Jonah

The book of Jonah. What is it all about? Is it simply the story of a man who was swallowed by a whale? And, is it saying Jonah was literally swallowed by a whale?

A few weeks ago I turned on the radio and caught the tail end of a man preaching through the book of Jonah. He said the book was about idols in our hearts. Really? I didn’t hear him again so I don’t know how he explained that, but it did get me to thinking. Naturally, I wanted to share my thoughts here.

First, I accept Jonah at face value. I believe there was really a man named Jonah, although his name was really Yonah (there is no ‘J’ in Hebrew). He was a prophet who is also mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25. I believe this is a book about a real man and that the events described in the book happened just as it says.

With that out of the way, what is the point of the book? There is a point or purpose for the book, even though there are other wonderful and powerful truths contained in it. I want to consider these truths first, then explain the purpose of the book.

The Name
1:1  Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
When LORD is in the upper case or all caps, it is the personal name of God: YHWH, which many pronounce Yahweh.+  It is interesting to follow along and see when YHWH is used and by whom.

Chapter 1 is the account of Jonah’s call and his attempt to flee.
- In verses 1-4 he is called and commissioned by Yahweh to go to Nineveh. Instead, he gets on a ship seeking to flee from the presence of Yahweh, Who then sent out a great wind and caused a storm that threatened the ship.
- In 5-7 his shipmates call upon their various gods for help; god(s) is Elohim, not YHWH.
- In 8-16 Jonah explains who he is, why he is on board, what God he serves, and how they can stop the storm. In this passage we find the shipmates calling on Yahweh for help and safety, and when throwing Jonah out of the ship results in calm seas, they feared Yahweh with a great fear and offered sacrifice to Him.

It is YHWH again in Jonah’s prayer in ch 2. Then when he is in Nineveh (ch 3), the Ninevites refer to Him as Elohim (God). Then it is back to YHWH in ch 4.

In other words, he is YHWH (Yahweh) only to His covenant people.

The God who pursues
3  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
Jonah is called and sent to Nineveh but he does the exact opposite and heads to Tarshish! Why? This will be explained a little later when we get to the purpose of the book. Be that as it may, God doesn’t let him go, and this is a powerful truth: You can run, but you cannot hide! Jonah ran, but God came after him. There is great comfort in this, even though the storm and the belly of the fish was not pleasant. The comfort is this: God wants to restore us to Himself when we fall into sin, and He will pursue us.

The whale
1:17  Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
This of course is what everyone thinks of when they hear about Jonah, as if this was the theme and purpose of the book. I tell you, it is not. Obviously, this is a great miracle, but the book does not dwell on it.
Was this a whale or what? Well, the Hebrew says fish. English translations of the Hebrew say fish. The Tanakh (Jewish translation) says fish. The Peshitta (the Authorized Bible of the Church of the East; Syrian), says fish. The Latin says fish (piscem). The Septuagint (LXX; Greek Old Testament) says whale. Aha! This is the word κήτει (ketei), and since the majority of allusions, references, and quotations from the Old Testament in the New Testament are from the LXX, the New Testament uses the word ketei (I believe cetacea comes from this word). But this Greek word means sea-monster, whale, huge fish. It could have been a whale, since they are huge, but the text just means a really big fish.

On being restored
Chapter 2 The beautiful prayer of Jonah in the belly of said fish. What do you do when you’ve run away from God or fallen into sin and want to come home? You pray. I cried in my affliction to the Lord my God. Amen. Salvation is of the LORD. Amen, again!

On the road again
Chapter 3 Jonah is restored to God and the fish spits him out. What now? As much as possible, you return to what you know God wants you to do. For Jonah, the word is still, Go to Nineveh. He does just that, preaches the preaching, they repent, and God spares them. They turned every one from their evil way, and from the iniquity that was in their hands. And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. The prophet Amos cried, Prepare to meet thy God. How do we prepare? Turn to the Lord by repenting and believing in Jesus. When we do that God shows mercy to us. Hallelujah!

Temper, temper
Chapter 4 Jonah has a hissy fit because God spared them.

The Purpose of the book of Jonah
All this brings us finally to the purpose of the book. If none of the above are the purpose or theme, what is? This is captured in the first and last verses of the book:

1:1-2 Now the word of the LORD 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.

4:10-11  Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than 120,000 persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

YHWH is Lord and Savior of all people. He judges nations. He saves nations. Israel was indeed His covenant people, but He has mercy on any one and every one who will turn from their evil way and call upon Him. This is a foreshadowing of the Gospel days to come!!

So this is not Jonah: The Story Of A Man Swallowed By A Whale, but rather Jonah: The Story Of God Having Mercy On Nineveh

The sad thing is, Jonah knew this:

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 fled because he knew that if they repented God would spare them. Oh what this says about the character of God! And what it says about Jonah - he only went to Nineveh because he wanted to see it destroyed! This is really sad. But God uses imperfect vessels. And how I thank Him for that!!


How does this book further the promise of Messiah? Jesus said Jonah in the belly of the fish was a picture of his death and resurrection. It was no accident that it was three days and nights!


Interesting side notes

The Septuagint adds what I consider a humorous detail in 1:5-6
But Jonas was gone down into the hold of the ship, and was asleep, and snored. And the shipmaster came to him, and said to him, Why snorest thou?


Jonah’s hissy fit in chapter 4. I can’t explain it. And the Bible doesn’t have to record it, because honestly he looks rather childish and petty, not prophet like at all. But that’s the Bible, it tells the stories warts and all. Another reason I believe it to be true.

Thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness

+ YHWH The Jews stopped pronouncing this a long time ago, as a result no one is certain how it should be pronounced. Old Bibles used Jehovah, many people today think it should be Yahweh.

Apostolic Tradition

In 1979 Ralph Neighbour wrote a book, The Seven Last Words of the Church. Interesting title. What would they be? We’ve never tried it that way before. (or as I know it, We’ve never done it that way before.) That is what often comes to mind when we start talking about tradition in the church.

Essentially, tradition is the ways things have always been done. We celebrate July 4 with hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, and fireworks that night. Tradition. Open one present on Christmas Eve. Tradition. The church has these kind of traditions as well. I’ve heard it said, Do it twice and it’s a tradition. Tradition is comfortable. You know what’s going to happen when and how it is to be done. On the surface there’s nothing wrong with that. Sadly, traditions often become golden cows – We’ve never done it that way before and we can't do it that way. Ah, now we have a problem.

But that’s not the kind of tradition I’m talking about. I’m talking about Apostolic Tradition. “What in the world is that?” you may be thinking. It is the belief that the Apostles wrote some things down and delivered other things orally. The Bible would be the written down things, the inspired, authoritative Word of God. Apostolic Tradition would be the orally handed down things.

The Jews were a people of tradition. According to Mark 7:1-16 they had traditions that had supplanted the Word of God. But they also had tradition that ran alongside the Word of God and complimented it. The concept of Messiah can be found in the Scriptures, but it is also clearly in the tradition of the Jews. You see it in the Targums (paraphrase / interpretation of the Scripture). There are many Christians who totally dismiss the idea of authoritative Apostolic Tradition, yet these same brethren will refer to the traditional Jewish understanding of the Coming One. And I think rightly so.

The Apostles were Jews and were familiar with this idea of written Word and oral tradition going hand in hand. Is there any evidence in the Scriptures that the Apostles handed down oral instructions that were authoritative, that are not recorded in their writings? Yes, there is.

The word tradition, παράδοσις (paradosis), occurs thirteen times in the New Testament; it means “something given over by word of mouth; tradition.” Several times it refers to Jewish tradition as in the passage in Mark above. Other times it refers to something the Apostles handed over to the churches:

1 Corinthians 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances [traditions], as I delivered them to you.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 
[While this does not use the word tradition, it does refer to oral instruction.]

The early church Fathers verify this. I was never taught this in Bible College, but all you have to do is read the Ante-Nicene Fathers (ante is before) - they still have the voices of the Apostles ringing in their ears!! Here’s just a short list:

Clement of Rome (AD 35-99)
"The apostles have preached the gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ…. they appointed the first fruits [of their labours]… to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe. Our apostles … afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry."

Irenaeus (AD 130-202)
"The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith…"

"But, again, when we refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles, [and] which is preserved by means of the succession of presbyters in the Churches..."

"…since the apostles, like a rich man [depositing his money] in a bank, lodged in her hands most copiously all things pertaining to the truth: so that every man, whosoever will, can draw from her the water of life."

"For how should it be if the apostles themselves had not left us writings? Would it not be necessary, [in that case,] to follow the course of the tradition which they handed down to those to whom they did commit the Churches?"

Origen, of Alexandria (AD 185-254)
"Now it ought to be known that the holy apostles, in preaching the faith of Christ, delivered themselves with the utmost clearness on certain points which they believed to be necessary to every one, even to those who seemed somewhat dull in the investigation of divine knowledge... The particular points clearly delivered in the teaching of the apostles are as follow:—"

Is it surprising that the Apostles taught things they didn’t write down? Or that the Church would remember them? I wouldn’t be surprised. I still remember something Chuck Smith said at a Pastors Conference many years ago that greatly impacted me: “Always start on time – otherwise you are teaching them to be late.” And I did, too! I think of that every time a church begins the service later than the announced time….

So what is this Apostolic Tradition? What is it that the Apostles handed down orally? What was it they deposited in the Church?


Next Monday: The Rule of Faith

What? Me political?

I very rarely write anything about politics, but I heard something on the news today out of the New Hampshire Primary that got my attention. I Googled it and found a couple of articles on this - one on townhall.com and another on washingtonexaminer.com. I don’t know anything about either one, but they agreed in substance so… Anyway

On Sunday while in New Hampshire, Joe Biden said:

"Those who say 'the tree of liberty is watered with the blood of patriots'–  a great line. Well, guess what? The fact is if you’re going to take on the government you need an F-15 with Hellfire missiles. There is no way an AK-47 is going to take care of you if you're worried about the government knocking down your door."

Why did this get my attention? It sounds like a threat to me. Or at the very least, “Just capitulate to the government now, you can’t win.” I’m not a political animal, but I am an American (uh, England and King George), a South Carolinian (secession), and a child of the 60’s (don’t trust the Establishment). My hackles were raised. I’m pretty sure this is the very reason the Founding Fathers set forth the right of citizens to keep and bear arms in Second Amendment. 

Beckett Adams, in an opinion piece in the aforementioned Washington Examiner, wrote:

“First, what Biden said is a threat. Resistance is futile because the federal government can have you all killed at any time it wants. How inspiring. How presidential.

Further, the former vice president’s comments reveal a general ignorance of one of the most brilliant aspects of the Second Amendment. It creates a careful (albeit admittedly lopsided) balancing act between ruler and ruled. A well-armed militia will obviously be outgunned by a professional military, but that is not the point. The point is that the people can make themselves very hard to govern when the intentions of those in power are evil. When all other checks and balances fail, politicians tempted to subvert the Constitution still feel themselves limited by the friction they know they could encounter in the form of an enraged, well-armed citizenry.

It is also embarrassing to see a man who lived through the Vietnam War, the Soviets’ unsuccessful campaign in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War laugh off the idea of an armed insurrection rebuffing the world’s most advanced and best-equipped military.

Lastly, it should not be lost on anyone that Biden downplayed the importance and efficacy of well-armed militias by quoting Thomas Jefferson, who played a rather large role in the defeat of one of the world's greatest military forces by a ragtag army consisting of regulars and militiamen.”
(You can read the article here)


Since I am writing about political things, Democrat Presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard (Hawai’i) sent me an email today saying she would like to call me this week (well, the South Carolina Primary is February 29). Pretty cool. I have a lot of respect for Tulsi and it would be cool to say she called me! 

Tulsi Gabbard surfing in NH

Everlasting Life

One of the best known Bible verses in the world reads:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

What a promise, everlasting life! But what is everlasting life? Well, simply put it is just that, life without end. Unfortunately, that doesn’t fully express it. People might be prone to think of everlasting life as this life never ending: work, pain, weariness, stress, bills, tears, sickness, brokenness, death... I say emphatically, that is not what everlasting life is!

So what is it? Let me offer three passages that speak to this:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

First, eternal life and everlasting life are the same thing, it’s just the joy of the English language.

Second, everlasting life is contrasted with perish, punishment, death. Clearly, perish, punishment, death are not good. On the other hand, everlasting life is good. It is life everlasting, the emphasis being life.

Jesus said, And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Eternal life is not only or merely unending life, it is a certain kind of life: knowing God, fellowship with Him. Eternal life is life lived with God, in His presence, participating in His life. Where God is there is light, life, joy, health, peace; no death, no sorrow, no pain, no heartache, no brokenness. That is eternal life. Eternity without God is exactly the opposite. One word that comes to mind to describe eternity without God is torment. Eternal life, on the other hand, is bliss.

So, how do I get this everlasting life?

Romans 6:23 above says, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is a gift, something God gives us. You can’t earn it or buy, it is God’s gift to us.

It is through Jesus Christ. Eternal life is not some thing God gives us, like a Christmas present, or a package from Amazon. It is not something we can go to the store and pick up. Eternal life is through Jesus, it is in Him. He has eternal life because He is life. As the Apostle John says, he who has the Son has life.

John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Everlasting life is all about God giving. He gave his only begotten Son so that through him he might give us everlasting life. And to whom does he give everlasting life? To whosoever believes in Jesus. And what does it mean to believe in Jesus? It means I believe he is the Son of God, the Savior, who died on the cross, rose again from the dead, and is now Lord; believing these things I trust him with my life and commit to following him as my Lord. When we believe in Jesus he gives us everlasting life!

Eternal life: sharing the life of God, in the presence of God, forever. Everlasting!



Here are a few verses if you wish to read more about what the Bible says about everlasting life. These verses also speak of what is often called heaven, because everlasting life and heaven go hand in hand:
Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, John 14:2-3, Revelation 21:1-4, Revelation 22:3-5