You know who was Jonah? There is so much to learn from it...
Jonah was from Galilee (2 Kings 14:25).
He was commissioned by God to go to enemy territory, to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. His mission was to warn the Assyrians, because of their cruelty and much bloodshed, they would suffer the wrath of God if they did not repent within forty days.
The Assyrian empire was the dominant from 885bC to 665bC. The city of Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, and at that time, their armies were threatening Israel. The Assyrian warriors were considered the most bloody and brutal and liked to invent new ways to torture prisoners. Often drew people's skin, or sticking up in the air in the chest by a large spear, or behead people losers, making pyramids with their skulls. Crucified or impaled prisoners, drew their eyes and skinned alive.
Perhaps, because knowing the cruelty of the Assyrians, Jonas has been reluctant, for his own people had suffered much in their hands. What then was the attitude of Jonah? Jonah did what many men do, disagreed with the call of God. "God must be kidding me! I want that Nineveh is destroyed!" So Jonah tried to flee from God!
Fearing for his life, Jonah fled toward Tarshish, in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (modern region of Andalusia). It lies about 3,500 km from the port of Joppa (modern Tel Aviv).
The Assyrian empire was the dominant from 885bC to 665bC. The city of Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, and at that time, their armies were threatening Israel. The Assyrian warriors were considered the most bloody and brutal and liked to invent new ways to torture prisoners. Often drew people's skin, or sticking up in the air in the chest by a large spear, or behead people losers, making pyramids with their skulls. Crucified or impaled prisoners, drew their eyes and skinned alive.
Perhaps, because knowing the cruelty of the Assyrians, Jonas has been reluctant, for his own people had suffered much in their hands. What then was the attitude of Jonah? Jonah did what many men do, disagreed with the call of God. "God must be kidding me! I want that Nineveh is destroyed!" So Jonah tried to flee from God!
Fearing for his life, Jonah fled toward Tarshish, in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (modern region of Andalusia). It lies about 3,500 km from the port of Joppa (modern Tel Aviv).
Jonah went down to the port city of Joppa togo to Tarshish, to flee - the most remote destination where he could go. It is interesting to note how many times in the Bible we find the expression that "someone went down somewhere" - when you're living outside the will of God. "Going down to Egypt" is mentioned several times, because Egypt is a picture of the world. Down in chapter 3, verse 1, refers to the escape of God's will.
To meditate:
We know that the Lord's will is the only truly good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). So why are we so resistant and not surrender to it?
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