Jonah and the People of Ninevah
Was it Fear or Anger that Motivated Jonah to Run
Aug 19, 2008 Douglas Allen Rhodes
It’s interesting when reading the book of Jonah to note how truly dichotic the prophet seems to be. It is established by references to him in 2 Kings 14 that he has already been on the scene as a prophet, so it’s interesting to watch his reaction to God’s calling in chapter 1 of this book. Knowing, as only a prophet could, in Hebrew literature, that God is all-powerful, Jonah nevertheless immediately flees from him when commanded to go to Nineveh.
Was It Fear?
Now, even though Jonah himself claims (in 4:2) he did it because he knew God was going to end up being merciful to the Ninevites, many Biblical scholars have speculated that it was fear that kept him from going to the Assyrian city, after all, it was part of the kingdom which had conquered Israel, and they really didn’t care much for Jews.
One has to assume that any Jewish person of the time would automatically make the connection. So then, does the author of the book mean for the reader to see Job as lying to God? Once again it’s interesting to note that this wasn’t Jonah’s first time dealing with God, so he had to know God would know the truth.
Jonah’s Security in the Face of Danger
In the scene of the storm at sea we see another example of the seeming incongruity of Jonah’s actions and Jonah’s experience. Jonah feels secure, and rightly so as a prophet of God, in the protection and care of his Lord. Even in running from God’s face, Jonah is completely at peace, able, in fact, to sleep through a storm that is terrifying seasoned sailors.
When confronted Jonah feels no fear in telling them that he is the cause of the storm and even that he needs to be cast into the waters to calm it. Here is the prophet, in the midst of his sin, still so secure in his relationship to God that he cares absolutely nothing for the repercussions of telling these men that they have lost their cargo and possibly their lives because of him.
Jonah Is Telling the Truth, He’s Just Wrong
One has to conclude that Jonah isn’t lying when he says that it is the belief that God will be merciful to the Ninevites that kept him from going to the city to prophesy. Jonah wants to be the prophet of God’s power and vengeance, not of God’s mercy.
So here, for the first time in the Bible, is the image of a prophet who got it wrong. God still uses Jonah to further his word and will, but Jonah is no better for it, the message of God’s love has escaped him, he has missed the point of mercy. The importance of this tragic figure is great.
There is no infallible person or class or people, and the prophets are no exception. The story of Jonah is one of hope and mercy on one hand, but on the other it is a cautionary tale, reminding the Israelites that even God’s chosen can totally miss the point.
Jonah
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