Jonah, the Prophet Who Ran Away

This chapter is based on Jonah 1-4.

Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. Located on fertile land by the Tigris River, it had become “an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent.”RR 100.1

Nineveh was a center of crime and wickedness— “the bloody city ... full of lies.” The prophet Nahum compared the Ninevites to a cruel lion. “Upon whom,” he inquired, “has not your wickedness passed continually?” Nahum 3:1, 19.RR 100.2

Yet Nineveh was not entirely given over to evil. In that city many were reaching out for something better. If they were given opportunity to learn about the living God, they would put away their evil deeds. And so God revealed Himself to them, unmistakably, to lead them to repentance.RR 100.3

The word of the Lord came to the prophet Jonah, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” The prophet was tempted to question the wisdom of the call. It seemed as if there was nothing to be gained by proclaiming such a message in that proud city. He forgot that the God he served was all-wise and all-powerful. While Jonah hesitated, Satan overwhelmed him with discouragement, and he “arose to flee to Tarshish.” Finding a ship ready to sail, “he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them.”RR 100.4

God had entrusted Jonah with a heavy responsibility. If the prophet had obeyed without questioning, God would have blessed him abundantly. Yet in Jonah’s despair the Lord did not desert him. Through trials and strange interventions, God would revive the prophet’s confidence in Him.RR 100.5

God did not permit Jonah to go very long in his frantic attempt to escape. “The Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, ... so that the ship was about to be broken up. Then the mariners were afraid, and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.”RR 100.6

The captain of the ship, distressed beyond measure, found Jonah and said, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”RR 100.7