A Fresh Look at Jonah: Part 2

Yahweh will go to great lengths to reclaim and provoke the repentance of His covenant people.

Jonah acknowledges the problem of lying vanities (idolatry) in his prayer in Chapter 2. In fact, it seems like a pivotal point. He remembers just as he is about to lose consciousness, and his prayer is accepted just in time! (Jonah 2:7) As a prophet of Israel, he is responsible to his people. He should not be running away from his responsibilities. A prophet’s role is to warn and educate.

Idolatry Features In Jonah’s Prayer

In his awakened sense of responsibility, Jonah observes in his prayer (Jonah 2:8) that to “observe lying vanities”1 is to forsake mercy. The sense of this thought is here in the International Standard Version (ISV): 

Those who cling to vain idols leave behind the gracious love [mercy] that could have been theirs. (Jonah 2:8 ISV).

The word “forsake” (AV) means to “relinquish” or “leave behind,” as it is in the ISV above. “Mercy” is the word chesed, which specifically relates to the mercy Yahweh shows only to those in covenant with him. Mercy is specifically related to salvation. The closing statement of Jonah’s prayer, “Salvation is of Yahweh,” in the following verse is now given connection and context. “Which keeps covenant and mercy with those that love him and keep his commandments.”  (Deuteronomy 7:9). Note that in the Tabernacle and temple, the mercy seat is carefully and significantly placed on the Ark of the Covenant. Covenant and mercy go together in the Father’s scheme. But it depends on loving and keeping his commandments.

Note also that Paul says, “You in time past have not believed God, but have now obtained mercy.” (Romans 11:31).  The “mercy” of salvation is obtained in response to belief. 

If his covenant people fall out of love and turn their devotion to other deities (idolatry) even though those idols are not real, He becomes jealous. (Deuteronomy 4:24, 5:9, 6:15). The mercy of salvation is ultimately withdrawn. Thus, we can understand Jonah 2:8 as “Those that observe lying vanities [idolatry] relinquish the salvation that had been graciously extended to them.” Consider in the context of Jonah why “lying vanities” might feature in his prayer and why the recognition of such seems to be a pivotal point in the prophecy. 

Poetically, Jonah ceases sinking, and the great fish rises to the surface and vomits him on the land (Jonah 2:10). Interestingly, Leviticus 18:28 speaks of the land spewing out the people because of the inhabitants’ abominations (idolatry). This is the Hebrew word ko kayaw, which may, in fact, be onomatopoeic (pronounced in a guttural, gagging Hebrew way). 

Idolatry In God’s People Is Sickening To Him

To continue the theme of “vomiting,” or what is nauseous to Yahweh, the gourd plant which “grows up in a night and perishes in a night” (Jonah 4:10) is the related Hebrew word qi qayon, a nauseous plant. The plant represents Nineveh. It is a transient, useless, nausea-inducing city-state. A violent, idolatrous people that only serve a temporary purpose, just like the gourd gave temporary relief to Jonah. It served a purpose, but ingesting it would cause Yahweh nausea. So, worms struck and it withered and perished within twenty-four hours of it sprouting from the ground.

The Gourd Represents Nineveh

The fact that the transient gourd represents Nineveh is clear. “Thou hast had pity on the gourd… should not I have pity on Nineveh.” (Jonah 4:10-11). “For which thou hast not labored, neither made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night.” God prepared a vine and made it come up, then God prepared a worm the next day, and the vine perished. That is his sovereign prerogative. Jonah was having problems accepting God’s sovereign will and probably misunderstanding his purpose.

In contrast, Israel is the cultivated vine (Isaiah 5:7):

Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou cast out the heathen and planted it. (Psalm 80:8).

You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. (Psalm 80:9, 10 ISV).

Grapevines can live up to 120 years and produce fruit for most of that time. Psalm 80 describes Israel as a vine with deep roots. In stark contrast, a vine of the gourd family lasts just one season. It has a straw-like stem that breaks off easily. After it produces fruit, it then dies off. That is if it produces fruit at all! Note what the Parable of the Sower says. 

Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. (Matthew 13:5-6 ESV).

In Matthew 13, the immediate springing up is due to the shallowness of the soil. The withering away is due to the sun and, again, the shallow soil. So, in the parable, it is a transient plant that sprang to life quickly but never had any ability or opportunity to produce fruit. 

John the Baptist told the Pharisees, “Bring forth fruit consistent with repentance.” (Matthew 3:8 ISV). So, repentance is a start, but then fruit needs to follow. A way of life consistent with the intention of reformation is required to bring pleasure to the Creator. 

In the same way, Jesus cursed the fig tree that was not fruiting. It was useless, an encumbrance to the ground, so it was cursed and withered away. When the disciples saw it, they were amazed at how soon the fig tree had withered away. 

Nineveh is the gourd. A nauseous plant that sprung up quickly (speedy repentance). But the ground was shallow, unprepared, and stony. The soil did not produce any fruits worthy of that remarkable repentance. In the Father’s purpose, it plays no further part. No lightstand of the truth exists in Nineveh, and there is no ecclesia in isolation. It served its purpose, and ultimately it perished in ignorance. This picture enigmatically (even sarcastically) hinted at in the concluding words of the prophecy.

Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than sixscore thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle? (Jonah 4:11).

So, Israel is the cultivated vine, but in her current state, she had become nauseous and vile to him. 

Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up [Hebrew ”withered”], they shall bear no fruit. (Hosea 9:16). 

Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself. (Hosea 10:1).

Note the precise language regarding the gourd vine “which came up in a night and perished in a night.” In fact, the armies of Assyria later perished remarkably in a single night. 

That night, the angel of the LORD went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000. And when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses.(Isaiah 37:36; 2 Kings 19:35). 

Furthermore, the city of Nineveh later perished under Yahweh’s command, as is the subject of Nahum’s prophecy. The final words of the prophecy, “That cannot discern between their right hand and their left,” are like an epitaph for the people of Nineveh. 

To Discern Between Left and Right 

The record in Jonah Chapter 4 leaves the prophet apparently still sulking on the city’s outskirts. Either still waiting for the divine catastrophe to strike Nineveh or unable to cope with Yahweh’s pity (as he saw it) toward Israel’s enemies. The record in Jonah does not tell us if he went back to his people or even if the people back home in Israel were provoked to jealousy by the amazing events in Nineveh. However, the brief record in Kings (2 Kings 14:25-27) shows a restoration in Israel. The northern coasts of Israel were restored as far as the areas of Hamath (modern Syria). This achievement was “by the hand of the prophet Jonah.” A potential scenario is that Yahweh relented and did not blot out Israel then. Destruction was imminent but was averted. In that way, Nineveh represented Israel. Jonah was instrumental in this. Piecing the puzzle together, Israel heard of the remarkable repentance of their enemies, the Assyrian Ninevites. This news provoked their own repentance for a time, and under the guiding hand of the prophet Jonah, their fortunes were restored, and they experienced a prosperous time under Jeroboam, son of Joash.2

The repentance of Nineveh was surprising in so many ways. 

The probability that it would even happen. 

The depth and extent of repentance throughout the entire city. 

The speed of repentance and emotional sincerity.

Acceptance by a Gentile nation with no experience of the God of Israel.

The preacher was prejudiced and reluctant.

The Lord himself gives the most significant indication of the reason and purpose of the prophecy. 

The Remarkable Repentance of Nineveh   

They were a remarkable example to Israel because of their repentance—just like the Queen of the South was an example because she traveled such a distance. (Luke 11:30-32). In Nineveh’s case, it was an unexpected but wholesale repentance in circumstances where repentance would not normally happen. This repentance was a witness to Israel both in the days of the Lord and in the days of Jonah. 

In the days of the Lord, it was said they would rise up and condemn the men of that generation in judgment. What type of “rising up and condemning” is the subject of the second part of this consideration? In the days of Jonah, it was intended to provoke Israel to their own wholesale repentance. 

The Apostle Paul in Romans 9-11 cites Deuteronomy 32 to discuss why Yahweh turns to the Gentiles. Is it solely for the benefit of Gentiles? “God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy.” (Romans 11:11).

“Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people and by a foolish nation I will anger you.” (Romans 10:19). Also, “If by any means I might provoke to emulation [jealousy] those that are my flesh.” (Romans 11:14). 

In summary, the reason for recording this unusual narrative prophecy is to show the extent to which Yahweh will go to reclaim and provoke the repentance of His covenant people. It is not about Jonah or about saving the people of Nineveh. The people of Nineveh were a tool in the hands of the divine artisan. The entire city showed remarkable, speedy, and wholesale repentance in unexpected circumstances. This development is the repentance that Yahweh needed to see in his own people. This feature is one the Lord himself distills from the prophecy in the gospel records.

David Carroll,
Blue Mountain Ecclesia, NSW