Fun Facts About Jonah

fun-facts-about-jonah

The Old Testament book entitled Jonah was written in late 700 BC, possibly by the prophet Jonah. In the book, Jonah describes his experience with being told by God to take word of coming judgment to the city of Nineveh, where the people’s evil had gotten out of hand. Instead of going to Nineveh, Jonah headed the other way and hopped a boat to Tarshish. God sent a storm to rock the boat and the sailors were distressed. They threw out cargo to lighten the ship in hopes it would continue to float, but finally determined that it was likely someone on board that was causing the problem. Jonah owned up to the responsibility and told the crew to toss him overboard. God had prepared a large fish to swallow up Jonah, where he stayed and prayed for three days and three nights. When he finally repented, God had the whale spit him onto land near Nineveh. Jonah went to the city and delivered the message. The people of Nineveh heard, understood, and repented in sackcloth and ashes.

jonah facts

The Hebrew word that is translated Jonah means “dove” or “pigeon” (they are the same family of birds).

jonah facts

Verses 39-41 of Matthew 12 tell us, “But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” It is spelled in the New Testament with an s rather than an h due to its translation into Greek, but it is clear that Jesus was speaking of the prophet Jonah.

Fun Facts About Jonah

Jonah was swallowed by the whale and spent three days and three nights in the deep. He was then spit out. In the same way, Jesus died on the cross and spent three days and three nights in the grave, then resurrected.

jonah facts

While most of the prophets were primarily dealing with the Israelites, Jonah is a notable exception. Nineveh, the city to which he was sent, was a Gentile city. It was an offshoot of the lands built up by Nimrod, who was known to be a mighty hunter.

jonah facts

Jonah dealt with some things that Christians face regularly. When asked to do something he found undesirable, he ran from it. When consequences resulted, he sought God for aid and relief. When it came, he did as God wanted from him. However, afterward, he became discontent because he expected something different from what happened.

jonah facts

Because Jonah obeyed God and took the message to Nineveh, it continued for a few more generations. According to history, the city was conquered in 612 BC, about 150 years after Jonah’s message.

jonah facts

While there is a slight possibility that Jonah penned an autobiography, it appears to be more likely that it was written by a third party. Some things that support this view include that the book mentions no specific author (nor do references elsewhere), the extreme age of the book (it is assumed it was written between 400-200 BC – long after the events around 770 BC), and the fact that the book puts Jonah in a somewhat negative light.

It is likely that Jonah told the story to his family and friends over the years, and eventually someone decided to write it down so it would not be lost.

jonah facts

Nothing else is known about Jonah except this experience and that he was the son of a man named Amittai who was also a prophet who came from a place named Gathhepher.

jonah facts

The sailors had other gods, but they were aware that Jonah served the God of Israel. The mariners cast lots and it landed on Jonah. They asked him why he was the reason for the storm, and he explained what he had done. They asked what they should do and he told him to toss him in the water. They resisted that request, trying to row to shore first, but were unable to. After they threw him in, the sea immediately settled. They realized the power of God and offered a sacrifice to Him.

jonah facts

What God desires from people is obedience. When people disobey, there will be consequences. God has made this very clear. However, when people continue to rebel despite the consequences, God will raise up someone else to carry out the task.

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Where to Buy
Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted (Bible Study Book) Paperback – January 1, 2010
The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy Hardcover – October 2, 2018
Jonah (Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible) Paperback – December 5, 2017
Obadiah, Jonah and Micah (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) Paperback – October 19, 2009
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
Jonah: The Musical

 

Resources

Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted

Learn more about the life of Jonah in this 7-lesson Bible study.

The Prodigal Prophet

The story of Jonah is full of many lessons that can be learned from the life of Jonah – before, during, and after he takes the message of God to Nineveh. God’s mercy is shown more clearly in the book of Jonah than in almost any other book of the Bible.

Jonah (Brazos Theological Commentary)

This study examines the book of Jonah in the light of its origins and how it can relate to our modern lives.

Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah

This Tyndale commentary of the Old Testament books of Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah considers the themes, issues, and basis of the books, as well as their historical settings, structure, and composition. The information is then expounded by scholars for better understanding.

Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie

While not the exact story we find in the Old Testament, this animated retelling of Jonah’s story is fun to watch and has catchy tunes to help people remember key points about Jonah’s experiences.

Jonah: The Musical (Prime Video)

A Broadway version of the story, this musical pairs drama with humor to provide a bit of cinematic insight into the story of Jonah, the reluctant prophet.