Published by For the longest time, the values of this book were taught wrong to me. At least, my personal thoughts on the message were much different in the long run. However, I have been misunderstanding this book until I was taught the actual value of Jonah in class. Jonah is a prophet to speak to a pagan city and does not respond to the call that God has made for him. It is totally understandable that Jonah is called by God to go to Nineveh and tell the people of the city that God will destroy them, if they do not change their pagan ways to follow Him. Jonah knowing the mercifulness of God runs away and does not want to tell the people, and he would rather sit in his own comfort. Jonah runs away and through that experience many other things happen to him that would jolt his life.
How many times that we as Christians have tried to run away from God? There may have been many times in which we are so comforted in our lives that we really do not want to get involved at all. Jonah displays how some of us may react to God when we really do not want to do as He wants us to. Firstly, he starts to run away by paying his right of passage to Tarshish, a city on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea. During the night, the sailors get so afraid of the turbulent sea and Jonah is sleeping! Out of all the times when God is trying to get Jonah’s attention, Jonah is definitely doing his best to ignore God’s presence. At this time, Jonah is stuck in more than just one hard place in his life. He knows that, God really wants to have to go to Nineveh, and the sailors become even more agitated with Jonah. Finally, the sailors throw Jonah into the sea, the sea became called, and they worshipped God because of the miracle! Jonah did not provide a very good testimony, but more people were saved through the fear of God. Jonah was so blind to this faith, mainly because he was sinking into the sea. For some time, Jonah thought he was going to die, but God had other plans for Jonah. God summoned a fish (or as many other think a whale) to swallow Jonah and hold him captive for three days.
Jonah, facing the tough times in the whale, is finally convinced to go to Nineveh. He was spit up from the belly of the whale and heads out to the city. Jonah makes it to the city and preaches to them about God’s plan for them. The people of the city become panicked and fearful; everyone converted, fasted, and tried to present them humbly before God. This amazing conversion allowed God to have the mercy and not destroy the people of the city. Jonah was stubborn once more because his blind faith did not allow for him to see what God has done. I personally believe that when the city converted, this was not to the benefit of the people. Jonah should have had the inspiration and re-think about which he should fear the most. Already this is the third time that Jonah has to fear God, but he does not submit to God’s will.
Jonah’s example demonstrates the lives of those in our present day in time. This story is quite relevant, and totally necessary for the Christians to understand that God is trying to get the message across. I know I’m not the only one who tries to stay within my comfort level, and still be living in my sins. This is a time for improvement and not for fearlessness. Where is the fear that still inspires us to be afraid of God’s punishment? Do we not still see God continually working? Jesus tells us that that to this day, His Father in Heaven is continually working. We are to be continually working to bring people even closer to God and not forsake our calling. Not everyone can be permanent missionaries or pastors in this world, but we can still be Christians that can be constantly sharing God’s love and his gift unto all.
