V.1
This isn't Jonah's first rodeo - he prophesied prosperity from Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:23-28)
Jonah introduced as the 'son of Amittai' which means 'son of my faithfulness'
Jonah also means 'dove' - important because it implies that Jonah is a symbol for Israel as a silly and senseless nation - Hosea 7:11
V.2
'Arise' - Implies that he was perhaps sitting still to seek the Lord.
Why does Jonah bail? Was it because he was used to bringing messages of hope (2 Kings)? Was he afraid of Nineveh or afraid of calling out their sin?
The word 'great' (gadol) is used 14 times in Jonah - needed to put across the point that Nineveh was in fact a great city. Evil (ra'ah) is used 9 times. It can mean evil, disaster or discomfort. Here it implies that the great city Nineveh, because of its evil deeds, can expect great disaster!
V.3
Tarshish is mentioned 3 times in verse 3 to underscore that Jonah is being disobedient!
Tarshish is in the opposite direction to Nineveh.
V.6
Jonah is urged to call out to His God. Funny that God, in V. 2, asks Jonah to call out against Nineveh!
V.7
'cast lots' - was used to discern the divine will. Jews believed that God controlled the outcome. Where has this tradition gone? Do we not need it now because of the Holy Spirit? Interesting that an Israelite tradition is being practised by pagans and God is faithful by showing them that the Israelite is the guilty one.
V.9
Jonah's response to his finding... 'I fear the LORD, the God of heaven'. This statement contradicts he actions, but here, upon being found out, Jonah must be fairly frightened! He then continues his confession of the LORD by saying that He created the sea - ironic because he is crossing the sea to escape from the LORD and also, he is about to see the sea firsthand! Father please don't let my actions ruin my words about you. I'm not saved by my actions but let them point towards Your Holiness! Help me Holy Spirit.
V.10
Pagans were extremely afraid!! Were they more afraid than Jonah? Something's not right there! It must have been a kick in the groin for Jonah to hear ' What is this thing that you have done' from a pagan! The sailors were 'afraid' in V. 5 and are now 'exceedingly afraid'. Jonah seems to be in trouble here!
V.11
They gave him the choice... 'What shall we do with you...?' Their heart behind the question? '... that the sea may quiet down for us!' And rightly so? They did not know Jonah's story. Would they have welcomed him if they had?
V.13
Jonah, in verse 12, tells them to throw him overboard but these sailors either think they know better, or have compassion on him and 'row hard' to get him to shore. Interesting that even after they hear his story, they think they can 'out-row' God. Father if this is ever my attitude, please show me. Show me my sin. Show me my 'out-rowish' attitude. God was obviously not ready for Jonah to come back to land. He had more to teach him and the waves and the storm grew worse.
V.14
The sailors, who had previously called out to their own gods are now calling out to the LORD. Let us echo their prayers. O LORD, have it done as it pleased you.
V.15
Am I reading too much into this. Maybe. Verse 4 says that 'the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea.' To me, it is ironic that now, in verse 15, the sailors have 'picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea.'
V.16
2 Kings 17:36 says 'but you shall fear the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice.' This is exactly how the pagans respond to the LORD, a LORD that they did not know in verse 5.
V.17
Said in such a relaxed manner... 'The LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah.
Some say, ‘Impossible! No creature in the sea could swallow a man.’ But either a sperm whale or a great white shark could. National Geographic (December 1992) offered another possibility—the whale shark. The largest known shark, it can grow to 70 feet [20 m] in length and weigh 70 tons.
“The whale shark’s unusual digestive anatomy lends itself to Jonah stories. It is easy to imagine yourself being inadvertently sucked into a whale shark’s mouth, which is huge . . . The cavernous mouth of even a small adult whale shark could easily accommodate a pair of Jonahs.”
The whale shark feeds on tiny plankton and krill, which “wash down through the esophagus into the immense and elastic banquet hall that is the cardiac stomach.” Yet, how could anyone get out? National Geographic says: “Sharks have a nonviolent way of getting rid of large objects of dubious digestibility they swallow . . . A shark can slowly empty its cardiac stomach by turning it inside out and pushing it through the mouth. . . . So, you could come gliding out on a mucus-covered carpet, slimier but perhaps wiser for the experience.”
Today whale sharks are not found in the Mediterranean, though they have been found as far north as New York City. Were they present in the Mediterranean in Jonah’s time? Who can say? The Bible does not specify what kind of sea creature Jehovah used, but Jesus himself confirmed that the account of Jonah is true.—Matthew 12:40.
At the end of the day, I think it is crazy that Christians can believe that our Saviour was crucified for our salvation and then three days later He rose to life but can't believe that our all powerful God could send a fish to swallow up a man.
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