Bible Study Notes on Jonah

The Minor Prophets Bible Study III: Jonah

January 26, 2012

BMC- Jonah

Background

Placement here in the study:

- Don’t know for sure when to date this book

- 2 Kings place Jonah Earlier

- Nineveh was capital of Assyria and that falls now in our order

- Parallels and Contrasts that Gowan makes to Amos and Hosea (Jonah’s message is similar to Pre-exilic prophets)

- Timing for Rick to bring the message

Call: 1:1-2 & 3:1-2 Deliver message of Judgment

When: Gowan – Can’t date it but likely exilic (after 587BC). Sweeney – (Pre 786BCE) “The portrayal of the prophet draws on 2 Kings 14:25, which presents Jonah ben Amittai as an eighth century prophet who foresees the greatness of Jeroboam ben Joash’s restored kingdom og Isreal (786-746BCE). 6^th or 5^th Cent. (HCSB). Story set in 8^th Cent (Limburg 137)

Where: From Northern Kingdom to Ninevah (Assyria)

To Whom: Ninevah (Assyria) To Isreal?

Characteristics: (What do you notice about the style of the book)

- Narrative

- Poetic (psalm)/prayer

- Dialogue

- Irony/ Unexpected twists in the story

- Parody

Relationship with Kings & Others:

- Jeroboam II (Limburg 137)

Main Plot: Tension between God and Jonah?

Outline: (Sweeney pg. 190)

I. Jonah’s attempt to flee from YHWH (1:1-2:11)

A. Jonah’s attempt to flee YHWH’s initial commission (1:1-3)

B. Jonah’s encounter with the sailors during the storm (1:4-16)

C. Jonah’s prayer to YHWH from the belly of the fish (12:1-11

II. Encounter between YHWH and Jonah concerning YHWH’s mercy toward a repentant Ninevah (3:1-4:11)

A. YHWH’s renewed commission to Jonah and its outcome (3:1-10)

B. YHWH’s assertion of the right to mercy in encounter with Jonah (4:1-11)

Observations by Chapter: (Note observations make or questions you have as you read the book.)

Jonah 1:

Jonah runs the opposite direction. Sailors call out to gods while God’s prophet sleeps. Sailors try to avoid throwing him in, but must. Nature obeys God, Jonah didn’t.

Jonah 2: (Ps. 88)

Jonah doesn’t pray to God until all seems lost inside the fish. Once again, nature obeys God, Jonah didn’t.

Jonah 3:

2^nd call. City so big it takes 3 days to see it all. All Jonah says is “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” And the people believe. Animals are included in the repenting.

Jonah 4:

It is the change of plans (not the sparing of the people) that upset Jonah. Jonah knew that God was compassionate and wouldn’t follow through. Jonah looks like a false prophet. Ends with the question from God.

Themes/Issues: (Note the major themes and issues the prophet addresses.)

- YHWH’s justice and mercy

- YHWH’s response to repentance

- The character of God

- The Relationship between Jew and Gentile

- God is God for everyone

- The Nature of humans and fear of “the other” (enemy)

- Confession

- Salvation

- Jonah is Israel?

So What? (Having read the prophet, what do his words have to teach us today?)

- God Changing His mind (Ex. 34:6 quoted)

- When we are prodded to do things, we often ignore or run away.

- We get angry with God, so did Jonah & God hung in there with him.

- Is this a realistic portrayal of how unbelievers (sailors/Ninevites) turn to God?