So jonah arose and went to nineveh, according to the word of the lord. The book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who. No writer in the bible tells such a bad story about himself. Many do not realize that jonah is mentioned elsewhere in the old testament besides the book that bears his name. Top 5 commentaries on the book of jonah ligonier ministries. Jonah was a prophet in the land of israel about 800750 bc. The events recorded in the book must have taken place prior to 612, when nineveh was destroyed. For the purposes of this post, least popular leastread book of the bible. Jonah 4 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the church of christ, presents a verse level look at the bible. The book of jonah recounts real events in the life and ministry of the prophet himself. If this dating to be discussed later is accepted, then the historical situation would be that of the domination of the assyrian empire over the ancient.
It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of jonah the prophet. Jonah and his story is referred to by our lord matthew 12. Jonah is identified as a prophet and servant of god during the reign of king jeroboam ii of israel 2 kings 14. Now nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days. Unlike most other prophetic parts of the ot, this book is a narrative account of a single prophetic mission. This lineage identifies him with the jonah mentioned in ii kings 14. Apr 12, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Jonah or jonas, in the hebrew bible tanakhold testament, is a prophet of the northern kingdom of israel in about the 8th century bce. Jonah the misunderstood prophet prophecy updates and commentary.
During this time, an important event happened to israel. As stated earlier, the chauvinistic view of ancient israel being. Set in the reign of jeroboam ii, it was probably written in the postexilic period, some time between the late 5th to early 4th century bc. Other than the mention of nineveh and of jonah, the contents offer little help in relating the book to its background. Nonetheless, the integrity with which they treated the past ought not to be questioned. Sep 05, 2018 i recently wrote about why obadiah is the least popular book of the bible, but you guys deserve more than that. His personal history is mainly to be gathered from the book which bears his name. The old testament mentions a number of ancient written works, alongside the authoritative books. The story of a fish swallowing a man and the man living sounds impossible, and since most liberal scholars deny the possibility of the supernatural, they reject the book of jonah as anything but a fairy tale. It tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to prophesy the destruction of nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission. Sometimes, cult groups will attempt to justify the existence of newly inspired books i. The use of humor makes jonahs convictions even clearer he doesnt want to go on gods mission. Is jonah mentioned in the bible again after nineveh answers.
He is the central figure of the book of jonah, in which he is called upon by god to travel to nineveh and warn its residents of impending divine wrath. They erringly conclude that because the bible sometimes mentions another book, that the book is either a lost book of the bible or it somehow justifies their claim to newly. I have heard about the many evil things the people are doing there. This is the last time nineveh and jonah are mentioned in the bible. Jonah chapter 1 explained discover the 66 books of the bible. Jonah is the fifth of the socalled minor prophets, the twelve shorter prophetic books that make up the final portion of the old testament. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim in the hebrew bible. The book of jonah is the fifth book in the christian canons and the jewish tanakh. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me. It is also uncharacteristic because of its use of humor to make its points noab 21. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. God called to jonah one day and told him to go preach to nineveh because the people were very wicked. This book of jonah, though it be placed here in the midst of the prophetical books of scripture, is yet rather a history than a prophecy. We know nothing of the author other than what we can intuit from the book.
Jonah was a disobedient prophet, who ran away rather than perform gods mission. Jesus actually identified himself with the prophets threeday sojourn in the belly of the great fish, noting it as a foreshadowing of his own death. Book of jonah, also spelled jonas, the fifth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, embraced in a single book, the twelve, in the jewish canon. Book of jonah encyclopedia of the bible bible gateway. Unlike other prophetic books, this is not a collection of oracles but the story of a disobedient, narrowminded prophet who is angry at the outcome of the sole message he delivers. What were the noncanonical books that were mentioned in the. And should not i pity nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from.
But it does start off the same way the other prophetic books do because we see the phrase, and the word of the lord came to jonah, son of amittai, saying. Unlike the other books of this collection the book of jonah contains a prophecy of only five words 3. Regardless of the lands that assyria conquered, which were contesting its rule, he was king of nineveh. But, as every bible student knows, his plans were soon thwarted.
Jonah was one of only four writing prophets that jesus mentioned by name during his earthly ministry isaiah, daniel, and zechariah were the others. It was simpler, and still correct, just to call him the king of the place. Jonah is concerned about the loss of the gourd but not about the possible destruction of 120,000 ninevites 4. In the new testament, jonah is mentioned in matthew 12. Unlike other old testament prophetic books, jonah is not a collection of the prophets oracles but primarily a narrative about the man. The book of jonah is more than just a delightful story for children. The audience of the book of jonah was the people of israel and all future readers of the bible and, typically, prophets issued warnings or gave instructions to the people of israel. Saying, i called out to the lord, out of my distress, and he answered me. You can read more in depth bible verses from the scripture below and use the articles and videos to understand the meaning behind this teachable event in the bible. Jonah came to nineveh, a residence of the assyrian king.
Then the word of the lord came to jonah the second time, saying, arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that i tell you. What were the noncanonical books that were mentioned in the old testament. In the hebrew bible, the book of jonah is the fifth in a series of books known as. Little attention is given to what he actually said. The story has a long interpretive history and has become well known through popular childrens stories.
Since he was king of assyria, he was king of the cities of assyria. Jesus does, however, make mention of the title character in one memorable passage, and key elements from the storys plot seem to surface here and there in the narratives of the synoptic gospels and acts. The sign of jonah is mentioned three times in the gospels. And i saw the dead, small and great, stand before god. Youve seen the 10 most popular books of the bible, now lets look at the 10 least popular books of the bible. This is because the story is not very favourable towards jonah. God tells jonah, go at once to nineveh, that great city, and. Some of these were used as sources for the biblical books. Echoes of jonah in the new testament mark allan powell he book of jonah is never quoted in the new testament. Jonah is mentioned twice in the fourteenth chapter of the deuterocanonical book of tobit, the conclusion of which finds tobits son, tobias, rejoicing at the news of ninevehs destruction by nebuchadnezzar and ahasuerus in apparent fulfillment of jonahs prophecy against the assyrian capital. Jonah is book of jonah, the fifth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, embraced in a single book, the twelve, in the jewish canon.
Written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. Unlike other old testament prophetic books, jonah is not a collection of the. Jan 18, 2016 this is a summary on the biblical account of the jonah and the big fish. There seems to have been a number of literary works composed during the old testament period. Jonah is different than the other prophets because it is not full of prophecies by the prophet, it is instead, about the life of the prophet. Is the prophet jonah the same jonah as in 2 kings 14. Nov 06, 2017 of the other books of the prophets in the old testament are collections of the words. Introduction jonah is one of the most ridiculed books by liberal scholars. Jonah is a narrative as opposed to the poetical style of the other books. Unlike other old testament prophetic books, jonah is not a collection.
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