The Book of Jonah

If you think you know Jonah, think again. The book of Jonah is more than the tale of a man being eaten by a big fish, it is one of the most complex and intriguing stories of the Old Testament. This series places Jonah in his historical, geographical and theological context and forces us to see both ourselves and Christ in Jonah.

​​The four sermons:

1. Jonah: A Pig's Ear. One of the keys to understanding Jonah is realising that his decision to disobey God was not altogether unreasonable in light of the viciousness of the Assyrians and that this wayward prophet is just the sort of person God loves to use when he transforms a 'pig's ear into a silk purse' (1 Cor 1:28).

 

2.  Jonah: Sacrifice and Miracle. What sort of book is this?  Some say parable others allegory. In the end, Jesus informs us that he considers it history (Lk 12:29-32). If this is the case, is it possible that a big fish could swallow Jonah and house him for three days and nights? While addressing these questions the sermon picks up on the timeless themes of sacrifice (Lev 5:7) and miracles in God's dealing with his people.

 

3. Jonah: The Runaway Prophet. This message charts Jonah's attempt to flee from God and his temple. He heads directly to Tarshish with a shipload of Phoenicians. In doing so he endangers not only himself but others. When we disobey God there are always unintended consequences.

 

4. Jonah: Peter's Heavenly Doppelgänger. Remarkably, the apostle Peter's ministry to Caesarea mirrored Jonah's to Nineveh: both were Galileans, both were sent to the gentiles, both commenced their missions in Joppa, and both were commanded to 'arise and go.' Importantly God showed both men that their own nationalistic fervour was an impediment to God showering his love on the gentiles.  We need to avoid the same trap.