In these modern times, skeptics consider the account of Jonah the son of Amit'tai as a fable or even a symbolic story. However, Jesus drew a comparison between Himself and Jonah confirming its historical accuracy.
Shortly after the Flood, Nineveh was founded by Nimrod a warrior, (Genesis 10:11-12). It was the capital of the Assyrian empire and rose to power around 900 B.C. Nineveh, the oldest and most-populous city of the ancient Assyrian empire, is today's present day city of Mosul, Iraq. It was located at the intersection of important north-south and east-west trade routes, with fertile agricultural and pastoral lands (Mallow, Encyclopedia). Years later, Assyria began the process of conquering Israel, and Jonah clearly saw this nation …show more content…
Jonah being a prophetic voice of Israel, was in the inner circle of the rulers of the land. He knew that if Nineveh was destroyed by God, the great threat that existed to the kingdom of Israel, would dissolve along with it. Yet, Jonah already knew that God had been merciful to Israel in spite of their sins, hence there was a huge possibility that God would be merciful to Nineveh as well. Jonah figured that if he did not go and preach repentance, the people of Nineveh would not repent and therefore be destroyed by God, thus sparing Israel, his nation. For the love of his nation he decides to speed off in the other direction boarding a ship travelling to ancient Tarshish “to flee from the presence of the Lord” (1:3). Tarshish is also referred to in the Bible as ships going on a long journey. (Easton) Jonah was fleeing to a far land thinking that God would not be there or unable to track him down. At some point in the voyage, God sent a fierce storm. The sailors desperate to save their ship began throwing their cargo overboard to lighten the vessel. While this was going on, Jonah was sleeping peacefully on the lower deck. This storm was entirely unexpected and the assumption by the ship’s crew was that this storm was a divine judgment upon someone on their ship. Lots were cast and it fell on Jonah as the man who had offended the Divine power. He freely acknowledged that he was fleeing from God's command to him. Jonah, as the prophet of Israel knew the fate of the last prophet before him that was disobedient (1Kings13:1-32). Disobedient prophets met their end in death by God. He knew he was going to die but preferred to be a sacrifice for his nation that he so loved. He therefore urged the crew to throw him overboard and the storm would cease. The crew tried to save their ship without throwing Jonah overboard but in the end had to do so to avoid a shipwreck. The Bible
Shortly after the Flood, Nineveh was founded by Nimrod a warrior, (Genesis 10:11-12). It was the capital of the Assyrian empire and rose to power around 900 B.C. Nineveh, the oldest and most-populous city of the ancient Assyrian empire, is today's present day city of Mosul, Iraq. It was located at the intersection of important north-south and east-west trade routes, with fertile agricultural and pastoral lands (Mallow, Encyclopedia). Years later, Assyria began the process of conquering Israel, and Jonah clearly saw this nation …show more content…
Jonah being a prophetic voice of Israel, was in the inner circle of the rulers of the land. He knew that if Nineveh was destroyed by God, the great threat that existed to the kingdom of Israel, would dissolve along with it. Yet, Jonah already knew that God had been merciful to Israel in spite of their sins, hence there was a huge possibility that God would be merciful to Nineveh as well. Jonah figured that if he did not go and preach repentance, the people of Nineveh would not repent and therefore be destroyed by God, thus sparing Israel, his nation. For the love of his nation he decides to speed off in the other direction boarding a ship travelling to ancient Tarshish “to flee from the presence of the Lord” (1:3). Tarshish is also referred to in the Bible as ships going on a long journey. (Easton) Jonah was fleeing to a far land thinking that God would not be there or unable to track him down. At some point in the voyage, God sent a fierce storm. The sailors desperate to save their ship began throwing their cargo overboard to lighten the vessel. While this was going on, Jonah was sleeping peacefully on the lower deck. This storm was entirely unexpected and the assumption by the ship’s crew was that this storm was a divine judgment upon someone on their ship. Lots were cast and it fell on Jonah as the man who had offended the Divine power. He freely acknowledged that he was fleeing from God's command to him. Jonah, as the prophet of Israel knew the fate of the last prophet before him that was disobedient (1Kings13:1-32). Disobedient prophets met their end in death by God. He knew he was going to die but preferred to be a sacrifice for his nation that he so loved. He therefore urged the crew to throw him overboard and the storm would cease. The crew tried to save their ship without throwing Jonah overboard but in the end had to do so to avoid a shipwreck. The Bible