The Book of Jonah
Introduction
1
Is the Book of Jonah the Achilles’ heel of the Bible?
1
Is the Book of Jonah the Achilles’ heel of the Bible?
They were all seated at the table for further Bible Study. This time the teacher taking over the study was William Fronk. Director Darren T Fuller was confident that in spite of Fronk’s strange sense of humor, he was also a man who was up to the challenge. Erin Greye, Staci Cohen, Michael Lenox, Albert Barrington, Marc Shiva, and David King completed the Gatherers who were there for the study.
It was a time of fellowship, prayer, and study. King lead the prayer for the time they intended to spend in study and asked God to give them a deeper understanding of who He was. Once the prayer was given and everyone had their food and drinks before them, Fronk began the study by letting out a loud holler, which made just about everybody jump except for Shiva, Lenox, and Barrington.
Erin let out a sigh. “What was that for?”
Fronk grinned at her. “Because doesn’t the Word of God just make you want to shout?”
“Are you trying to bring AIM down on us, William?” Fuller wanted to know. “Sure, these walls might be soundproof, but we really don’t want to test it out in earnest, do we?”
“Don’t worry about a thing, Skipper. I won’t let it happen again…Unless, of course, the Spirit gets a hold of me and I just can’t help myself.” He had his notes and his Bible on a box high enough to be raised up toward him because he wasn’t sitting as the others were. He had pushed his chair aside, made a makeshift podium and stood behind it at the table as if he were going to preach. He looked at the Gatherers present with him. “Hey, I’m just excited about this opportunity. You know why? ‘Cause Gilligan and the castaways of the USS Minnow may have never been swallowed up by a whale, but they were surrounded by water…and lots of it. Jonah was surrounded by water, and then he got gulped up by a gigantic fish. That’s what I’m here to talk to you about today. Jonah.” He let out another holler.
Erin jumped.
The others had been prepared for his antics.
Fuller narrowed his eyes.
Fronk grinned sheepishly. “Oops.”
Shiva let out a chuckle and shook his head.
Rubbing his hands together, Fronk said, “Just ignore the outbursts, folks. We’re going to move along on God’s Super Highway of Route 66, and now we are traveling on the marker of Route 32. There’s gonna be a lot to see and discuss here, but please keep your hands in the window at all times. And hang on tight, ‘cause I’m driving and I don’t try to miss the bumps and potholes. I drive right into ‘em.” He mimicked a madman’s laugh. “So let’s begin, shall we?”
“Without the turret syndrome-like outbursts, please,” Erin requested.
Staci shook her head. “I don’t think that’s gonna happen, but one can hope.”
“I shout because I’m happy,” Fronk told them. “I can’t help how I was created. Crazy or not, I love the Lord. I love His Word. I love the simple fact that because He loves me, He wants me. He doesn’t need me, but He wants me. He wants all of us. And no matter how you look at that, that’s heavy.” He grinned at the ex-wrestler. “Isn’t it?”
Shiva nodded in agreement. “That it is, brother.”
King smiled. “That is very good, William. We have a hard time as Christians in understanding that God wants us to be with Him. He wants to bless us. He wants us to be intimate with Him. We often forget that and think He’s mad at us because we’ve done something wrong, and so we start to believe that He can never use us for His purpose. That’s why we sometimes aren’t living in His Will. Awesome message, my brother.”
“Thank you, David. Now let’s see what kind of message Jonah has for us.” Fronk referred briefly to his notes. “Now I’ve heard it said that Jonah is the book of the Bible which perhaps has been criticized far more than any other. I don’t really know if that is true or not. Unfortunately, many Christians thoughtlessly cast slanders upon this important book in the canon of Scripture without realizing that they’re playing into the hands of the critics and innocently becoming the dupes of the skeptics. You hear even Christians say, when they hear a tall story, ‘My, that’s a Jonah!’ Kind of like crying ’Wolf!’ What they really mean is that it’s something too hard, or maybe even impossible, to believe.” He held up the Bible in his hand. “I’ve heard people say that this is just a book and that the stories in it aren’t to be taken seriously. That Jonah is just a parable. That the events in its pages didn’t happen and to believe that they did just shows how ignorant we are. But these truths happened as recorded in His Word. And they happened to show us how to live…And in some cases, how not to live. Let me put it another way.” He paused as he regarded the group. “I’ve given this a lot of thought.”
Barrington nodded. “We can see that.”
“In warfare,” the Crazy Man continued, “the tactic of the enemy is always to feel out the weak spot in the line of the opposition and then, to center his attack at that vantage point. Judging by this criterion, many critics have evidently come to the conclusion that the Book of Jonah is the vulnerable part of the divine record.”
Staci shook her head. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“This book is the spot where the enemy has leveled his heaviest artillery. As a result, the average Christian today feels that this is the weakest of the sixty-six links in the chain of the Scriptures. In other words, if this link gives way, then the chain is broken. Are you with me?”
Lenox nodded. “I hear you, brother.”
Staci hesitated. “I think I see where you’re going.”
“Well, just keep hanging on, sister,” Fronk told her. “The Bible is your life preserver. Hang onto it, and we’ll pull you into the boat before the whale gets to you, alright? Argh!”
She smiled. “Okay, Crazy Man.”
“So…let’s ask the question. Is the Book of Jonah the Achilles’ heel of the Bible?” He paused. “It is…if we are to accept the ridiculous explanations of the critics. The translators of the Septuagint were the first to question the reasonableness of this book. You see, they set the pattern for the avalanche of criticism, which has come down to the present day. The ancient method of modernism is to symbolize the book and to classify it with other literature, such as Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver’s Travels. Liberalism uses the same tactics. They make of it as a fable, saying that it actually never took place at all.”
“I understand what you’re saying.” She paused. “Is it really important to know all of this stuff…about how people criticize the stories in the Bible?”
Lenox nodded. “Sure, it is. We have to know how others view the Bible so that we can have an answer for them when it comes time to give one.”
Staci turned to him. “But I don’t know about all of that, Michael. I’m not going to remember much about what modern critics, or ancient critics have said about the Bible. If I’m ever required to give some kind of answer, I’ll give them the only one I have. I take every word of the Bible by faith and nothing else. I wasn’t there. I didn’t see any of it happen. All I know is that I believe in it and faith is my only answer.”
“Amen, Staci,” Erin said, making a fist.
“That’s good, and I applaud your answer,” Lenox told her.
Staci tilted her head. “But…?”
He paused. “There’s no but. Your answer is as it should be. Living in the End Times as we are, however, will bring us up against people who will not take that as an answer.”
“Well, they’re just gonna have to take it because that’s the only answer I have.”
There was laughter around the table.
King shook his head. “Staci stumped you, didn’t she, Michael?”
Barrington laughed. “You got burned again, brother.”
Lenox held up his hands. “I wasn’t making an argument. I just want to throw onto the table that sometimes we can have an answer to our critics using their own arguments against them. Know your enemy. Know what they think so you can be ready to respond.”
“I’ll stick to my faith,” Staci told him, “but you can go in there and stump them with their own stuff if you want to.”
Again, the laughter spread amongst the group.
“A little help here, Bill,” Lenox pleaded. “You started this.”
“Then, I shall continue,“ Fronk promised. “Perhaps it will help us understand if we know what some of these arguments are about. Some of the extravagant theories of the critics are so farfetched and fantastic that they’re almost ridiculous. It’s much easier to believe the Book of Jonah as given than to believe their explanations of it, if you ask me. Let me give you some of these outlandish explanations from these critics of the Book of Jonah. Here’s the first one…” He paused for affect. “Some critics have put forth the theory that Jonah had a dream in the ship while he was asleep during the storm and that the Book of Jonah is the account of his dream.”
“Now that’s absurd,” Fuller said.
“Absolutely. But check out this next ridiculous theory. Some critics relate the Book of Jonah to the Phoenician myth of Hercules and the sea monster.”
“Come on!” Shiva exclaimed. “There’s no similarity at all and, again, they’re only reaching for an explanation that isn‘t there. That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Fronk held up another hand. “Ah, but wait for this one…Another group holds that, although Jonah was a real character and did take a ship to Tarshish, a storm wrecked the ship. Then after the storm and shipwreck, Jonah was picked up by another ship on which there was a fish for its figurehead, and that gives support for the record in the Book of Jonah. I can well understand that if Jonah had been picked up after the storm, he might have been unconscious for awhile. I can also imagine that he might have felt like he was in a fish at that time. But I’m of the opinion that after recovering, on about the second day, Jonah would have come to the conclusion that he was on a ship and not inside a fish! Don’t you think? I mean, duh.”
The Gatherers shared a laugh.
“And still others resort to this wild claim that there was a dead fish floating around and that Jonah took refuge in it during the storm. I mean, come on, people! This group has a dead fish and a live Jonah. Where do they come up with this stuff? Before we’re through with this book, I’m going to turn it around and say that what we have is a live fish and a dead Jonah.”
Erin frowned. “Jonah dies at the end of this book? I don’t remember that.”
He turned to her. “There’s a point to that…But you’ll see that point in the end.” He glanced at his notes. “Anyway, what we come to is this…Liberalism largely takes the position that the Book of Jonah is nothing in the world but an extended metaphor. It’s merely a fairy tale to be put in the same category as Aesop’s Fables. The producers of these speculations claim that the Book of Jonah is unreasonable, and they bring forth these theories to give credence to their story. It would be very interesting indeed to get Jonah’s reaction to their very reasonable explanations. Don’t you think?”
The Gatherers agreed.
“Look, we have to dismiss all of these idiotic speculations as having absolutely no basis in fact, no vestige of proof from a historical standpoint, and as having existence only in the imaginations of the critics. It can be established that Jonah was an historical person, not a character from mythology. It can be ascertained on good authority that the account is accurate. And it can be shown that the message of the book is of utmost significance even for this crucial time in which we live.” He leaned forward. “Now can I get a witness?”
Shiva and Lenox were the first to give out a heartfelt “Amen!”
“Great! Now…let’s get into a little history…”
“I love Bible Study because when you study the Good Book through and through,” Fronk began, “you find that it is sprinkled with a bit of history. And looking into that history helps you see how it was in those times. We get to see what God was doing way back then. Now Jonah is an historical character and the author of this book. But before we get to Jonah, let’s turn to another historical book, II Kings…”
The Gatherers began to turn the pages of their Bible’s.
“Let’s take a look at 14:23. Whoever gets there first, go ahead and just a-start a-reading.”
King was the one who found it first, and so he read out loud II Kings 14:23. “‘In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.’ ”
“What do you think of that?” Fronk inquired, raising his eyebrows.
Staci frowned. “Well…I don’t see what that verse has to do with Jonah.”
Fronk raised a hand. “Ah! Yes, but wait. We have an historical record here of a king named Jeroboam the Second, who reigned forty-one years over the northern kingdom of Israel.”
“Okay…but still no Jonah.”
“We get that it’s a historical record,” Erin pointed out. “So…this and the historical record of Jonah is common.”
Fronk regarded them. “You really think this has nothing to do with Jonah?”
Shiva looked up from his Bible. “Hey, can I read the next two verses, Crazy Man? I see where you’re going.”
Fronk grinned. “You may proceed, my good man!”
Shiva read II Kings 14:24 - 25. “‘And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.’ ”
“Now this very bad king, Jeroboam, was a very real person. Israel was a real nation. Hamath was a real place. And it’s really quite unlikely that this man, Jonah, is just a figment of the imagination. This here is an historical record, and it’s reasonable to conclude that Jonah is also an historical character.”
Barrington decided to stir the pot a bit. “What if this isn’t the same Jonah?”
Fronk looked at him. “It’s not reasonable to believe that there were two Jonahs whose fathers were named Amittai and who were both prophets, Al. I mean, come on, man! What are you thinking? Do you realize that back in the day, the name of Jonah was not a common name at all? Jonah isn’t even like the surname of Jones! The only times that the name occurs in the Bible are in this reference of II Kings, which we just read, in the Book of Jonah itself…and in the New Testament when Jesus Himself makes references to Jonah. There is only one Jonah mentioned in the Bible…and he is an historical person.”
Fuller nodded his head thoughtfully. “You know, it’s quite interesting in this regard to compare the case of Jonah with another of the prophets, Obadiah. As far as I know, no critic has ever questioned the existence of a man by the name of Obadiah who wrote the Book of Obadiah, yet there isn’t one historical record in either the Old or New Testament concerning Obadiah. The liberals accept Obadiah, but they reject Jonah. Why? Because they want to deny the miracle that is recorded here.”
“Hey…are you peeking at my notes?”
“No. I’m just thinking out loud.” He grinned. “Please, continue.”
“Okay.” Fronk glanced at his notes. “Listen up, peeps! Now we have an historical record of Jonah in the Old Testament, and we also have one in the New Testament given by the greatest authority who has ever lived on this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ. He personally gave authenticity to the historical character of Jonah and to his experience in the fish. The first person to get to Luke 11:30 may read it, and I’m also looking for Matthew 12:39 - 41. Go!”
The turning of the Bible pages sounded as the Gatherers raced to reach the verses first.
“I’ve got Luke 11!” Staci exclaimed.
“Read on, sister!” Fronk encouraged.
Staci read Luke 11:30. “‘For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.’ ”
When she was done, Lenox jumped right in by reading Matthew 12:39 - 41. “‘But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.’ ” He looked up from his Bible. “Now that’s awesome.”
“But why did Jesus refer to him as Jonas? Isn’t this Jonah He’s talking about?”
Fronk nodded. “It is. Jonas is simply a variation of Jonah. But the point here that I am making, class, is this…The moment you question the historical record of the Book of Jonah, guess what you’re doing.”
Shiva nodded. “You question the credibility of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Fronk snapped his fingers. “Precisely, my good man! It’s very strange to hear the liberal say, ‘Jesus was the greatest teacher that ever lived,’ since one of the marks of a great teacher is that what he teaches is accurate and truthful. If Jesus is a great teacher, class, then His authentication of the Book of Jonah has to stand. And contrary to those liberals who hoot like owls, it does stand.” He suddenly clapped his hands together. “Alrighty then, peeps! Let’s wrap this part of the study up. We’ve been talking about those hooting owls who criticize the good Book of Jonah and we’ve gone over the historical Jonah. I’d like to share with you a quote from Sir Winston Churchill on the subject of the inspiration of the Scriptures before we talk about Jonah as a prophet. Although this quote does refer to Moses, it still applies directly to Jonah as well, and, for that matter, the entire Word of God.”
He cleared his throat dramatically, straightened his posture and took a pose for affect. He deepened his voice as he quoted Winston Churchill. “‘We reject with scorn all those learned and labored myths that Moses was but a legendary figure upon whom the priesthood and the people hung their essential social, moral and religious ordinances. We believe that the most scientific view, the most up-to-date and rationalistic conception, will find its fullest satisfaction in taking the Bible story literally, and in identifying one of the greatest human beings with the most decisive leap forward ever discernible in the human story. We remain unmoved by the tomes of Professor Gradgrind and Dr. Dryasdust. We may be sure that all these things happened just as they are set out according to Holy Writ.’ ”
“Jonah was a prophet,” Fronk said in his professorial tone, “but his little book is not by any means a prophecy.”
Staci looked at him in surprise. “It’s not?”
“Oh, no. You will not find any prophecy of the future recorded in this book. It is, instead, a personal account of a major event in the life of Jonah. As the narrator, he tells us about his experience.”
“It’s like a testimony,” Shiva said thoughtfully.
Fronk nodded. “Yes. But this narrative carries two great messages. Not one, but two.” He held up two fingers. “We have here a picture of the nation Israel in the Great Tribulation Period - and we're seeing this today, man! - a picture of how God will preserve His people, the 144,000 who are sealed in the Book of Revelation. We also have here a marvelous teaching concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This book is actually prophetic of the Resurrection. The Lord Jesus Himself said that just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, He also would be a sign to His generation in His resurrection from the dead.”
Staci blinked. “Wait…Isn’t that prophecy? But you just said that this is a book which doesn’t contain any prophecy.”
“If you read Jonah,” King began, “you will not see any mention of prophecy. Jonah does not go to the Ninevites and give them a message of prophecy. It’s not in there. However, there are pictures - as William said - of how things will be. I believe this will be explained further as we continue.”
Lenox nodded in agreement. “Any where in the Bible, there’s always going to be some type of picture about prophetical events, even though the passage you’re reading doesn’t actually make any prophecy.”
“It’s a type of prophecy,” Barrington replied helpfully, “but not an actual message on prophecy. Kind of like Joseph is a type of Christ, but he isn’t Christ.”
Staci nodded. “Oh, I get it.” She turned to Fronk. “Please, go on. I’m sorry I interrupted you.”
Fronk waved his hand in the air. “Think nothing of it. Now…where was I?”
“You were saying the Book of Jonah has two messages,” Erin told him.
“Ah, yes. And we went over the first one briefly on how it is a picture book. Now the Book of Jonah is also not a fish story, and that is something which really disturbs the gainsaying world, which makes a great deal of how impossible it is to believe it. This book is a picture of a man who was raised from the dead, and of a throne in the midst of which stood a Lamb as it had been slain. This Lamb is a resurrected Lamb, and a Christ-rejecting world will some day cry out, ‘… hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. 1’ "
“I love it when you talk Revelation,” Barrington said.
Fuller nodded appreciatively. “I’m impressed, William. You’re really getting into this study.”
“Thank you, my good man.” Fronk nodded his head toward him. “Then you can all agree that for a little book, it sure packs a lot of truth.”
King nodded in agreement. “About your mention of the critics earlier, I would like to say that sometimes the literary excellence of this brief brochure is lost in the din made by the carping critics. It is well to recall the tribute paid by Charles Reade, the English literary critic and author, who wrote, ‘Jonah is the most beautiful story ever written in so small a compass.’ It is well to keep in mind that we have before us a literary gem, and not a fish story, as William has said.”
“Excellent point. Another salient point that I want to make is that the fish is neither the hero of the story nor the villain of the story. This book is not even about a fish, although the fish does become very important.”
“Isn’t it a whale?” Erin asked.
Fronk shrugged. “Technicalities.”
“But a whale isn’t a fish. It’s a mammal.”
“The Bible doesn’t actually tell us what kind of fish it was,” Fuller pointed out. “Only that it was a ‘great fish’, so it indicates that whatever it was, it was big.”
“We will certainly explore this in greater detail,” Fronk promised. “Just bear in mind that the chief difficulty is in keeping a correct perspective. The fish is merely window dressing and cake trimming. In every play there are certain props and settings, right? Are you with me, my peeps? It doesn’t really matter whether Hamlet is played against a black, red, blue or white backdrop! That is not the important thing here. In the story of Jonah, the fish is among the props and does not occupy the star’s dressing room. Do you follow what I’m saying?”
The study group agreed.
“Now in dealing with any book of the Bible, we need to distinguish between the essentials and the incidentals. The incidentals in the Book of Jonah are the fish, the gourd, the east wind, the boat, and even the city of Nineveh. The essentials here are Jehovah and Jonah - God and man.” He paused for affect. “That is what the book is all about.”
“Amen, brother,” Shiva said with a nod.
“Conservative scholars place the writing of the Book of Jonah before 745 B.C.,” Fronk continued. “The incidents took place about that time. Some even place it as early as 860 B.C. In my way of thinking, it seems best to place it between 800 and 750 B.C. Students of history will recognize this as the period when Nineveh, founded by Nimrod, was in its heyday, when the Assyrian nation was the great world power of the day. I have to say…what parent in any time period would ever dare name their baby boy Nimrod. Anyway, that nation was destroyed about 606 B.C.” He glanced at Staci. “Stay with me, sister. I know history throws you for some loops, but just hang on, alright?”
Staci smiled wryly. “I’m hanging on, brother. Don’t stop on my account.”
He nodded. “Okay. Now by the time of Herodotus, the Greek historian, the city of Nimrod had ceased to exist. When Xenophon - just gotta love these names - passed the city, it was deserted, but he testified that the walls still stood and were 150 feet high. Historians now estimate they were 100 feet high and 40 feet thick. Nineveh, as we are going to see, was a great city, and we are told as much here in the record.” He looked at the others. “The brevity of the Book of Jonah is quick to lead the casual reader to the conclusion that there is nothing of particular significance here except the attack about the whale that swallowed Jonah.” He glanced at Erin. “The Greek word for whale is ketos, which means ‘a great sea monster.’ Although it could have been a whale, I don’t think it was because the Scripture tells us that a special fish was prepared.”
Staci opened her mouth to ask a question.
Fronk held up a hand. “I promise, we’ll get to that. But the Book of Jonah has four very brief chapters, and it is only a little more than twice as long as the Book of Obadiah, which is the shortest book in the Old Testament. Because it is very brief, we are apt to pass over it. But we should not call any of these books minor prophets, for each one of them is like a little atom bomb.” He grinned. “They’re just loaded with power and with a program of God.”
Fronk clapped his hands together. “Alright. Let’s get this train to leave the station. I’ve studied this out and discovered that there are at least six significant subjects which are suggested and developed in the Book of Jonah, and I would like to share them with you. I believe these six subjects make this little book applicable for us today. Are you ready for el-numero uno?” He held up his forefinger.
The study group assured him that they were.
“Alrighty then!” Fronk exclaimed. “Here’s the first subject. This is the one book of the Old Testament which sets forth the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now you’ve got to be able to see that, right?”
King nodded. “Oh, most definitely. I agree.”
“I believe it’s pretty clear,” Fuller agreed.
Staci shook her head. “How? How do you see the resurrection of Jesus in Jonah?”
King turned to Fronk. “May I?”
Fronk bowed his head. “Of course.”
He then turned to Staci. “You will see similarities in the life of Jonah that reflect what our Lord does on the cross, when He was buried, and then when He rose from the dead. All of the great doctrines of the Christian faith are set forth in certain books of the Old Testament. For instance, the Book of Exodus sets forth redemption. The deliverance from sin for the sinner who comes to Christ is illustrated in that book. In the Book of Ruth you have the romance of redemption, the love side of redemption. In the Book of Esther, you have the romance of providence. The Book of Job, I believe, teaches repentance. You can go through the Scriptures and find that the great doctrines of our faith are illustrated in various books of the Old Testament. The little Book of Jonah illustrates and teaches the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. If this book does not teach the great doctrine of resurrection, then this most important doctrine of the Christian faith is not illustrated by a book in the Old Testament. For this reason alone, I would say this is a very significant book.” He smiled. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Staci returned the smile. “Yes, I do agree. Thank you, David.” She wrote notes down in her notebook.
“With that said,” Fronk replied, “I move on to the second subject. The Book of Jonah teaches that salvation is not by works, but by faith which leads to repentance.”
“Jonah is read by orthodox Jews on the great Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur.” King regard the group at the table with him. “The way to God is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by the blood of a substitutionary sacrifice provided by the Lord. The most significant statement in the Book of Jonah is in the second chapter. ‘Salvation is of the LORD. 2’ He is the author of salvation. He erected the great building of our salvation. He is the architect.”
Fronk nodded. “Thank you, David. The third great purpose of this book is to show that God’s purpose of grace cannot be frustrated. Does anyone know where this purpose comes into play?”
Lenox nodded. “Jonah refused to go to Nineveh, but God was still going to get the message to Nineveh. The interesting thing in this case is that Jonah was going to be the witness for God in Nineveh…He didn’t know he was going there, but he did go.”
“The fourth great truth in this book is that God will not cast us aside for faithlessness. What do you think that means?”
“He may not use you,” Erin began, “but He will not cast you aside.”
Shiva looked up from his notes. “There are a lot of football players sitting on the bench. In fact, there are even more who sit on the bench than play in the game. A player is called out to play only when it is believed that he can make a contribution to the game. If we are faithless, God may bench us, even though we are still wearing our uniform. He will not cast us aside. Anytime we want to get back into the game of life and do His Will, He will permit us to.”
Barrington nodded. “That’s pretty good, Fury. What a way to look at it.”
“I may be an ex-wrestler, but I know football, too.”
“You guys come up with some good illustrations,” Staci replied with a nod. “I know one thing. I may not be a great football player, but I don’t want to be benched.”
“Amen, sister,” Shiva agreed.
“Isn’t God good?” King asked.
“Yes, He is,” Fronk agreed. “And that actually brings us to the fifth great truth, which is that God is good and gracious. Read Jonah 4:2 for the most penetrating picture of God in the entire Bible.”
King read Jonah 4:2. “‘And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.’ ” He nodded. “Indeed, that is a wonderful picture. It just goes to show us that it is wrong to say that the Old Testament reveals a God of wrath and the New Testament reveals a God of love. He is no vengeful deity in the Book of Jonah.”
“And the sixth and last great teaching is that God is the God of the Gentiles.” He smiled at Fuller. “What do you say to that, Skipper?”
“When God chose Abraham,” Fuller replied, “in effect He was saying to the Gentiles, ‘I’m going to have to leave you for awhile because of the sin that has come into the human family. I’m going to prepare salvation for you through a man and a nation, and I’ll bring the Redeemer, the Savior, into the world through them.’ Now God has salvation for all mankind. Paul writes, ‘Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. 3’ The Book of Jonah reveals that even in the Old Testament God did not forget the Gentiles. If He was willing to save a woman like Rahab the harlot, and a brutal, cruel nation like the Assyrians, including inhabitants of Nineveh, its capital, then I am certain that God is in the business of saving sinners, whether they be Jew or Gentile.”
Fronk regarded the group before him. “There are two approaches to the study of the Book of Jonah. Once we get through these two approaches, it’s time to get into the first chapter of Jonah. The one approach that is the most popular and is followed by most commentators is to note the striking resemblance between Jonah and Paul.”
“You mean…they both looked alike?” Staci inquired.
The group laughed.
“What? He said there Jonah and Paul resembled one another.”
Lenox tried to hide his grin. “I think he meant by mannerisms, or maybe by their actions. Not by their looks.”
She looked at him. “Oh. Oops.” She waved her hand over her head. “That one got by me. Sorry.”
“It’s okay, Staci,” Fuller assured her.
Staci turned to Fronk. “Are you at least going to share with us what those resemblances were?”
“Absolutely!” Fronk promised. “Both Paul and Jonah were missionaries to the Gentiles, both were cast into the sea, both were witnesses to the sailors on board the boat, and both were used to deliver those sailors from death. There are other striking comparisons, which a careful study would reveal. Including his trip to Rome, which I consider to be a missionary journey.”
“Who went to Rome? Paul or Jonah?”
“Paul did,” King answered. “There were actually four missionary journeys of the apostle Paul.”
Fronk nodded. “Yes. And check this out. The four chapters of the Book of Jonah may be divided into four missionary journeys of Jonah. The first journey was into the fish. The second was to the dry land. The third was to Nineveh. And the fourth brought him to the heart of God. So I’d like to call this Jonah’s four missionary journeys.”
Shiva looked up from taking notes. “What about the second approach? You mentioned that there were two of them.”
“Ah, yes…” Fronk paused. “The second approach is to look at the Book of Jonah and picture it as a timetable at an airport. Three important things can be found on a timetable. The first is the time of departure. Second, there is the destination of the plane. Finally, you need to know the time it will arrive at its destination. There are three things that are important to know…the time the flight leaves, the destination, and the time of arrival. So if we look at the Book of Jonah as a timetable, this is what we see. In Chapter 1, Jonah leaves Israel, heads for its destination, which is Ninevah, but arrives at the Great Fish. In Chapter 2, Jonah leaves the Fish, heads for Ninevah, and arrives on dry land. In Chapter 3, Jonah leaves dry land, heads for Ninevah, and finally arrives at Ninevah. And in Chapter 4, Jonah leaves Ninevah, heads for the Gourd Vine, and eventually arrives at the Heart of God.” He paused for affect. “So…are you all ready to head for the first chapter of Jonah?”
The Gatherers assured him that they were ready.
“Then, hang on, peeps! ‘Cause we are about to lift off!”
