It has already been remarked that Jonah's book is prophetic in character although it contains no such predictive utterances such as are found in Isaiah and Ezekiel. The Christ who was to come is clearly foreshadowed in Jonah's three days sojourn in the belly of the fish: and the history of Israel may be clearly perceived in the disobedience of the prophet and its results for himself and others.
It was a great honor for Jonah to be divinely selected to carry a message from God to Nineveh, the imposing capital of the greatest earthly power in his day. Jonah should have endeavored to enter into Jehovah's thoughts and feelings in the matter, so that he might faithfully represent Him to the dark heathen. In this the prophet most miserably failed. In like manner, the nation of Israel was divinely chosen and separated to be God's channel of blessing to all the people of the earth. “Ye are My witnesses, saith Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen” (Isa. 43:1010Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. (Isaiah 43:10)). The most cursory reader of the Old Testament cannot fail to see that Israel occupies the central place therein. About four centuries after the flood when all the newly-formed nations had gone into idolatry God called Abram and blessed him; but this was with a view to universal blessing. “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:33And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)). This word was confirmed and expanded after the offering up of Isaac: “Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 22:17-1817That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:17‑18)).
It was never intended that this highly favored stock should be exclusive. Their very sanctuary was to be “a house of prayer for all peoples” (Isa. 56:77Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. (Isaiah 56:7)). It does not appear that Israel was meant to be a missionary people, earnestly propagating what they knew of the one true God, but they were certainly meant to be a model people. Possessing laws that were perfect, having been received direct from Heaven, all their ways should have been well-pleasing to God, and a rebuke to the nations around them. But, alas, they were untrue to their privileged position of separation to God (which alone could have made them a blessing to the world); they copied the evil ways of their neighbors; and so brought down upon themselves the stern censure: “the name of God is blasphemed among the nations through you” (Rom. 2:2424For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. (Romans 2:24)). It will be a great day for the world when Zechariah 8:2323Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. (Zechariah 8:23) becomes true, “Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”
As surely as the unfaithfulness of Jonah brought a storm upon the pagan mariners, so the unfaithfulness of Israel has brought sore trouble upon the nations in general as well as their own guilty heads. When Jehovah could no longer bear with the iniquity of the chosen people, He employed Nebuchadnezzar to chastise both them and all the nations around them. The whole system of nations, of which Israel was the divinely established center, was broken up. Abrahaln's seed thus became a curse in the earth, not a blessing.
Jehovah's patience with both Jonah and his nation is arresting. How graciously did He plead with the perverse prophet! And how graciously did He bear with the hypocrisy of the Jewish remnant from the days of Ezra to the coming of the Lord Jesus! Evel then, in full view of their hatred, He pleaded that the unfruitful fig-tree be granted one year more (Luke 13:6-96He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (Luke 13:6‑9)). But the further testimony of the Holy Spirit after our Lord's return to heaven was all in vain, and once more the people were cast out of their land and flung amongst the nations. The casting forth of Jonah typifies this. The chosen people are now most unlovable and unloved of all, and the whole earth has been plunged into confusion and disaster by the terrible transgressions in which Israel has led the way.
But the outflow of God's grace is not checked by the sin of man; thus, while Israel continues obdurate, the Holy Spirit is working amongst the Gentiles, gathering out from amongst them millions for heavenly blessing. All these will stand in relationship with Christ as His body and bride forever. Israel's fall has become the riches of the world and their loss the riches of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:1212Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? (Romans 11:12)). While hundreds of thousands of people in Nineveh were rejoicing in the mercy of God, Jonah was displeased and angry. Similarly, when a number of Gentile believers in Antioch were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit, the Jews “were filled with envy, and spake against the things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming” (Acts 13:44-5244And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 46Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 48And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 49And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. 50But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. 51But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. (Acts 13:44‑52)).
A great and wonderful change is coming. Israel's blindness is not total; when the fullness of the Gentiles is gathered in “all Israel shall be saved” (Rom. 11:25-2625For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (Romans 11:25‑26)). This means the believing remnant, “for they are not all Israel which are of Israel” (Romans 9:77Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. (Romans 9:7)). Obstinate rebels will be purged out (Ezek. 20:3838And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 20:38)). The restored nation will stand before the world as though risen from the dead. Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones shows this (ch. 37). Daniel 12:22And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2) (a passage frequently misunderstood) teaches the same thing. The physical dead are not in view; the nation as such is meant. After centuries of degradation in the dust they will come upon the political stage once more. The believing remnant will enjoy eternal life (in earthly conditions) and the rebels will be consigned to shame and everlasting contempt. Jonah's reappearance after being “three days in the heart of the seas” is typical of this. The following Scriptures should also be read in this connection: Romans 11:1515For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15); Hosea 6:22After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. (Hosea 6:2). Being then in the enjoyment of mercy themselves, the people, unlike Jonah, will gladly dispense blessing to others. Psalm 67 gives us their joyous language in that great day. Note the words “all the nations;” “all the ends of the earth;” “all rejoicing and singing for joy.” “O sing unto Jehovah a new song: sing unto Jehovah, all the ends of the earth” (Psa. 96:11O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. (Psalm 96:1)). Alas, Jonah was not in singing humor as he contemplated the goodness of God to the Ninevites!
The whole earth will be fully blessed at the appearance of the Lord Jesus; and Israel, completely purged of the Jonah spirit, will rejoice in it. God will be known, not merely as Creator, but as the faithful covenant-keeping Jehovah. “I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am Jehovah” (Ezek. 38:2323Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 38:23)). This blessed result was reached in the case of Jonah's shipmates. They turned from their own empty deities, and they “offered a sacrifice unto Jehovah, and made vows” (Jonah 1:1616Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows. (Jonah 1:16)).
When Israel, after ages of antagonism to God and His blessed ways, perceives how marvelously He has wrought, they will say with the Apostle, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:3333O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33)). In deplorable imitation of Joseph's brethren they have intended evil in all that they have done to Christ and to His saints; but God in His perfect wisdom has turned it to good (Gen. 41:2020And the lean and the ill favored kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: (Genesis 41:20)). He will be victorious at last ever all the workings of the enemy; and every purpose of His grace will reach glorious fulfillment.
Alas, that the book of Jonah should close with the prophet murmuring outside while within the city there was gladness and peace. In this he was not a type of his nation. In the coming age of universal blessing Israel will be the center and heart of it all. With the long-rejected Christ honored in their midst, the people will be happy themselves, and will be delighted to see everyone happy around them even to the uttermost parts of the earth.
May the God of all grace grant to us all true largeness of heart. Thus shall we understand and approve His ways and find pleasure and profit therein for our souls.