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• Jonah: Means "Dove"
•
From Gath-hepher,
(near Nazareth)
•
Jewish tradition: disciple of
Elisha who anointed Jehu king (II Ki. 9:1)
• Idolatrous kings in Israel: Jeroboam, Ahab, Jehu, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, death of Elisha.
• Oppression from Syria/Aram, but Jeroboam II conquered Damascus and made Israel prosperous, as prophecied by Jonah (2 Ki. 14:25).
• Patriotism and disdain for foreigners.
• Capitol of Assyria - 200 mi. N. of present-day Baghdad
• Built by Nimrod just after the flood (Gen. 10:8-12)
• V.2 “the great city” - Largest in the world - 60 mi. circum.
• Assyrians worshipped Nebo (pagan knowledge)
• 806BC King Ahad Nirari III invaded Israel (exploitation)
• Plagues in 765BC and in 759BC (fear)
• Jonah prophesied during Ahad Nirari or Assurdan III
• 722BC Assyria conquered Northern Israel
• Nahum & Zephaniah prophecy against it.
• 612BC – destroyed by Medes & Babylonians
• Jehovah: Personal, self-existent God
• Self-revealing in words
• “And” Continuation of previous revelation
• Initiator of Nineveh’s salvation
• Punchline: 4:11 And I, should I not be compassionate over Nineveh, the great city, when there exist in her more than one hundred twenty thousand humans who don't know their right hand from their left, and many cattle?
• The … Gentiles should not be grudged God's love, care, and forgiveness. ~A. Cohen
• [T]he design of God [was] to show favour to the Gentiles... As Jonah the servant of God is given up to death that he may successfully … proclaim to the Ninevites the judgement and mercy of [God]… so must the Son of God be buried … that He may bring forth fruit for the whole world” ~C.F. Keil
• Master
– Self?
– God?
• Mission – to represent:
– Self?
– Country (Nineveh, Israel, U.S.) ?
– God? (2 Cor 5:18-21)
• Message
– Your words?
– God’s words? (How to get God’s words?)