The earliest christian interpretations of jonah are found in the gospel of matthew and the gospel of luke. Dec 18, 2014 jonah stands definitively apart from all the other writing prophets those whose prophecies are collected in a defined book of the bible in that his is the only book of the prophets that is primarily a narrative and is biographical, possibly autobiographical. Seeing jesus christ in the old testament book of jonah. Jonah goes to nineveh then the word of the lord came to jonah a second time. This is the holy book of jonah, known simply as jonah. Gospel truths from the book of jonah baptist convention of. It shows us gods compassion for the lost and his patience with his wayward people. The book of jonah stands as an important link in the prophetic chain, giving readers a glimpse of christs death and resurrection hundreds of years before they actually occurred. Like jonah, we need to respond to gods mercy in grateful obedience.
Though simple enough for a child to grasp, the book of jonah is an extremely subtle and complex work full of wonderful literary artistry mixed with many layers of meaning. Tgc resource library free online resources from the gospel coalition explore the riches of our extensive library, including the best audio, video and text resources from the. When most people think of jonah in the bible, they think of the reluctant prophet who ran from gods missionary call and was then swallowed. This is, in my opinion, the best and most beautiful recording of the king james. Even the truth of god pleases the human heart often only as long as the own importance can be stressed by it. The book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who. This little book therefore contains very practical lessons for every reader. The book of jonah was likely written between 793 and 758 b.
Jonah is first and foremost about a gracious god in relentless pursuit of those he loves. Gospel in life is the resource site for redeemer presbyterian church and timothy keller. Jonah or jonas is the name given in the hebrew bible tanakhold testament to a prophet of the northern kingdom of israel in about the 8th century bce. This spring i did a two week series at cru on the book of jonah it could easily be taught over 4 weeks instead of 2. When you read through the book of jonah, you should be able to quickly see some major contrasts between jonah and jesus. The old testament book of jonah is a remarkable story perhaps best known for the stubbornness of a prophet, the great fish that swallows and then regurgitates. Every person who believes in jesus christ for their salvation is called to proclaim this message of salvation through jesus to others. The gospel according to jonah bible study sessions small. The recording is dramatized, from the king james bible. By using this website, i acknowledge that i am 16 years of age or older, and i agree to the terms and conditions and. Jonah began by going a days journey into the city, proclaiming, forty more days and nineveh will be. It concerns a disobedient prophet who rejected his divine commission, was cast overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and returned to his starting point. The book of jonah is more than just a delightful story for children.
And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. In terms of where it is found in the bible, the book of jonah falls almost exactly in the middle. Through this study, individual participants can recognize. He is the eponymous central figure of the book of jonah, in which he is called upon by god to travel to nineveh and warn its residents of impending divine wrath. It may be read as an allegory, one of sin and repentance, with gods loving mercy and forgiveness. Oct 23, 2012 this is the holy book of jonah, known simply as jonah. Every person who believes in jesus christ for their salvation is called to proclaim.
Over the course of 8 versebyverse sessions, pastor and author eric mason expands our vision to see that jonahs story is our own. Jonah summary paul tripps the gospel one chapter at a time. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. Oct 20, 2016 the name jonah means son of my faithfulness. Dive into an intriguing tale of mercy in the book of jonah. Apr 12, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Book of jonah, also spelled jonas, the fifth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, embraced in a single book, the twelve, in the. But in the world of jonah, we also get more than a foreshadowing of jesus and a god that pursues us relentlessly. The book of jonah appears to have served less purpose in the qumran community than other texts, as the writings make no references to it. Oct 15, 2016 jonah was a grumbling, poor excuse for a servant of god. A story that, when understood, gives us hope that there will be more to our story than there was to jonah s.
A new kind of obedience invites group participants into a world fraught with missteps, disobedience, idolatry, and mistaken identity. The book of jonah preface those of you who are familiar with the story of jonah and the whale know that jonah hopped a ship heading in the opposite direction when god commanded him to go preach to the ninevites. Jonah was a grumbling, poor excuse for a servant of god. Introduction to the gospel according to jonah on wednesday, january 01, 2014 at 7. Not too long after the ministry of elijah and elisha, another prophet came onto the scene in the northern kingdom of israel during the rule of jeroboam ii 2 kings 14. Through satire and compelling storytelling, the book of jonah reveals to readers why god is compassionate to evildoers in the past and present age today. The gospel coalition exists to equip the next generation of believers, pastors, and church leaders to shape life and ministry around the gospel. After having dealt with the entire human race for 2,000 years, god established a new program with abraham, known as the abrahamic covenant. In great contrast, god was a whole lot more concerned about the great number of precious people in nineveh than he was a soulless plant. In chapter 3 of the book of jonah, as jonah preaches to the citizens of nineveh, the reader is confronted with three truths concerning the gospel of god. Many have questioned whether the book of jonah is historical. The themes of this book, like every old testament book, point to the main focus of the whole bible.
Tgc course introduction to jonah the gospel coalition. Mar 16, 2019 written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. When god gave jonah an unpopular mission, he complained and ran away in disobedience. Jonah 3 new international version niv jonah goes to nineveh. Concern for the salvation of all people, including ones enemies, is the proper attitude for people of god.
The book of jonah reveals to us the depths of gods grace, both to outsiders and to insiders. Though the book contains no direct prophecy, the experience of jonah is itself a reflection of the message of god. Jul 04, 2009 mark futato the primary purpose of the book of jonah is to engage readers in theological reflection on the compassionate character of god, and in selfreflection on the degree to which their own character reflects this compassion, to the end that they become vehicles of this compassion in the world that god has made and so deeply cares about. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. This time, i want to show how we might approach this concept practically by looking at a familiar book in the old testament. Jonah obeyed the word of the lord and went to nineveh. Although the author of jonah is never identified in the book itself, jonah himself has traditionally been identified as the author. His name was jonah son of amittai from gathhepher near. Study scripture verses with commentary, concordances, and use highlighting, underlining, take notes in the bible. First, you have, in jonah, a god of awesome, inestimable glory. The good news of jesus in jonah the gospel project. A new kind of obedience member book includes a smallgroup experience for six smallgroup sessions and personal devotionals. Gospel truths from the book of jonah baptist convention. The gospel according to jonah the gospel according to the old testament bryan d.
The book of jonah preface those of you who are familiar with the story of jonah and the whale know that jonah hopped a ship heading in the opposite direction when god commanded him to. Its a world most of us would recognize in our own lives. Mar 16, 2011 one of my favorite gospel centered stories in the bible is jonah. One of my favorite gospelcentered stories in the bible is jonah.
Use this guide to uncover the wonderful message of jonah, and to come face to face with the greatest evangelist of allthe lord our god himself. Unlike other old testament prophetic books, jonah is not a collection of the prophets oracles but primarily a narrative about the man. Go to the great city of nineveh and proclaim to it the message i give you. This description of the book of jonah is from eastons bible dictionary. The member book includes elements typical of any smallgroup bible study. Far more than a thrilling sunday school adventure, it offers a profound glimpse into the conflict that occurs when god calls resistant believers to his mission. Jonah 3 jonah goes to nineveh then the word bible gateway. The closest to jonah is hosea, whose marriage is the story behind the prophecy. T he book of jonah is short, compassing four brief chapters of 48 verses. Jonah summary paul tripps the gospel one chapter at a. If you have ever attended church, sunday school, or bedtime story sessions as a child, you have likely heard about the story in the book of jonah at some point. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. Jonah reminds christians of the extent to which god goes in pursuing us in our rebellion and in.
Despite brevity, it is a powerful story of gods grace to gentiles and a reflective study into gods character and mercy. The purpose of the book of jonah the gospel coalition. Mark futato the primary purpose of the book of jonah is to engage readers in theological reflection on the compassionate character of god, and in selfreflection on the degree to which their own character reflects this compassion, to the end that they become vehicles of this compassion in the world that god has made and so deeply cares about. It is also designed to challenge believers to become involved in personal evangelism and foreign missions. There are four elements that are part of a biblical worldview that are so powerfully depicted in jonah. Instead, jonah is the story of a man in selfimposed exile. The audience of the book of jonah was the people of israel and all future readers of the bible and, typically, prophets issued warnings or gave instructions to the people of israel. Some critics have sought to interpret the book as a parable or allegory, and not as a history. The holy bible book 32 jonah kjv dramatized audio youtube. The gospel belongs in the market place this opening sermon on a series in the book of jonah is designed to encourage believers to look beyond the limiting horizons of our present situation to gods design for the world.
Jonah was a prophet preaching a message of repentance jonah 1. Seeing jesus christ in the old testament book of jonah will greatly aid us in understanding jonah and how jesus could refer to himself as, something greater than jonah matthew 12. The book of jonah is a remarkable story perhaps best known for the stubbornness of a prophet, the great fish that swallows and then regurgitates jonah, the conversion of the whole city of nineveh, and the rapid growth and death of a gourd. Like jonah, we are often more concerned with our own comfort than with loving god and our neighbors as we should. Tullian tchividjian calls it one of the best books for helping us get a better grip on the gospel. Book of jonah, the fifth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, embraced in a single book, the twelve, in the jewish canon.
Please help support this ministry by ordering products featured on our website. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. Jonah 1 niv jonah flees from the lord the word of bible. Jonah had pity on a plant that protected him from the sun. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord. It tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to.
Yes, the book of jonah tells the story of a man who ran from god and was. Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Here are 10 valuable lessons gleaned from jonahs encounter with the great fish and the. Well, i would propose that jonah is in the bible because this narrative captures an entire biblical worldview in a podcast. Jonah stands definitively apart from all the other writing prophets those whose prophecies are collected in a defined book of the bible in that his is the only book of the prophets that is primarily a narrative and is biographical, possibly autobiographical.
Although the book is written in the third person, the traditional view is that jonah is the author of the book, and there is no persuasive reason to theorize about an unknown author. But in jonah s story we also see a bigger story that jonah himself missed. Book of jonah read, study bible verses online bible study tools. Written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. Discover the basics of the book of jonah with the esv study bible from crossway, video from the bible project, audio from mark dever, and more. Jonah presents a critique of the nationalism that was rampant in much of judah, a nationalism that said god loved only the chosen people and not the other. Though simple enough for a child to grasp, the book of jonah is an extremely subtle and complex work full of wonderful literary artistry mixed with many layers of. This book professes to give an account of what actually took place in the experience of the prophet. Nov 22, 2019 in chapter 3 of the book of jonah, as jonah preaches to the citizens of nineveh, the reader is confronted with three truths concerning the gospel of god. When the call of god came to him, jonah could not see beyond his own selfish desire for god to punish the assyrians. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. Seeing and preaching the gospel of jesus in jonah for the church.