The Story of Jonah

Who is Jonah?

Jonah or Jonas is the name given in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh/Old

Testament) to a prophet of the northern kingdom of Israel in about
the 8th century BCE. He is the eponymous central figure in the Book
of Jonah, in which he is swallowed by a fish.
Jonah is the son of Amittai, and he appears in 2 Kings as a prophet
from Gath-Hepher, a few miles north of Nazareth. He is therein
described as being active during the reign of the second King
Jeroboam (c.786746 BCE), and as predicting that Jeroboam will
recover certain lost territories.
Key points in the Story of Jonah

Unlike the other Prophets, the book of Jonah is almost entirely

narrative, with the exception of the psalm in chapter 2. The actual
prophetic word against Nineveh is given only in passing through the
narrative. As with any good narrative, the story of Jonah has a
setting, characters, a plot, and themes. It also relies heavily on such
literary devices as irony.
God commands everything in his Creation, from the weather to a
whale, to carry out his plan. God is in control.
Jonah spent the same amount of timethree daysinside the
whale as Jesus Christ did in the tomb. Christ also preached salvation
to the lost.
Key points in the Story of Jonah

It's not important whether it was a great fish or a whale that

swallowed Jonah. The point of the story is that God can provide a
supernatural means of rescue when his people are in trouble.
Some scholars believe the Ninevites paid attention to Jonah
because of his bizarre appearance. They speculate that the whale's
stomach acid bleached Jonah's hair, skin, and clothing a ghostly
white.
Jesus did not consider the book of Jonah to be a fable or myth.
While modern skeptics may find it impossible that a man could
survive inside a great fish for three days, Jesus compared himself to
Jonah, showing that this prophet existed and that the story was
historically accurate.
What is the relevance of
the Story of Jonah to our
Law School Life?
Are you okay with God,
loving your enemies?
Lord's mercy and forgiveness extends
beyond Jonah and Israel to all people
who repent and believe. Is there some
area of your life in which you are
defying God, and rationalizing it?
God is omnipotent and has a plan for each of
us. Whatever happens in our lives, it is in
accordance with Gods will and meant to
benefit us in one way or another.