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Jonah – The Reluctant but Penitent Prophet (1 of 4)

Focus Text: 2 Kings 14:25

“He (Jerobaom II) restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath Hepher.” (2 Kings 14.25).

Other than in the book of Jonah, this is the only time the Old Testament writers mentioned this unique prophet from the region of Galilee. However, as a point of history, Jonah was one of the earliest, if not the earliest of the writing prophets. It is interesting that the Jews who so freely criticized Jesus mistakenly stated to Nicodemus, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” (John 7.52). This somewhat enigmatic prophet was a real historical person as confirmed by the Old Testament as well as by specific references which Jesus made to him from time to time (see Matthew 12.39-41 and Matthew 16.1-4).

Returning to the inspired author of 2Kings, Jonah was identified as a servant of God as well as an inspired prophet through whom the word of the LORD God of Israel was delivered. Although it is in vogue for modern “scholarship” to cast aspersions toward Jonah as well as the book which bears his name, there is not a hint in the scriptures that Jonah was anything other than a real prophet of God whose feet occasionally stayed from the path of right (just like every other prophet other than Jesus Christ). However, for those of us who believe the Bible, our estimate of Jonah is fairly simple and straightforward. We see him a man chosen of God to deliver a message and one who, in spite of his fears and prejudices, accurately delivered God’s word to a people who otherwise sat in spiritual darkness.

Turning aside to the purpose of the inspired prophet for a few moments, note the precise words of the inspired author of the Kings: “…according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah.” Several observations and implications need to be made/stated. First, God exists. Secondly, God has a will. Thirdly, God’s will is conveyed by means of His word. Fourthly, that word was precisely and accurately delivered through inspired prophets such as Jonah. In this short exercise, we have seen a brief overview of the immediate purpose of inspiration and of the prophets, i.e., to express God’s will in human language. Of course the final purpose of God’s will being communicated to humanity is to effect man’s submission to God and hence, his salvation. Without this communication, man is forever doomed to spiritual darkness and eternal damnation. Only when God speaks through His prophets do we as ordinary uninspired human beings have a means to understand and submit to His will. As has been observed previously, if one removed the words of the prophets from the Bible, all that would be left would be the covers! The Bible is the product of the prophets!

We owe a huge debt to God and to His prophets. They worked under the most trying circumstances imaginable. They were threatened, tortured, killed, ridiculed, and generally mistreated at every juncture. Jonah was no exception; yet, he remained faithful to his purpose.

Questions:

1. From the focus text, list the positive things said about Jonah.

2. How were the critics of Jesus wrong when they said that no prophet had arisen from Galilee?

3. As a prophet, what was Jonah’s primary objective? Did he accomplish that objective?

4. How much of the Bible would remain if the work of the prophets had not been achieved faithfully, or if it were destroyed?

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

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