“The prophet Jonah.” This is our Lord's own description of him in Matthew 12:3939But 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: (Matthew 12:39); but the cursory reader of the book may be disposed to ask, “Where are the prophecies?” Certainly Jonah's book differs in character from those of Isaiah and other prophets. Their rich and full unfoldings of glories yet to come are lacking in Jonah's chapters; but prophecy is there nevertheless: the fact is that the man himself, and Jehovah's remarkable dealings with him constitute a prophecy, and that of a deeply interesting character. In this unfaithful witness God gives us an illustration of His ways with the unfaithful nation to which he belonged. Thus there is a prophetic as well as moral instruction in the book of Jonah. It is a prophecy in picture.
“The word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me.” Jonah had already been entrusted with messages from Jehovah to Israel (2 Kings 14:2525He 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 Gath-hepher. (2 Kings 14:25)); now he has the unique distinction of being sent “far hence unto the Gentiles” (Acts 22:2121And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. (Acts 22:21)). It is an unspeakable honor to be a messenger for God at any time. Have we all learned this? Are we all in the spirit of Isaiah's words, “Here am I, send me”?
Jonah, alas, was not well pleased to be sent to preach to Gentiles. He had been God's willing mouthpiece to proclaim good things to his own nation; but a foreign nation—a Power withal dangerously hostile to Israel—that was a different matter! Even after the Holy Spirit came from heaven consequent upon the exaltation of the Lord Jesus, Peter had scruples about carrying the Gospel to the Roman garrison in Caesarea! (Acts 10). These lines are written while many Powers are engaged in the most terrible war the world has yet known. National feelings are running high; and even Christians, although divinely separated by grace from the world and united to Christ in heaven, are sometimes influenced by what is being said and done around them. How slow are we to learn the blessed meaning of God's “whosoever”! The heart of God most assuredly goes out equally to men of every country and color, and He desires that they may “be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:44Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4)). Do we desire also?
Jonah, on hearing the word of Jehovah, made a dash for the port of Joppa. He would flee from His presence! Vain effort! Psalm 139 stresses this very definitely. But why did Jonah refuse the divine commission to preach to the men of Nineveh? Chapter 4:2 tells us. The known goodness of God was his difficulty. He was sure that if the Ninevites repented of their wickedness God would show mercy. In that case Jonah felt that his dignity would be affected—to proclaim a judgment which was not executed! Rather let a whole vast city perish than that his credit should suffer! It seems almost incredible that a man born of the Spirit could be so self-important and behave so contemptibly! This story, so simply told, is written as a warning to us all. If we get out of communion with God, His tender compassion become foreign to us; harsh feelings develop; and we behave abominably. We shall doubtless meet Jonah in the glory of God before long (like ourselves, a sinner saved by grace); but meantime let us seek to be as unlike him as possible in our service and testimony for God.
It seemed quite providential that a ship was about to sail for Tarshish when the wayward prophet reached Joppa, but circumstances are not always a safe guide for God's saints. Let us never forget this. It does not follow that because circumstances fit in nicely with our wishes that God has ordered things so for us, Jonah, tired with his journey like Elijah after his flight from Jezebel, went below, and was soon in a sound sleep. “But Jehovah sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.” At a later date, Paul was exposed to a great storm in the same Mediterranean Sea, but the contrast between Paul and Jonah when danger arose is very striking (Acts 27). The Apostle was traveling towards Rome in accordance with the Lord's words in Acts 23:1111And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. (Acts 23:11): “Be of good cheer, for as thou halt testified of Me in Jerusalem, so must thou also bear witness of Me at Rome.” With these words ringing in his ears, Paul moved confidently. His moral dignity throughout the storm was wonderful. He almost took command of the ship, even though both owner and “skipper” were on board. “Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me.” Yet Paul was no ordinary passenger, he was a prisoner in custody! By contrast, Jonah was a mean figure amongst the ship's company, and fully merited the rebuke of the master (ch. 1:6).
Let us not miss the lesson of this contrast. A Christian walking in communion with God is on a high level, but a Christian out of communion is a degraded spectacle. Men respect the one, but they despise the other. The one will be a blessing to men; but the other may be a stumbling-block, and even a curse.