The book of Jonah is included with the minor prophets. However, it really isn't a record of a prophet's proclamations but a story about a prophet.

Jonah 1:2 Jonah is told to go and preach [call out against it] to the people of Nineveh.

Jonah 3:4 the content of his preaching is summed up in a single sentence, "forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown". From this scanty information we can infer that Jonah's message was... "Nineveh is full of wickedness and therefore it will be destroyed. You have 40 more days".

There is a teeny bit of prophetic proclamation from Jonah here... but mostly the book is a story. Like the stories Jesus used so often, the story of Jonah is meant to make us wonder, stir up questions, make intuitive connections that are hard to put into words. 

Jesus usually didn't describe the attributes of the Kingdom in theological, scientific, legal or philosophic terms... He would tell a short story about mustard seeds, shopping for pearls, digging up hidden treasure. Those stories then trigger all kinds of thoughts and associations. Often biblical stories contain a paradox to provoke deeper thought.

Some of the story elements in Jonah become signs and types in the life of Jesus, but these are story elements rather than prophetic proclamations.

Today, let’s consider what the biblical story of Jonah trying to get us thinking about? Is there a paradox to consider?

Paradox definition: a logically self contradictory statement or a statement that runs contrary to expectation. Can be used to: 1) expose invalid arguments or errors in assumptions 2) promote critical thinking

Placement

Why place the book of Jonah... in the collection of scrolls dedicated to the minor prophets? [comment on scrolls] Why not include the story of Jonah with 2 Kings... like the exploits of Elijah or Elisha? Or within the writings... like the story of Esther or Job?

The account we have of Jonah sticks out as very unique within the 12 minor prophets. Putting Jonah among the 12 minor prophets asks us to consider it in relation to those books and their message. The story of Jonah questions overly simplistic ideas some people, may have about prophecy. Placement among the 12 minor prophets offers a thoughtful antidote to false assumptions held by people in 500 B.C. … the 1st century A.D. …  even 2024 A.D.

50. Particularism - the idea that God only cares about the people of Israel [in our day we might apply it to the Church of God].
50. Determinism/Fatalism - the idea that outcomes cannot change. Which can lead to pessimism and apathy about the future.

1. The Chosen People... and the Rest

Casual readers of the minor prophets we might get the idea God only cares about the "chosen people". Other races and nations are mentioned but only considered in their relation to Israel. Edom, Moab, Egypt, Babylon are all scolded and punished for their ill-treatment of the "chosen people". Yet God sends Jonah to an alien nation [the Assyrians of Nineveh] so they might repent. Their attitudes or interaction with Israel have no part in the story… all that is off 150 years in the future.

The charge against Nineveh is for their own wickedness... not for how they have treated Israel. Nineveh is not even criticized for idolatry. They are accused of wickedness... violence... the sort of stuff that everybody ought to be able to figure out by looking at the reality of the created world.

Romans 1:18-20. For example, today's raging argument about gender identity requires ignoring the reality of how we have been created… DNA, body structure, millions of years of “supposed” evolution. The result is great confusion, and life changing harm. Some matters are obvious and should not require special revelation.

Sending Jonah to Nineveh shows God has a claim on the moral behavior of all people... not just "the chosen"...not just "the enlightened"... not just those who have entered into covenant with Him. Every last man, woman, and child owes their existence to God, and must answer to Him for what they do and have done.

Every person will have to claim the sacrifice of Christ to cover their own sins... "every knee will bow before Him and every tongue confess to God". But that only makes sense when you have a good understanding of the resurrection of the rest of the dead... and the Great White Throne Judgment. Which you have been chosen and blessed to understand.

YHWH is the God of everything and everyone. He just chooses to make Himself known through a subset of chosen people… Israel … the Church etc.

God's Compassion for the Un-Chosen

Because of Jonah's preaching Nineveh repents Jonah 3:4-10

Then, Jonah gets angry, confused, depressed over Nineveh's repentance Jonah 4:1-3.

• He knows Assyria will be used by God to punish Israel. So he probably hoped they would not repent... be destroyed... and not be used to punish Israel.
• He's confused. Why will God show compassion, slowness to anger, and abounding love to Assyria... but punish Israel. By comparison the wickedness of Assyria is far worse than anything Israel has done. Jonah's assumptions and expectations about how God operates… how the covenant works… even his role as a prophet… everything is falling apart. It's so disorienting he says, "I would rather die".

Jonah 4:4-11 God tells him... “this is a city of over a 120,000 beautiful intelligent beings who are the work of my hands”.

Note: there is a strong emphasis on God as Creator in this book... He rules the wind and sea that threaten the ship, He rules the great fish that saves Jonah from drowning, He created the leafy vine that gave Jonah shade in the heat... what about people?

God says, "I created the Assyrians just like I created you. I love them and I want good things for them. Right now they don't have the advantages of a covenant that spells out right and wrong for them. You do. I gave you and your people that understanding so you could share in the job of bringing enlightenment to others".

“Your people Israel have been given everything and you treat it like dirt. These people have been given nothing but a stern warning… and they have repented. How then should I judge”?

1 Peter 4:17 the Assyrian would be judged and punished, read the book of Nahum, read history. But before any of that God would deal with the chosen.

Israel had sin but they were still less depraved relatively than the other nations around them... the real problem was they knew better... So they had to be evaluated differently and they would be punished first.

God gives His chosen people the great blessing of His wisdom codified in His laws, experienced through His acts of loving kindness.  Israel could not plead ignorance... and neither can we.

You and I know what God expects. The fact that everybody else is doing something, or not doing something, or appears to be getting away with it doesn't matter. They don't know any better, they do not have God's spirit... you do.

Don't be like Israel who were given so much... and who considered God's favor towards them no big deal... and who rejected it.

Jonah’s story undermines false assumptions about what “chosen-ness” is about… not a “get out of jail free” card but a calling with obligations, duties, responsibility, and accountability.

2. Determinism / Fatalism

We understand that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and His will shall come to pass. How shall we apply this understanding to prophecy and human freedom to choose? This is another paradox.

Jonah had preached to the people of Nineveh saying they had 40 days before they would be overthrown. Note: overthrown = Heb. haw-vak takes us back to God's words and actions concerning the cities of the plain... Sodom and Gomorrah which would be overthrown. So think fire & brimstone. 

Nineveh takes the threat seriously and repents. Jonah is angry and confused and vents to God.

Jonah 4:5 Jonah goes east of the city to a place to watch and see what happens. Presumably far enough away that if fire and brimstone rains down upon the city it won't hit him.

God through Jonah told them "40 days until destruction". How could the prophecy not come to pass? 

The Purpose of Prophecy

Prophecy is one of the great proofs of the bible as a revelation from outside the purely physical world of cause and effect Isaiah 46:8-11. Prophecies made and prophecies fulfilled give us confidence in the truth and reality of God's written word.

The purpose of prophecies not yet come to pass is to give everyone fair warning and encourage you to repent.

Zoom forward to the prophecies of Revelation... when Christ pours God’s wrath upon the nations... What He really wants is repentance.

• Revelation 9:20-21 the plagues go forth but there is still a desire and by implication an open door for repentance. What would happen if they did?
• Revelation 16:9-11 punishment is meted out Christ marvels that they still won't repent. What would happen if they did?
• Most won't but some will Revelation 7:9, 13-14.
• Even a portion of the Church of God goes into the great tribulation... so they might repent Revelation 3:14-19.

Flexibility of Prophecy

If a prophecy goes forth and accomplishes the goal of bringing about repentance does it still have to come to pass... or can it be modified? I've spent years looking into biblical prophecy and I'm of the opinion that God reveals prophecy in a way that does not lock Himself into predetermined outcomes that would result in moral injustice.

Consider this: If we as limited human beings do not know the time or date... how would we even know if a prophecy has been modified or extended?

Could the people in the end-time repent? Who knows… what’s important is that repentance is real and it changes outcomes. You are not trapped in a ore-determined reality where you have no say, no choice, no way out.

Jonah 3:9 the king realizes God does not have to change His decision just because they repent. They deserve destruction... but then again "who knows". This little phrase would be extra painful for the "chosen people" since they ignored the same good advice Joel 2:12-14.

Conclusion:

Jonah’s story challenges assumptions. Assumptions about what it means to be “chosen”… not a free ticket but a responsibility. Assumptions about the power of human freedom within the framework of prophecy and the will of God.