Topical Bible: Christian Minister: Jonah

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Introduction:
Jonah, a prominent figure in the Old Testament, is recognized as a prophet of God. His account is primarily documented in the Book of Jonah, which is part of the Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible. Jonah's narrative is unique among the prophetic books, focusing more on the prophet's personal experiences and interactions with God than on his prophecies. His life and mission offer profound insights into themes of obedience, repentance, and God's mercy.

Historical Context:
Jonah, the son of Amittai, is believed to have lived during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel, in the 8th century BC. This period was marked by political expansion and relative prosperity for Israel, yet it was also a time of spiritual decline and moral corruption. Jonah's ministry is set against this backdrop, highlighting the tension between Israel's nationalistic pride and God's universal compassion.

The Call and Flight:
The Book of Jonah begins with God's command to Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, and "preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me" (Jonah 1:2). Instead of obeying, Jonah attempts to flee from God's presence by boarding a ship bound for Tarshish. This act of disobedience sets the stage for the unfolding drama of divine intervention and personal transformation.

The Storm and the Great Fish:
As Jonah sails away, God sends a violent storm, threatening the ship and its crew. Recognizing that the storm is a divine response to his rebellion, Jonah instructs the sailors to throw him into the sea to calm the waters. "Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm" (Jonah 1:15). God appoints a great fish to swallow Jonah, where he remains for three days and three nights. In the belly of the fish, Jonah prays to God, expressing repentance and gratitude for deliverance.

Jonah's Mission to Nineveh:
After being vomited onto dry land, Jonah receives a second call from God to go to Nineveh. This time, he obeys and delivers the message of impending judgment: "In forty days, Nineveh will be overturned!" (Jonah 3:4). The people of Nineveh, from the king to the commoners, believe Jonah's message, repent, and turn from their evil ways. In response, God relents from the disaster He had threatened, demonstrating His mercy and compassion.

Jonah's Anger and God's Lesson:
Despite the success of his mission, Jonah becomes angry with God for sparing Nineveh. He retreats outside the city, where God provides a plant to shade him from the sun. When the plant withers, Jonah laments its loss, prompting God to teach him a lesson about divine compassion. "But the LORD said, 'You cared about the plant, which you neither tended nor made grow. It sprang up in a night and perished in a night. So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh...?" (Jonah 4:10-11).

Theological Themes:
Jonah's account is rich with theological themes, including the sovereignty of God, the power of repentance, and the boundless nature of divine mercy. It challenges the reader to consider the breadth of God's love, extending beyond the boundaries of Israel to encompass all nations. Jonah's reluctance and eventual compliance highlight the struggle between human will and divine purpose, while the repentance of Nineveh underscores the transformative power of God's word.

Legacy:
Jonah's narrative has left a lasting impact on both Jewish and Christian traditions. In the New Testament, Jesus refers to Jonah's experience in the fish as a sign of His own death and resurrection (Matthew 12:39-41). Jonah's account continues to serve as a powerful reminder of God's patience and willingness to forgive those who turn to Him in repentance.

Nave's Topical Index

Jonah 1:1-6
Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Enduring to the End
... who does endure to the end as a minister of Christ ... flesh, and the devil, all stab
at the Christian's perseverance ... to me sometimes, as he did to Jonah, "Flee thou ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/enduring to the end.htm

Directions to Awakened Sinners.
... Blessed be God, our language abounds with such: and every truly Christian minister
will be ... of God's sight, yet look again towards his holy temple: (Jonah 2:4 ...
/.../practical discourses on regeneration/discourse ix directions to awakened.htm

The Almost Christian
... It has been, no doubt, a misfortune that many a minister and sincere Christian has
met ... no inward principle of holiness and piety, like Jonah's gourd, they ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/the almost christian.htm

Fourthly; all the [Credenda, Or] Doctrines, which the True, Simple ...
... whom they frequently stile Demiourgos the minister or workman ... book of the truth of
the Christian religion, [337 ... Julian himself; the history of Jonah, under the ...
/.../xiii proposition xiii fourthly all.htm

The Character of Christ's People
... when some mercy has been withered, like Jonah's gourd in ... not mocked," though we often
are, both minister and people ... I say, my brother Christian, you are not of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the character of christs people.htm

The Complete Surrender.
... He uses father and mother, minister, money, and all else the ... Oh, Christian, what
is that blessing you will get ... In reading the Book of Jonah, we find God's hand ...
/.../murray/the masters indwelling/viii the complete surrender.htm

The First Stages. Ch. 9:51 to 13:21
... who refused to accept "a greater than Solomon," "a greater than Jonah." Vs.29 ... If
a Christian minister has been faithful in feeding his people with spiritual food ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/a the first stages ch.htm

The Fainting Soul Revived
... who used to be a member of a Christian church, but ... friendless, with no one that can
relieve or minister to him ... Thus it was that Jonah thought upon his God, when ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/the fainting soul revived.htm

The Compassion of Jesus
... But since the minister, though he may call as he may ... that I have or that you have,
my Christian brother, but ... you, so that you have not played the Jonah and ran ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 60 1914/the compassion of jesus.htm

From his Entrance on the Ministry in 1815, to his Commission to ...
... language which was proclaimed to the Prophet Jonah, when he ... gift to a mere effort
of Christian good-will ... to time or subject, at the disposal of the minister. ...
/.../chapter ii from his entrance.htm