Jonah – The Recalcitrant, Repentant Prophet
Jonah 2:9 (NIV)
“…What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’
Jonah 2:9 (NIV)
Jonah, son of Amittai, is portrayed as a recalcitrant prophet who flees from God’s summons to prophesy against the wickedness of the people of the city of Nineveh. This large pagan city symbolised enmity with God. The residents were involved in idol worshipping, harlotry, sorcery, witchcraft and other evils. Thus, Jonah was commanded to preach and prophesy of God’s impending Judgement, to destroy the city in forty days unless they repent of their wicked ways.
Jonah tried to escape this command. His actions can be described as prejudiced, bigoted, stubborn, openly rebellious, and spiritually insensitive. While other prophets ran to the Lord, he attempted to run from Him, joining a ship in the Mediterranean Sea bound for Tarshish. Through a traumatic chain of events, however, he was thrown into the raging sea and was swallowed by a gigantic fish. He was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. Finding himself in this predicament, Jonah prayed, pleaded for mercy, and vowed to keep his word. My brothers, God is never far from us, and we can never hide from Him. Stop running.
Jonah got another chance to take up the mission of God. He went to the city of Nineveh, and preached the Word of God for three days, encouraging its citizens to repent. God worked through Jonah and made the King issue a decree that all must fast and pray and turn from their wicked ways. When God saw what they did, He showed compassion and did not bring about the destruction He promised.
What can we learn from this account?
- We must display compassion. Jonah disappointed God in many ways, but God forgave him and showed him unlimited love and compassion.
- God can take a disobedient prophet, turn him around, and set him on fire spiritually.
- God is able to make something useful and beautiful out of something broken and confused.
Beloved, we may want to flee in directions that God has not sent us, and like Jonah, God has prepared a ‘fish’ or ‘holding area’ for us so that we can do some introspection. In the ‘fish,’ we may feel swallowed alive by our circumstances, feeling oppressed, guilty, overused, and underdeveloped. However, we must honestly admit our present condition, acknowledge we were wrong, realise that we are not on our spiritual high plateau because we have sidelined our God-designated responsibilities, and vow to make that righteous change.
Read: Proverbs 1:23; Jonah 2:2
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 77:10-20; Acts 15:22-41; I Kings 11:14-43; I Kings 12:1-24
