10 (read) Jonah was keenly aware that this was the ideal opportunity for him to cry out for help! It’s in the very mess of our lives that we cry out for help. Jonah 3:1-3 (read) Roughly interpreted: “Let’s try this again!” You have got to love this scene: Jonah, head wrapped in seaweed, sitting on the beach in a tepid pool of big fish stomach acids and wreaking of whatever the fish had been digesting for days, and it says, “Then the word of the Lord came again…” Jonah 3:1-10 (read) Jonah utters in (8) words the most cold, calculated and calloused message anyone has ever been given, but he didn’t really believe it. This is where we discover why Jonah disobeyed. This is where we find out what prompted Jonah to turn and run as far from Ninevah as possible. “I know you too well, God. If anybody gives you half a chance- even if they’re just reaching out to you like they’re reaching into the dark; if anyone shows the slightest hint of remorse and changes their mind about you, you’ll change your mind and not give them the punishment they deserve!” Who could ever imagine that there would come a time when what you discovered to be true of God would compel you to disobey him? To run from him rather than embrace him? “When God saw…” (3:10) It would be great if the story ended there. God sends a great spiritual awakening wrapped in a message of stubborn love and persistence through a man who didn’t even love them; who himself failed to understand the radical nature of God’s love and the seeming irresponsibility of grace. Jonah 4:1-2 (read) What was Jonah mad at and what did he know about God? Micah 7:18-19 “Where is another God like you, who pardons the sins of the survivors among his people? You cannot stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing mercy. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!” ● This story is just like God: to do the unexpected, to take the least likely people and use them in spite of themselves, to rescue the least desirable, to show mercy to the greatest offenders, to welcome with open arms those who risk belief. ● Jonah says to God… “I knew you wouldn’t do it”. Jonah’s suspicion was not that God was too hard, but that he was too soft! He wonders why God is seemingly so hard on his people and so soft on the enemy? Why does he scold the seemingly religious and break out the fatted calf for the rebellious? Because grace is only attractive to those who are willing to admit they are wrong! ● Can you imagine how the Ninevites would have treated Jonah if he stayed in the city? Like a hero! If he had stayed, he was assured, at the very least of getting the “key to the city” or having a street named after him; or, a Jonah ‘bobble-head’ day! Reflections… ►God not only loves the world, he loves you! Why didn’t God just get someone more willing; more accommodating? Because Jonah mattered. It wasn’t just about the message, but the heart of the message and the heart of the messenger! ►Sometimes God calls us to do what we least want to do in order to reveal our heart. When human distress becomes unnoticeable and people become expendable, you can be sure that your soul is “disintegrating”! Luke 19:41-45 (Jesus approaching Jerusalem) Jesus approached the city, he wept over it and then he entered. Jonah approached and entered, but he never wept over it! ►You won’t understand grace until you see yourself as ‘one of them’. We each run in our own way; we are each defiant and often unconcerned; we are each convinced that someone else is to blame for our less-than-favorable life-circumstances; we each believe that we are somehow more deserving of grace that someone else. We usually formulate our own lists of people who will be not only candidates for God’s forgiveness, but ours as well. The Ninevites didn’t make the list! ► “Who knows…” Just when we think we have God all figured out; just when we have convinced him of the validity of our own position; just when we have finalized the script and predetermined his response… ► “Should I not be concerned about that great city?”
The only book of the Bible that ends with a
question; not meant to be conclusive, but introspective. Not ‘happily ever
after”; left with our thoughts… our heart. |
