The Lesson of Jonah

By Craig Ashton Jr., November 18, 2023

I recently revisited the story of Jonah, the runaway prophet who wanted the city of Nineveh to be destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah. The people of Nineveh were vile, violent and deserving of punishment, and Jonah worried that if they changed course, God would spare them. Jonah knew that God was gracious and merciful toward him but had a problem with foreigners receiving mercy from God (Jonah 4:2).

Jonah finally gave his doomsday message to Nineveh with astonishing results—the entire city repented, from the king on down! He then climbed onto a nearby hilltop that overlooked the city to watch the firebombs that he expected to drop from God like guided missiles. When God didn’t nuke Nineveh with avenging wrath as he had hoped, Jonah became furious that God showed mercy and compassion to his enemies. God tried to appeal to Jonah’s empathy for the city’s men, women, children, and even animals, but Jonah could only think about his misfortune.

The story of Jonah reminds me of those who sanction violence through double standards cloaked in biblical language. I know my own inclinations toward revenge and think of Jonah waiting for God’s fire to fall from the sky. I find it absolutely horrifying when I hear the Bible used to justify the destruction of civilians. It is wrong to use the Bible to justify something so unjustifiable. Jonah may have had his proof texts, but God had a different message for this reluctant prophet who harbored incorrect views about Him.

I believe the Bible calls all of us to a higher belief in God and the triumph of His love and mercy. Jonah believed in God but failed to correct his own distorted views about Him. The story does not end with Jonah recognizing his error and repenting. Rather, the story pivots to us: What are we to do about God’s concern for foreigners, for our enemies, and for those we deem damnable?

The story of Jonah should help us strengthen our commitments to compassion and mercy during these challenging times. In the end, our characters and destinies are formed by the picture of God that we hold to be true.

Craig Ashton Jr.