Jonah right with God?

[saturneptune]

Jonah tried to run away from God's calling, and we all know that God used him anyway for His purposes. At the end of the book, Jonah still seems angry at God and angry in general. Do you think he had a right relationship with God at the end of the book? Any other thoughts?

 

[Helen]

Due to the fact that the prayer of Jonah inside the big fish is recited verbatim, it would appear that Jonah was the author of this book, and not just someone chronicalling the story. If that is so, there is no reason for Jonah to 'blow his own horn' as the book is not about him nearly as much as it is about how God works, and his story is simply being used as an example.

If this is the case, and he was indeed focusing on God rather than himself in humility, then he was doing just fine!

 

[saturneptune]

Due to the fact that the prayer of Jonah inside the big fish is recited verbatim, it would appear that Jonah was the author of this book, and not just someone chronicalling the story. If that is so, there is no reason for Jonah to 'blow his own horn' as the book is not about him nearly as much as it is about how God works, and his story is simply being used as an example.

If this is the case, and he was indeed focusing on God rather than himself in humility, then he was doing just fine!

That is a really good observation. Come to think of it, I would hate to not be right with God every day I have been mad at something.

 

[psalms109:31]

Follow God

We might not like it, we might not agree with, but following God is better than the consequences.

 

[johnp.]

We might not like it, we might not agree with, but following God is better than the consequences.

Sounds threatening Psalms, I thought it was love. Is free will still free if the consequences are not even?

john.

 

[johnp.]

Any other thoughts?

It's a very strange story saturneptune.

I think Jonah's relationship with the Lord is very vibrant. It could be that Jonah was very close to cursing God, he said. "I am angry enough to die."
I thought at first that his reluctance to obey stemmed from a personal grudge against Ninevah, he isn't going and that's final. Why he should run away instead of just not going I can't figure out but I know the next time I'm disobedient I shall not go anywhere by boat.

At first glance Jonah seems like a very miserable grumpy old man but he chatted to the others on the boat even to the point of telling them he was on the run from God. He gave a good account.
That he slept during the storm shows either that he trusted in God completely or he didn't care if he died. I go for the latter as he finally managed to get himself chucked overboard. The others on board were decent men.

Speculation really.

john.

 

[ccrobinson]

but I know the next time I'm disobedient I shall not go anywhere by boat.

I wouldn't recommend going by plane either. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Salty]

Jonah tried to run away from God's calling, and we all know that God used him anyway for His purposes. At the end of the book, Jonah still seems angry at God and angry in general. Do you think he had a right relationship with God at the end of the book? Any other thoughts?

Could it be that Jonah was hoping that no one would repent? Mabey he thought that God only sent him to test him, even if revival did not take place. That did happen with Abraham on the Mt with Issiac. After Abraham showed his faith, the Lord stopped the sacrifice of Issac, and provided a lamb.

 

[EdSutton]

Could it be that Jonah was hoping that no one would repent? Mabey he thought that God only sent him to test him, even if revival did not take place. That did happen with Abraham on the Mt with Issiac. After Abraham showed his faith, the Lord stopped the sacrifice of Issac, and provided a lamb.

Good observations, Salty. Jonah was hoping no one would 'repent'.
Was Jonah "right with God"? Absolutely, in the sense of his 'standing'.
His 'state' was another matter, entirely. Jonah is undoubtedly about the most bigoted person in Biblical history. And you are right, he did not want to see the Ninevahites get "right with God", in any way, but wanted to see God destroy the city. He only went there at all after a "bad fishing trip" and that to save his own sorry neck. God had told him to cry out against Ninevah, lest He destroy it, so Jonah did as little as he could to comply. He walked a third of the way into the city, and cried out a grand total of eight words, from a street corner. He had done as little as he could of what God had commanded him to do. Then he went outside and waited for God to 'wipe Ninevah off the face of the earth'. When that didn't happen, he became angry with God, so angry in fact that he actually asked God to take his life. He'd "druther die" than see Ninevah not destroyed. There is no record that his attitude ever changed about this.

But the LORD's did, as in "the LORD relented", in the sense that we see it.

Ed