The book of Jonah is a prophetic book, yet it does not present prophecies in the same way as other biblical books in its genre. Instead, it is a story about the prophet himself. As we read Jonah, one important question must be asked: If God were to write a book about me and my ministry, how would it read? The following seven questions invite us to assess both ourselves and our ministries. I am confident that you will be challenged, just as I was.
1. Faithfulness: Do I understand this book is about God and His faithfulness in pursuing mankind?
Jonah is the antithesis of a prophet. His name means “dove,” and his father’s name means “faithful.” Jonah should have been the peaceful and faithful son; however, we know how the story unfolds. In fact, Jonah embodied both sons in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. In the first two chapters, he acted like the younger son who ran away. In the final two chapters, Jonah acted like the older brother. He may also be compared to the bad neighbour in the “Parable of the Good Samaritan”—the one who looked the other way when someone was in need.
God’s faithfulness permeates the book, just as it does throughout the Bible. In the New Testament, we see His faithfulness beautifully embodied in our Lord Jesus Christ. In contrast to Jonah, Christ came into this needy world in obedience to His Father. He brought the complete and clear message of God to sinful mankind, who are headed toward destruction.
As we assess ourselves in the area of faithfulness, we must acknowledge that any success in our respective ministries is due solely to God’s goodness and faithfulness in the ministry He has entrusted to us. Do we exhibit an anti-Samaritan attitude or the character of the prodigal sons, rather than reflecting the character of Jesus? Is there a pattern of unfaithfulness in my life that resembles Jonah more than Christ?
2. Worldview: How do I react and act when my worldview clashes with God’s will?
Jonah’s prayer in chapter 4:2 reveals why he ran away. He did not desire God’s grace and mercy for his national enemies. When Jonah’s worldview clashed with God’s purposes, he chose to disobey, preferring his own will over God’s.
Obedience is easy to preach but difficult to practice. True obedience is not convenient; it is not simply doing what one would have done anyway. Imagine if God had decreed that brushing our teeth every morning was part of holy living. I can see how that would have helped. We would have loved such a law and might even have thanked Him for it. However, when God’s commands clash with our way of thinking, obedience becomes challenging.
A lack of unreserved and immediate obedience spells disaster in any ministry. Look at Jonah. First, it costs to disobey (1:3). Second, his journey is described as a repeated descent: down into the ship, down into the inner part of the ship, down into sleep, and finally down into the sea. In running away, Jonah seemed to have assumed that God would be incapacitated by his nonparticipation, but instead it only took him further down. At the crossroads of obedience, Jonah chose his own will over God’s. How often have we done the same?
When I have my “Genesis 3 moments,” do I disregard God’s command in favor of logic, culture, or personal opinion? Does my head knowledge of God consistently align with the response of my heart?
3. Faith: Do I rely on the wisdom of the all-wise God even when I cannot understand His command?
Jonah is described as a nationalist prophet in the Book of Kings (2 Kgs. 14:25). He desired the prosperity of his nation even in the face of wickedness, prophesying the expansion of Israel’s borders under Jeroboam II, a wicked king. Later, Amos tells us that those gains were lost because of sin. Jonah could not trust God’s wisdom—that repentance and salvation were better options than destruction. The Book of Jonah is God’s invitation to Jonah to join His “work of reconciliation.” However, Jonah could not trust God with a happy ending; his faith did not pass the stress test. When under stress, does my faith possess sufficient tensile strength? Is my faith “good elastic?” How much pressure will it take before it breaks?
4. Idols and False Gods: Do I worship the idol of self-righteousness?
From the belly of the fish, Jonah said that those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love (Jon. 2:8). His prayer did not reveal repentance for sins or a request for forgiveness; instead, it exposed the idols in his heart—specifically the idol of self-righteousness.
Psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt observes that human beings are wired to be self-righteous. It is the belief that grace should be given to others only after the sting of consequences has been felt, except of course when grace is intended for the one demanding justice. That is the bitter incense of self-righteousness. Charles Spurgeon warns that nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, and that the person who counts himself righteous by his own works is, in effect, worshiping himself.
To my shame, I admit that I have often prayed for grace to be turned off for some, having judged that they do not deserve it. Jonah experienced grace in chapter 2, yet in chapter 4 we see his insistence that grace was not appropriate for those he did not approve of. Do I find grace for everyone in the sacrificial love of God, or do I assume the privilege of granting grace myself? What idols are exposed when it is my turn to offer grace?
5. Message: Do I present a heavily redacted gospel?
The Book of Jonah employs hyperbole to create vivid and intentional contrasts. The word “great” appears repeatedly—a great city, a great wind, a great fish. Jonah himself, however, stands in stark contrast to this greatness. For example, “Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ journey” (Jon. 3:3). Yet Jonah traveled only one day into the city and delivered a strikingly short message. There is no indication in Scripture that he provided a reason for the coming judgment or any instruction on how the people might avert destruction. Most significantly, there is no indication in Scripture he ever mentioned Yahweh God. His preaching revealed an alarming lack of concern for their souls. Are my priorities aligned with God’s priorities for souls? Is my gospel presentation complete and rooted in God’s power?
6. Ministry: Do I rejoice at someone else’s success?
In Jonah 4, Jonah became exceedingly angry because God was merciful to the city but, in his view, indifferent to Jonah’s comfort. The ministry’s success did not meet his expectations. Though 120,000 souls were saved, Jonah remained unhappy. Do I measure ministry success in selfish ways? How do I respond to the success of others in a similar ministry?
7. The Unanswered Question:
The book ends with a question that is left unanswered, “And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” (Jon. 4:10) Or does it? In fact, three people respond. First, Jonah responded. The very existence of this autobiographical, self-deprecating book suggests that he finally answered the question in alignment with God.
Second, Christ is the greater Jonah. Jonah descended because of disobedience; Christ, because of ours. Jonah survived; Christ died and defeated death. Jonah delivered a fragmented message; Christ is the message. Christ cared not just for the city of Nineveh, but for the whole world.
Third, will we respond? “Yes, Lord, this great city You have kept me for needs Your mercy and grace. Help me to be faithful as I show these souls that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.”
We can be thankful for a merciful God. We can have confidence that, though we often act like Jonah, He pursues us to complete the ministry given to us.