JONAH
ABOUT THIS BOOK
The book of Jonah is different from the other prophetic books, because it gives only one
sentence of what the prophet Jonah preached. Instead, this book tells how Jonah disobeyed
the Lord and refused to warn Nineveh that it was going to be destroyed. Jonah even wanted
the city to be destroyed, because it was the capital city of Assyria, a hated enemy of
Israel. But the Lord corrected Jonah; then Jonah went to Nineveh and preached the Lord's
message.
When many people think about the book of Jonah, they think only of Jonah being swallowed
by a huge fish. However, the message of this book is that the Lord wants to have mercy on
everyone; as Jonah says to him:
"You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and
you don't like to punish anyone, not even foreigners." (4.2b)
A QUICK LOOK AT THIS BOOK
Jonah Runs from the Lord (1)
Jonah Prays to the Lord (2)
Jonah Goes to Nineveh, and Its People Believe God's Message (3)
Jonah Is Angry Because the Lord Showed Mercy (4)
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