Jonah
Why? No, really, why?? There it is, this story of Jonah. Ninevah, boats, whales – the whole 9 yards
Why?
First, consider it a primer in prophetic literature. There’s God, His message, His messenger and His messageeeee (recipient). That’s Prophetic Literature in brief. It takes place in time, in history. It addresses a specific issue. It demands a response. It has consequences.
We tend to want to “fantasticate “(new word) prophesy. We like our prophesy with a dose of mysticism, a pinch of fantasy and a good bit of deeply hidden stuff that no one ever “got” until relatively recently. This makes prophesy fun – but it also makes it fruitless.
Fore-telling or forth-telling. Which is it? Well, overall it is forth-telling. It is God’s Chosen, speaking God’s Word to God’s audience. That is the bottom line in prophesy. If, as too many propose, there is mystery in prophecy and vaguely revealed future events, then God speaks at cross purposes with Himself. You cannot effectively communicate if you obscure the communicated information.
I can write you a very important letter with information/message that you really need to have/know and will really bless you. But, if I write it in code, even though I have sent you all you need to know, I have not sent it in a manner that is of any use to you, unless you have the key to the code. But why would I use a code for information that was NOT of an extremely confidential (secret) nature but is of inordinate necessity; and, why would I send it in code if you were going to have to hunt for the key?
Jonah lays the ground work for our reading and understanding God’s use of prophecy. There are NO mysterious aspects to Jonah; regardless of what you’ve heard. There are neat parts and “wow” parts that point to Jesus – but there ain’t nothing hidden in Jonah – or any other prophetic communications.
Now, when it comes to Prophetic books (stories), they are usually placed in one of three categories: Allegory; Parable; History. Which of these is Jonah? My answer is, “yes.”
There is no reason not to apply (even left-handedly) any of these categories to Jonah. However, such applications must be done with discretion. The “story” is history or historical. Jesus, Himself, refers to Jonah's experience as a real event that occurred in actual time and as an event that was to serve as a “big hint” concerning the Messiah.
But, FROM Jonah, we can also draw parables and allegories for the purpose of teaching the theological truths of not only Jonah’s ministry and message, but the character of our God.
Now, we have to be very very careful when we “draw-from” scripture and we should never do so unless we are consciously confident what we draw out is biblically sound. What I mean is that within this theological history (historical event) there are people. We are privileged to the dynamics of God acting in the lives of people and people reacting to the acting of God in their midst.
When we separate the great theological elements from the “history” and the “people,” we surrender much of the power of the lesson and certainly most of the “so what now, what do I do with it.” It is not just the theological issues and elements that God wants us to know and use. It is also the effects of “God with us,” that are the sinew of the story. When we cut out the “common” (people) from the story, we cut out the life and lessons. We turn God’s communication (the story) into a list of to do's which we then inhumanly attempt to impose upon our lives and/or the lives of others.
Jonah’s reaction to God’s call upon him is really quite normal (not good but normal). We can see here a place for grace in our lives when we run from God AND the need for grace as we interact with others who run from God. Though I certainly am convicted and I do repent when I run from God, I also remind myself that for a fallen (even though redeemed) person, in a fallen (not yet redeemed) world ,running from God is – well – normal. It’s not OK – watch out for big fish – but it is normal.
I take comfort in that fact just as I take comfort in the fact that God did not let Jonah run too far. I also take comfort in the fact that God understands Jonah’s perspective and goes to wonderful lengths to teach Jonah wherein he had erred. I read Jonah and see a certain sweetness in God’s dealing with his challenging chosen messenger. What a great picture of sweet grace we have in the face of fallen stubbornness.
The story of Jonah isn’t about a big fish or about Ninevah. It’s about God and then about Jonah. As I serve God I am encouraged by Jonah (I do stay away from deep waters though). As I seek His will in ministry (especially the wild and wacky one I have), it is easy for me to run, avoid, etc. But, even when I run, I know He will not let me go far. I know that He will not only stop me but He will lovingly bring me back and tenderly teach me what I need to understand in order to fulfill His call on me.
Using Jonah as our key, we need to keep in mind that the Prophets are not only theological treatises, they are also rubber meets the road lessons in the difficulty in following Him in this life. They are about His unflappable and inexhaustible kindness and patience with those He has called to be His. One lesson all the prophets share is:
“We (people) will never rely upon God to the extent He commands us to; we can’t.” So, He has to make a way, He has to sovereignly act to address our need.
I also see that we, in our fallen foolishness, are as consistent as He is in His righteousness and love. It is the “we are,” and “He is,” conflict and convergence that is so exciting. It’s realizing that loving God but doing things He hates is, normal. It’s not OK, it’s not good, but it is as it is until He makes it otherwise.
So should we just do whatever? Well, I don’t believe we can. Jonah demonstrates this truth (as do the other Prophets) historically and powerfully. God is and will be God. His will is good and it will always prevail. We can struggle with it – and that’s normal – but we can never defeat, distract or diminish it. C.S. Lewis (not one of my heroes theologically) is quoted as saying that he was carried “kicking and screaming” into the Kingdom. Well, if the Prophets have anything to teach us, it is that we make kick and scream less once we’re His, but we will still kick and scream.
KEY:
As we begin the Prophets there is a key we need to keep in mind. This key is the foundation of the issues that the Prophets address.
They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." (Exo 14:11-12)
The issue here is the difference in the people’s willingness to trust God utterly or to trust man. They would have rather died as slaves to Pharaoh than trust God in the wilderness. This is the singular issue the Prophets address.
Notice there is no mention of God in their questions or statements. It is Moses or Pharaoh. After the plagues and their miraculous deliverance in the Passover they looked to man and what man could do.
The choice, as we will see, is always between God and man. Even in the rifest idolatry with a multiplicity of deities idolatry is, in the final reckoning man’s worship or man with its unavoidable rejection of God.
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