Jonah, Exposition # 1 of 2

Jonah disobeyed God, and did not go to Nineveh. He traveled by ship, but there was a terrible storm. Knowing that God had caused the storm, Jonah asked the men to throw him into the sea, but Jonah did not drown, because God sent a whale (large fish) to swallow Jonah. Then, Jonah prayed to God again--he thanked God for rescuing him, and was immediately returned to dry land. Then Jonah went to Nineveh, warned the people to confess—they obeyed, and God forgave Nineveh. The Book of Jonah is the fifth book of the ‘Minor Prophets of the Old Testament,' and The Minor Prophets, as a rule, are not minor as in being less important than Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel (the ones known as the ‘Major Prophets'), but minor in the quantity of their content—though Hosea & Zechariah are exceptions. The Hebrew Bible puts the books of these twelve prophets together, and simply calls them ‘The Twelve.' In each of the books of the Minor Prophets, we will find the historical, the prophetical, and the practical—how it applies to us. The Book of Jonah shows man running from God, running to God, running with God, and shows how we should repent, confess, and walk in newness of life. The Minor Prophet Series is the in-depth type of teaching one might expect to receive while attending a seminary or Bible college. For best use in studying this series, please have your Bible open to the passages read. (The Minor Prophets series are complete, and will be uploaded in sequence.)