Day 5: Jonah

So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

Jonah 1:15

Jonah’s story is well-known. God tells him to go to Nineveh and declare his anger. Knowing that the inhabitants of Nineveh are violent and dangerous, Jonah runs from God, stows away onto a ship, which is then assaulted by a tempest. Jonah tells the crew to throw him overboard. He is then swallowed by a giant fish for three days, taken to a beach, and given the task again. All that time, God had been waiting for him.

We run and hide when we’re in trouble: from our parents, our teachers, and our family. We do this because the threat of punishment looms over our heads: we are scared of these authority figures, and have anticipated a harsh and unwarranted sentence from their respective hands. Sometimes, we are deserving of chastisement, and as a prophet, Jonah would have known what things God would and wouldn’t tolerate. After all, he was supposed to be issuing a decree of destruction to a group of people who had sacrificed children, amongst other things—judgement and punishment were no strangers to Jonah. However, Jonah also should have known that God is reasonable. His fear of Nineveh was understandable, and yet, he ran from God in the same way he ran from Nineveh, trying desperately to get as far away from both, as humanly possible.

Jonah forgot that God is no human, and whilst he could escape the wrath of Nineveh, he could never outrun the love of God.

I can only imagine his inward groan when he was awoken to the storm on the ship. Of course you’re doing this he must have thought. Instantly, he knew what to do. Washing ashore on the beach three days later, God repeated his command to His prophet as if nothing had happened. It was as if he was saying “I’ve allowed you your tantrum, but you are still my beloved messenger”. Even though Jonah tried to run from God, I’m sure he must have felt reassured that God was still there, waiting for him to return to his senses. There is something comforting about a patient God who waits upon us, always ready to receive us, no matter how far we stray from Him. His full character is explained much more beautifully in the parable of the prodigal son. In many ways, that story retells Jonah’s experience.

God’s mercy towards humanity is then emphasised when, after Jonah’s incident-free declaration to Nineveh, the city’s inhabitants turn from their wicked ways almost instantly, and God forgives them without delay. Jonah gets frustrated with God, demanding to know why He would put him through so much trouble, if he was just going to forgive them anyway:

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

(Jonah 4:1&2)

What a bizarre complaint. Jonah had totally missed that the same mercy and kindness that was shown towards him during his sojourn away from God was offered to the people of Nineveh. God’s love is offered to everyone. This interaction is just one of many lessons from this short piece of history. Ultimately, God’s love for Jonah is what allowed him to return. No matter how far you have strayed, God will always welcome you back.