Introduction to Jonah: Fish Stories!
Jonah and the whale… a big fish… is this just a story, or did it really happen? It’s such an amazing story that some people struggle to accept it as real.
What about the entire earth being flooded—did that really happen?
God creating the world in six days—did that really happen?
The answer is simple: how big is your God?
For some, it’s hard to believe that their God is big enough to do these things. That seems to be the real question: How big is your God?
My God created everything—you might agree. Imagine that: He created galaxies, stars, and planets—the big things. He also created ants, viruses, and atoms—the small things. He created time, space, and dimensions—all the physics stuff.
Is your God big enough to create all of that?
The better the mechanic, the faster the job is done. So, is your God big enough to speak all of this into existence with one word? Or do you believe He needed billions of years to create it?
If you limit His ability to create, what do you do with Adam? Was Adam really created by God? If he evolved, were his predecessors sinless? If they were sinless, was Jesus the only sinless man? If Adam wasn’t real, how can God hold us responsible for sin if Adam was our example of sin?
Do you see the problem?
I believe science ultimately supports the biblical story. For example, take a look at this Aboriginal painting of a hunt for a creature that current science says has been extinct for 100 million years.
Can a Fish Swallow a Man?
Take a look at this video:
(Video of a kayaker being swallowed by a whale)
So, can a fish swallow a man?
How about Jesus—can we trust what He says?
Matthew 12:39-41
“He answered, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.’”
Jesus said it happened, comparing Jonah’s three days in the belly of the fish to His own three days in the grave. Which is the bigger miracle—Jesus rising from the dead after three days or Jonah surviving three days in the belly of a big fish?
This is a fish story I believe!
What Is Jonah All About?
The events of the book of Jonah took place sometime between 793-758 BC, during the reign of King Joash. The book may have been written during the reign of King Jeroboam, Joash’s son.
It is believed that Jonah wrote this account of his life later in life, which makes sense because only Jonah knew what he had lived through and how poorly he reacted to God. This demonstrates a humility that Jonah had to grow into as he reflected on these events.
Three Major Themes in Jonah:
- Nationalism – When love for one’s nation supersedes love for the lost.
- God’s Call to Mission – His desire to reach even those we consider enemies.
- Struggles to Obey & Trust God – The human resistance to God’s will.
The literary style of Jonah is remarkable. The book is structured in two scenes:
- Scene 1: Jonah, the Pagans & the Sea (Chapters 1-2)
- Scene 2: Jonah, the Pagans & the City (Chapters 3-4)
The story has strong similarities to the parable of the prodigal sons:
- Jonah fleeing God (Chapters 1-2) reflects the younger son’s rebellion.
- Jonah as a reluctant evangelist (Chapters 3-4) reflects the elder son’s bitterness.
Jonah’s Structure & Themes
| Theme | Chapters 1-2 | Chapters 3-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Jonah & God’s Word | 1:1-3 | 3:1-3 |
| Jonah & God’s World | 1:4-17 | 3:4-10 |
| Jonah & God’s Grace | 2:1-10 | 4:1-10 |
Not only does Jonah reflect the prodigal sons’ parable, but his rejection of God’s will also mirrors the sin of Adam & Eve.
Timothy Keller, in his book Rediscovering Jonah, writes:
“Adam and Eve, like Jonah many years later, decided that if they couldn’t think of a good reason for a command of God, there couldn’t be one. God could not be trusted to have their best interests in mind. And so they ate.”
God’s Mercy & Jonah’s Struggle
The story of Jonah demonstrates the patience and pity of God. His mercy and justice are both displayed—but Jonah struggles because it doesn’t fit his political view of how things should work.
Nineveh was chosen to teach Israel a lesson. Jonah is a rare example of a prophet called to speak to a nation outside of Israel.
Israel was in disobedience, and God’s mercy was on display:
If the worst nation in the world at that time could repent and turn from its wicked ways, why couldn’t Israel lean into that same grace?
Sadly, Israel didn’t learn this lesson.
2 Kings 17:14-20
“But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. They rejected His decrees and the covenant He had made with their ancestors…
They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God… They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire…”
Because of their disobedience, God handed Israel over to their enemies—the Assyrians, whose capital was Nineveh.
One commentator writes:
“Yet Jonah, saved from the jaws of death himself on repentance, was the fittest to give a hope to Nineveh, doomed though it was, of a merciful respite on its repentance. The patience and pity of God stand in striking contrast with the selfishness and hard-heartedness of man.”
Final Challenge: Will You Run or Yield?
Will you grumble or praise?
The story of Jonah asks us all a question: Will you obey God’s calling, even when it’s uncomfortable?