From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. He said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. Jonah 2:1-2
The kingdoms of Israel and Judah continued their spiritual decline. They enjoyed their affair with Baal and other idols and refused to halt their headlong rush into disaster. God sent three prophets during this time, Jonah, with a special message of mercy to the Assyrians, Hosea, who speaks out against idolatry, and Amos teaches against religious formalism and social injustice.
Nineveh was a super city established by Nimrod, following the flood. It was the capitol of the Assyrian empire, a world power that began growing after Solomon’s reign when the Hebrew kingdom divided. God called Jonah to go and preach the Good News of the One True God to these pagan people. But! They were the hated enemy and Jonah refused to prolong their life span through salvation and redemption. He headed in the opposite direction, to the far side of the known world, Spain. Jonah attempted to confine God’s love and mercy exclusively to Israel.
If you wonder whether Jonah is fact or fiction, remember Jesus compared His death and resurrection to Jonah’s three days in the belly of the fish, (Matthew 12:40) and likens the Ninevite’s repentance to his own listeners who refuse to hear, (Matthew 12:41) This story is an amazing display of God’s universal grace and divine concern for all men. Never forget, you are among the ALL! He excludes no one from His love.
Love,
Gretchen