Overview of the book of jonah

Summary of the book of jonah the story of the bible. Like jonah, we are often more concerned with our own comfort than with loving god and our neighbors as we should. Based around 780 bc, the book of jonah is written during the time of reign of jeroboam 11. Like jonah, we are sometimes called to stand up for, or even preach, the gospel in uncomfortable circumstances. Book of jonah, the fifth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, embraced in a single book, the twelve, in the jewish canon. Key personalities are all the people of samaria and jerusalem.

But while god extends compassion to nineveh in jonah, he only promises to punish and avenge in nahum. Written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. This was a time when the assyrian empire was reaching its most powerful. Navigating a life interrupted member book by priscilla shirer provides a personal study experience five days a week, leader helps, and viewer guides for the group video sessions of this indepth womens bible study. Jonah reminds christians of the extent to which god goes in pursuing us in our rebellion and in. This makes jonah one of the few prophets who hailed from the northern kingdom of israel. Watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. The book is named after the main character, but i think the author was a sage at the royal court in israel who heard jonah give an account of the mission to king jeroboam ii and realized the theological implications. Modern scholars are divided as to whether jonah composed the prayer during his time in the fish or recorded it later the text does not make it clear, and its not important to make a distinction. Unlike other old testament prophetic books, jonah is not a collection of the prophets oracles but primarily a narrative about the man. Jonah was sent by god to warn the people of nineveh that god was going to judge them. Outside of this composition, jonah is mentioned only in 2 kings, where he is described as the prophet who proclaimed gods blessing to the northern kingdom during the reign of jeroboam ii 786746 b. To encourage the israelites to embrace gods call to extend his mercy to the nations.

Outline of the book of jonah jonah doesnt like his duty, so he tries to flee from god on a ship. This fifth book of the minor prophets takes its name from its principal character, jonah, son of amittai jonah 1. During jonahs years as a prophet, israel stood tall. A summary, synopsis or recap is a shortened version of the original. The book is named after its principal character, whose name means dove. The majority of the book deals with jonahs commission from the lord to preach to the ninevites, and how he carried that commission out. God calls his people to seek the repentance of the nations.

Jonah was a prophet of the lord and he was called to deliver a message of repentance to the city of nineveh which was the capital of the assyrian empire. It shows that god has given these people repentance for life. Jonah has only four chapters, which makes it easy to outline the book chapterby chapter. Jonah repents and goes reluctantly to deliver the message. Dive into an intriguing tale of mercy in the book of jonah. The purpose of the book of micah was to proclaim warning and judgment to both the northern and the southern kingdoms. Jonah is traditionally credited as the author of the book named after him. Both prophets speak gods word regarding the city of nineveh. The book of jonah is different from other prophetic books, as many have noted. He authored this book and told the details of his disobedience as well as gods grace and love for all people.

This summary of the book of jonah provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of jonah. The book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who. Most people know little more about jonah than that he was swallowed by a fish and spit back out on shore three days later. Jonah s experiences form the main contents and purpose of the book. The story, about a prophet named jonah, was written to criticize and rebuke the narrow spirit of nationalism that jonah observed among so many of the jewish people. The story of the prophet jonah is recorded in the book of jonah, which is part of the bible, and is read in the synagogue every year on the day of atonement. Unlike most other prophetic parts of the ot, this book is a narrative account of a single prophetic mission. This summary of the book of jonah provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the. Apr 15, 2018 jonah 2 is packed almost completely with a prayer connected to jonah s experiences while waiting in the belly of the great fish that had swallowed him.

Jonah overview james burton coffman commentaries on the. Bible survey jonah hebrew name yonah dove greek name ionas greek form of the hebrew. Book of jonah read, study bible verses online bible study tools. May 14, 2016 jonah is traditionally credited as the author of the book named after him. Most prophetic books record the messages of the prophet, but in jonah the only prophetic message is five words in 3. Jonahs experiences form the main contents and purpose of the book. Key personalities include jonah, the captain and the ships crew and the people of nineveh. The book of jonah recounts real events in the life and ministry of the prophet himself. Jonah is the only book in the bible that ends with a question. Jonah was sent out by the lord at a time when the kingdom of israel was weak and losing many of its territories to neighboring countries. Although the book is written in the third person, the traditional view is that jonah is the author of the book, and there is no persuasive reason to theorize about an unknown author. Gods people will suffer divine displeasure if they fail to extend gods mercy to the nations.

If thats the case, he must have had a moment of clarity after the events took place. Firstly the book of jonah is a proof of gods unlimited grace and mercy not only for his earthly people israel but also for the impious heathen city of nineveh. The supposed legendary character of some of the events e. Jonah summary we have detailed a brief summary of the book of jonah for bible study or sunday school lessons. Like jonah, we need to respond to gods mercy in grateful obedience.

Jonah is the central character in the book of jonah, in which god commands him to go to the city of nineveh to prophesy against it for their great wickedness is come up before me, but jonah instead attempts to flee from the presence of the lord by going to jaffa and sailing to tarshish. Approximately 1 month at one hour a day 8 units 45 classroom sessions 32 discussions login to start. The book of jonah was likely written between 793 and 758 b. Jonah overview james burton coffman commentaries on the bible. Mar 16, 2019 written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. Jonah does a runner ends up in the belly of giant fish. To calm a storm, the crew throws jonah into the sea, where he is swallowed by a great fish god. When studying scripture, it is critical to gain understanding of the historical background and cultural setting of the book or passage being studied. The book of jonah stands as an important link in the prophetic chain, giving readers a glimpse of christs death and resurrection hundreds of years before they actually occurred. The book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord. Jonah, ruth, and esther cliffsnotes study guides book. Both warn that the lord will judge them for their wickedness.

We are not really told whether jonah fully understood gods love and compassion, but we might think that he did. An outline and a brief historical background for the book of. Apr 12, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. Jonah prophesied during the peaceful and prosperous time of jeroboam ii 2 kings 14. It is possible that jonah, like job, was written andor expanded by a sage to teach a theological truth i. In graphically poetic language, the agonizing prophet described his horrible ordeal in the sea monsters belly as an experience akin to being in hell. An intriguing passage in the book of jonah illustrates a vital point about the punishment of the wicked after death.

The book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who despises his god for loving his enemies. The book of jonah makes no direct claim to its authorship, although the author may be jonah himself. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. This was a time when assyria was not a threat to israel. Jonah therefore is the only prophet of the ot revealing the grace of god towards the heathen. The book of micah provides one of the most significant prophecies of jesus christs birth in all the old testament, pointing some seven hundred years before christs birth to his birthplace of bethlehem and to his eternal nature micah 5.

In the belly of the fish for three days, jonah cries out to god, repents. Jonah flees his mission chapters 1 2 jonahs commission and flight 1. The others are about what god taught the people through the prophet and jonah is more about what the prophet himself is being taught. The most difficult and troubling passages often open their meaning and significance in the most beautiful way when the. Book of micah overview insight for living ministries. Jonah has only four chapters, which makes it easy to outline the book chapterbychapter.

The audience of the book of jonah was the people of israel and all future readers of the bible and, typically, prophets issued warnings or gave instructions to the people of israel. The book of jonah is narrative history and a prophetic oracle. Jonah 2 is packed almost completely with a prayer connected to jonahs experiences while waiting in the belly of the great fish that had swallowed him. When the call of god came to him, jonah could not see beyond his own selfish desire for god to punish the assyrians. Its treatment of that mission is thus similar to the accounts of the ministries of elijah and elisha found in 1,2 kings. Literary characteristics unlike most other prophetic parts of the ot, this book is a narrative account of a single prophetic mission. To get the full classroom experience, we recommend using a desktop computer. This old testament book describes at least part of the ministry of a prophet called jonah, the only prophet who attempted to run away from god. An overview of the book of jonah, a dramatic account of the experiences of jehovahs prophet. Jonahs work in the kingdom of israel is not stated in this book, since it deals only with jonahs work among the people of nineveh. See outlines, discussion questions, crossreferences, and teaching points for the book of jonah chapter by chapter. The book of jonah stands as an important link in the prophetic chain, giving readers a glimpse of christs death and resurrection hundreds of years before they.

Although often classified with the prophets, the book of jonah is not a prophetic book. Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord. An outline and a brief historical background for the book of jonah created date. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan.

If you have ever attended church, sunday school, or bedtime story sessions as a child, you have likely heard about the story in the book of jonah at some point. Intro to jonah biblica the international bible society. A major literary debut, an epic tale of love, failure, and unexpected faith set in new york, amsterdam, and las vegas the modernday jonah at the center of joshua max feldmans brilliantly conceived retelling of the book of jonah is a young manhattan lawyer named jonah jacobstein. He does not wish to go to nineveh to preach repentance to the people, as god. Jonah, the son of amittai, the fifth of the minor prophets, was a galilean, a native of gathhepher, which is believed to be the same as jotapata, celebrated for the siege which josephus the historian there maintained against the roman army, a little before the destruction of jerusalem. Overview of the book of jonah third millennium ministries. Jul 17, 2017 so god taught jonah about his love and compassion. This study aims to provide an overview of the main genres scholars have attributed to the book of jonah to arrive at a balanced conclusion on the books genre and its hermeneutical. The prophetic significance of this book not only lies in the short message in nineveh but also in the entire history of jonah described in his book. It concerns a disobedient prophet who rejected his divine commission, was cast overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and returned to his starting point. The man jonah was the main character of the book, he was the son of amittai jonah 1.