Lesson 307 | JONAH AND THE GREAT FISH | Jonah 1; 2; 3

Full Lesson HERE

INTRODUCTION. Jonah was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel. His home

was Gath Hepher, a border town in the territory of Zebulun. He prophesied, by the

word of the Lord, the expansion of the borders of Israel during the days of Jeroboam II

who reigned over Israel from 793-753 B. C. (II Kings 14:23-29). Jeroboam II was the

great-grandson of Jehu, the king who destroyed the house of Ahab and cleansed the

northern kingdom of Baal worship.

One day the Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh, the great capital city of Assyria, and "cry

against it; for their wickedness is come up before me" (Jonah 1:2). Nineveh was located

on the Tigris River about 225-250 miles north of Babylon. The city was surrounded by

a high, massive wall about eight miles in circumference. The population at

the time of Jonah's mission was 120,000 or more (Jonah 4:11).

The cruel Assyrian empire had inflicted great suffering on the peoples of the world for

centuries. Their first conflict with Israel had occurred one hundred years earlier

during the reigns of Ahab and Jehu. Jonah, therefore, was reluctant to go to Nineveh to

preach a message of repentance to Israel's enemy. Jonah instead attempted to run

away from God.

The book of Jonah can be summarized as follows:

Chapter 1 - Jonah runs from God

Chapter 2 - Jonah runs to God

Chapter 3 - Jonah runs with God

Chapter 4 - Jonah runs ahead of God