Bible Reading: The Book of Jonah

The Book of Jonah in the Old Testament is only two to three pages long, but it is a total gem. I recommend that you have a nice sit down and read of this book, because there are few places in the Bible that present so simply and yet profoundly the “thinking” of God in his relationship with a chosen prophet. Jonah is a prophet, and the son of a prophet, but when God calls upon him to deliver a difficult message he runs, literally. He experiences a disaster at sea, and during that, witnesses to his faith, inadvertently converts others, falls, and recovers. He does perform his mission and then is shocked at its success and annoyed with God for showing so much resultant mercy toward the city of repentant sinners. Because this is written very simply as a story with a message, it is very easy to understand the dialogue between God and Jonah, and God’s motivations and will. There is also a beautiful Psalm of Thanksgiving by Jonah. Also, I’d like to point out several passages that would be very suitable for use in prayer or Catholic meditation:

“Rise up, call upon your God! Perhaps God will be mindful of us so that we may not perish.”

“I am a Hebrew,” Jonah answered them; “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; my prayer reached to you in your holy temple. Those who worship vain idols forsake their source of mercy.”

Pay attention to another very interesting detail, which emphasizes God’s regard for animals, specifically cattle. The animals are also garbed in sackcloth (!) (Jonah 3:8) and when God forgives the city, he explains to Jonah that he valued not only the number of souls in the city, being 120,000 persons, but also the cattle (Jonah 4:11). Those are very touching images.

Any of my blog readers who happen to be Muslim, welcome, and peace be upon you. You might find this book to also be very enlightening and comforting, because you will recognize Allah here in God in his wisdom, his mercy, and how he chooses and speaks to one of our ancient prophets. We share the same God of Abraham.

As a historical note, around a hundred years after Jonah’s “intervention” took place; the city did fall and was destroyed. However, it shows that turning away from sin did work, but it is human nature to drift back to sin and evil if piety and faith in God is not maintained. Still, one hundred years was a long time to benefit from an intervention of grace by God through his prophet Jonah.