Jonah

Background:  793-753 B.C. 

The name Jonah means “dove” and this book is one of the only prophets that does not have to do with Israel or Judah. This prophetic book is about a great city called Nineveh and they were enemies of Israel. 

Chapter 1

1:1-3 Nineveh was an enemy city of Israel so when the Lord called Jonah to go to the city and preach repentance, Jonah did not listen. Jonah ran from the Lord because he could not understand why God would show compassion on a city that hated Israel.  

1:4-17 This story is similar to Jesus’ story in the New Testament about calming the storm. The sailors with Jonah did not want to throw him over but they eventually did. We see that even these sailors repent and believed. As for Jonah, God sent a great fish to swallow Jonah and save him. It was a severe act of mercy from God to save Jonah.