Even people who have never read the Bible have laughed at a joke or two about "Jonah and the whale". I have been ejoying another look at the minor prophet and post a few thoughts now...
Jonah has 4 chapters but two main sections (See 1:1 with 3:1)
I. The Disobedience of Jonah (1-2)
II. The Obedience of Jonah (3-4).
Jonah has many layers. He is unique - only prophet sent to Gentiles; only Prophet whose prophecy consists in what happened to him, not what he said (see 3:8, only 8 words of prophecy); only prophet to whom Jesus directly compares Himself (Matthew 12:40). Jonah is a good Missionary handbook, reminding Isreal and us of the job to share God's love with all the world, even our enemies! Jonah is about the love of God and how we share it and the will of God and how we respond to it.
Jonah's experience reminds us that the LORD is the God of the second chance. Jonah's story is that of the prophet of a broken ministry. Jonah never really gets it right. Even when he obeys, he pouts and sulks. As you read the little book you will find yourself being drawn into the story.
OUTLINE – Jonah the Pouting Prophet
Chap.1 – Jonah Packing
Chap.2 – Jonah Praying
Chap.3 – Jonah Preaching
Chap.4 – Jonah Pouting
1 comment:
Thanks so much for this post. I love it!
Jonah certainly was a mess, wasn't he? He was a pouting prophet, a selfish prophet, a proud prophet, a prejudiced prophet. All in all, he was a quite a pitiful prophet, indeed. But we can learn a lot from old Jonah, if we open our spiritual eyes and years.
Jennifer LeClaire
Author, The Heart of the Prophetic
http://www.nextlevelprophetic.com
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