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Jonah, the Prophet Who Ran Away
This chapter is based on Jonah 1-4.
Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was one of the greatest cities of
the ancient world. Located on fertile land by the Tigris River, it had
become “an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent.”
Nineveh was a center of crime and wickedness— “the bloody
city ... full of lies.” The prophet Nahum compared the Ninevites to
a cruel lion. “Upon whom,” he inquired, “has not your wickedness
passed continually?”
Nahum 3:1, 19
.
Yet Nineveh was not entirely given over to evil. In that city
many were reaching out for something better. If they were given
opportunity to learn about the living God, they would put away their
evil deeds. And so God revealed Himself to them, unmistakably, to
lead them to repentance.
The word of the Lord came to the prophet Jonah, “Arise, go to
Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness
has come up before Me.” The prophet was tempted to question the
wisdom of the call. It seemed as if there was nothing to be gained
by proclaiming such a message in that proud city. He forgot that the
God he served was all-wise and all-powerful. While Jonah hesitated,
Satan overwhelmed him with discouragement, and he “arose to flee
to Tarshish.” Finding a ship ready to sail, “he paid the fare, and went
down into it, to go with them.”
God had entrusted Jonah with a heavy responsibility. If the
prophet had obeyed without questioning, God would have blessed
him abundantly. Yet in Jonah’s despair the Lord did not desert
him. Through trials and strange interventions, God would revive the
prophet’s confidence in Him.
God did not permit Jonah to go very long in his frantic attempt
to escape. “The Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, ... so that the
ship was about to be broken up. Then the mariners were afraid, and
every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the
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