Jonah and Echoes
The writer of Jonah has masterful command of the story, down to the specific words he uses to highlight things in our minds. There are echoes all over the text. Here in the text we see words like “great,” “hurl,” and “fear” over and over. God hurls the storm onto the sea, the sailors hurl the cargo overboard, and Jonah urges them to hurl him from the ship.
One of the more powerful echoes, though, is when we see Jonah’s calling—the central aspect of the whole book—echoed in the captain’s words. In verse 2 we read God’s call:
Now, in the storm, the captain wakes Jonah with similar words:
We have not been told yet why Jonah is rejecting God’s call. As a kid I always assumed it was for fear of the terrible Assyrians. But this section of the story seems to contradict that. Jonah is seeking death. He tells the men to toss him into the sea.
And yet these pagan men show more compassion, love and respect for God than the prophet. Where he seeks to end his life, they want to save it. Where he runs from his task of sharing revelation, they seek it. Where he claims to fear God, we see them come to fear Him with a “great fear.” We never see Jonah pray in the boat, but these men do. We will see this scene of gentile people turning to God in faith echoed as the story goes on. For now, it is a powerful contrast that exposes Jonah’s attitude of rejection towards God.
One final note on chapter one that will become important as the story progresses. God uses Jonah to draw men to Himself in spite of Jonah’s rebellion. Jonah is not wanting to bring certain people to God, but he is not in control.
One of the more powerful echoes, though, is when we see Jonah’s calling—the central aspect of the whole book—echoed in the captain’s words. In verse 2 we read God’s call:
“Up! Go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry out against it.”
Now, in the storm, the captain wakes Jonah with similar words:
"Up! Cry out to your God!”
We have not been told yet why Jonah is rejecting God’s call. As a kid I always assumed it was for fear of the terrible Assyrians. But this section of the story seems to contradict that. Jonah is seeking death. He tells the men to toss him into the sea.
And yet these pagan men show more compassion, love and respect for God than the prophet. Where he seeks to end his life, they want to save it. Where he runs from his task of sharing revelation, they seek it. Where he claims to fear God, we see them come to fear Him with a “great fear.” We never see Jonah pray in the boat, but these men do. We will see this scene of gentile people turning to God in faith echoed as the story goes on. For now, it is a powerful contrast that exposes Jonah’s attitude of rejection towards God.
One final note on chapter one that will become important as the story progresses. God uses Jonah to draw men to Himself in spite of Jonah’s rebellion. Jonah is not wanting to bring certain people to God, but he is not in control.
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