Jonah Introduction
After taking a couple years to work my way through the first (and possibly my favorite) book of the Old Testament, I have decided to take on a shorter book. This one too competes for my favorite. In the traditional Hebrew arrangement, it is right in the middle of things, the 17th of 34 books. And, I think that its message is very central to the Hebrew Bible. I see its theme as the overarching theme of the Old Testament, pointing us toward the New Testament. I am talking about Jonah.
Jonah is a masterpiece of world literature. Its structure, plot, and use of key words is amazing. Its story is universally loved and appealing to all ages. Its humor and irony assist its message, and that message is powerful and important.
Jonah lived and prophesied in the northern kingdom during the period of its greatest prosperity. He is said to have predicted that Jeroboam II would restore the Kingdom to its former boundaries. We will see in the story to come that Jonah was the sort that thought that Israel deserved the mercy and compassion they were receiving from God as His chosen people, and that other nations were evil and did not merit grace from God. We’ll see what the story of Jonah has to say about that belief.
Jonah is a masterpiece of world literature. Its structure, plot, and use of key words is amazing. Its story is universally loved and appealing to all ages. Its humor and irony assist its message, and that message is powerful and important.
Jonah lived and prophesied in the northern kingdom during the period of its greatest prosperity. He is said to have predicted that Jeroboam II would restore the Kingdom to its former boundaries. We will see in the story to come that Jonah was the sort that thought that Israel deserved the mercy and compassion they were receiving from God as His chosen people, and that other nations were evil and did not merit grace from God. We’ll see what the story of Jonah has to say about that belief.
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