Jonah - Introduction

In contra-distinction to Obadiah, this is one of the best known books in the Bible, Jonah, largely because of the big fish (often referred to as a whale).

Jonah son of Amittai is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25. He operated during the reign of Jeroboam II in Israel, the northern kingdom. Jeroboam had succeeded in extending the borders of Israel, but had continued to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. Indeed, Jonah  had prophesied that Israel's borders would expand. Now he is given a message of repentance for Assyria, Israel's enemy.

Jonah was probably contemporary with Amos and Hosea.

Some see the book as being post-exilic, ie written after Israel's return from exile in Babylon, but there are some who never believe any book was written when it was supposed to be! The literary style is similar to that of the Elija-Elisha narrative. Moreover, there seems to be little point in the book if it was written after the Babylonian exile. Why write about Nineveh long after Assyria was no longer a major power and threat to Israel?

Then of course because of the big fish element of the story some doubt the authenticity of the account. I think we have to take the story as it is related, otherwise it makes little point. It is just about possible that he whole thing is a parable, but Jesus referred to Jonah, and it seems much more likely that it is a genuine account.

The book illustrates the wider purposes of God, that went way beyond Israel, and certainly beyond Israel's own plans (she had no desire to see Assyria saved!). This is a further illustration of the fact that the Bible is God's book explaining and proclaiming God's purposes. If Israel wrote it as a means of furthering her own ends, then she did not do a vary good job!