Jonah - Not a Children’s Story

Jonah - Not a Children's Story

This Bible teaching, delivered by Matthew Vander Els at Founded In Truth Fellowship, delves into the Book of Jonah, arguing that it is far more than the simplistic children's story it is often portrayed as. Vander Els encourages a deeper understanding of this short biblical book, suggesting it was written for a mature audience and carries profound lessons about God's character and the attitudes of His people. He emphasizes that the common, watered-down version of Jonah, focusing mainly on the big fish, misses the crucial message the author intended to convey.

To aid in a more thorough study, Vander Els recommends several resources, including commentaries by Dr. Walter Brueggemann, John Walton, Dr. Tim Mackey (of The Bible Project), and Jack Sasson. He notes that these scholars offer valuable insights into the complexities of Jonah. The speaker highlights that while the familiar narrative involves God commanding Jonah to preach repentance in Nineveh, Jonah's subsequent flight and encounter with a great fish are not the central themes. Instead, the book explores deeper issues of obedience, God's boundless compassion, and the often selfish resistance of God's own people to His mercy extending to others.

Vander Els points out a significant difference in the opening of Jonah compared to other prophetic books like Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Micah. These books typically begin with the prophet stating, "The word of the Lord came to..." implying a direct transmission of God's message written by the prophet themselves. However, Jonah starts with "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah..." suggesting a narrative *about* the prophet, rather than a collection of his prophecies. This unique setup, according to Vander Els, is intentional, drawing the reader in and hinting that Jonah is a different kind of prophetic book.

The teaching explores two main perspectives in Christian scholarship regarding the Book of Jonah. The first views it as a historical narrative, recounting actual events in Jonah's life. The second, more prevalent view, interprets Jonah as a parable narrative or even satire, designed to convey deeper spiritual truths through its characters and events. Vander Els leans towards the latter, suggesting that the book employs exaggeration and irony to highlight the flawed nature of Jonah and, by extension, the readers themselves.

To illustrate the concept of satire in the Bible, Vander Els provides examples from Amos and 1 Kings. In Amos, the wealthy, unrepentant women of Samaria are referred to as "cows of Bashan." In 1 Kings, Elijah mocks the powerless prophets of Baal, suggesting their god might be busy relieving himself. These instances demonstrate that the Bible uses literary devices like satire to emphasize a point or expose folly. Vander Els suggests that the Book of Jonah similarly uses exaggeration, noting the repeated use of the Hebrew word "gadol" (big or great) to describe everything from the fish to the city.

Contextualizing the prophet Jonah, Vander Els references 2 Kings 14:23-25, the only other place in the Bible where Jonah, son of Amittai, is mentioned. This passage reveals that Jonah prophesied the expansion of Israel's territory during the reign of King Jeroboam II, an evil ruler of the Northern Kingdom. This historical Jonah, who delivered a positive prophecy to a wicked king, sets the stage for the unexpected behavior in the Book of Jonah. The audience of the Book of Jonah would likely have been familiar with this earlier account, adding another layer to their understanding of the prophet's character.

The teaching then focuses on Jonah's disobedience. When God commands him to go to Nineveh and call out against its wickedness, Jonah instead flees to Tarshish, a place as far west as he could possibly go in the known world. Vander Els clarifies that Jonah's motivation for fleeing was not fear of the Ninevites. Instead, as revealed in Jonah 4:2, Jonah knew God to be gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. He feared that his preaching would be effective, leading to the repentance and subsequent forgiveness of the Ninevites, a people he likely despised. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, a powerful and brutal empire that had oppressed Israel for centuries. Vander Els paints a picture of Nineveh's cruelty, mentioning historical accounts of their brutality.

Vander Els suggests that the Book of Jonah may have been written during the Persian period, after the Babylonian exile. Judeans returning from exile might have harbored resentment towards their former oppressors. In this context, the Book of Jonah serves as a challenge to their potential prejudice, reminding them that God's love and mercy extend to all nations, even their enemies. The vocation of Israel, and by extension, believers in Yeshua (Jesus), is to be a light to the nations, carrying a message of reconciliation, not withholding God's grace based on personal biases.

The speaker uses the analogy of his young son, Ben, who obeys the command to pick up Legos but doesn't fully fulfill the intention by letting go of them in the bin. This illustrates how believers can sometimes go through the motions of obedience without truly embracing the heart behind God's commands. This was a central issue in Yeshua's (Jesus') interactions with the Pharisees, who meticulously followed the letter of the law but often missed its spirit of love, mercy, and justice.

Ultimately, Vander Els argues that the Book of Jonah is a powerful reminder that God's redemptive grace and mercy are for the entire world, and believers should not selfishly hold back this divine gift. The story is designed to convict readers, prompting them to examine their own hearts and attitudes towards those who might seem undeserving of God's love. It challenges the narrow-mindedness that can creep into the hearts of God's people, contrasting it with the vastness and universality of God's compassion.

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Application for Everyday Life

• Examine your own biases: Reflect on any groups or individuals you might be hesitant to extend grace and understanding to. Consider if you are limiting God's love in your own heart.
• Embrace the full scope of God's love: Recognize that God's love is not limited to those you deem worthy. His desire is for all people to experience His mercy and redemption.
• Fulfill God's commands with your whole heart: Don't just go through the motions of obedience. Seek to understand and embrace the spirit and intention behind God's instructions.
• Be a messenger of reconciliation: Understand your role as a follower of Yeshua to share the message of God's love and forgiveness with all, regardless of their background or past actions.
• Look beyond the surface of Bible stories: Recognize that even seemingly simple stories like Jonah can contain profound and challenging truths relevant to your life.
• Be open to deeper interpretations of Scripture: Consider different literary genres and the possibility of satire or parable within biblical narratives to gain a richer understanding.
• Challenge narrow perspectives: Be willing to confront your own "Jonah-like" tendencies to restrict God's mercy to a select few.

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