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Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, etc.

I. THE MAN. Jonah is introduced without a word of explanation, except (implicitly) that he was a prophet of the Lord. So also Elijah (1 Kings 17:1). Their previous history is assumed. God's servants are treated as all waiting on him to receive his orders, so that "he says to this one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh?" This is the true idea of servants; they "look unto his hand" (Psalm 123:2); "stand in his house" (Psalm 134:1); "stand before him" (Jeremiah 15:1). We have a little more information about Jonah (see 2 Kings 14:25). In the New Testament we have a twofold view of Jonah - a sign to the Ninevites (Luke 11:30, 32), and a type of Christ (Matthew 12:40). This book is short, but of remarkable interest. "It is long and it is short; short if we respect the smallness of the volume, but long if we respect the copious variety of excellent observations that are therein to be found: as the horribleness of sin, which was able within forty days to pluck down an utter desolation on so famous a city as Nineveh was; God's love in forewarning them that dwelt in that place that they might be spared; the prophet's foul fall, and his strange punishment for it; his offwardness from God, and God's favourable inclination evermore to him; the regard which the King of Nineveh and his people did bear to God's judgments when they were denounced; the free pardon of the Lord and his remitting of their sin upon their repentance" (Archbishop Abbot).

II. THE CALL.

1. Its source. Directly and clearly from God - the only source of spiritual authority - an authority not to be gainsaid or trifled with. Unlike any other authority, to it implicit obedience is due.

"Theirs not to make reply;
Theirs not to reason why."

2. Its rousing note. Arise! Implies summons to unusual exertion - the commission that follows needs great energy - it is not to be executed in a listless frame - "wherefore gird up the loins of your mind." Some duties are of such a kind that unusual self-excitation is needed for them (see Hebrews 12:1). "The very first word he hears is 'Arise.' It is a word used before another verb as a term of excitement. Arise! I know you have difficulties, in yourself, in your people, in the mission to Nineveh; arise, therefore, gird up your loins, stir up thy strength, and go! (Rev. A. Raleigh, D.D.) How differently has the command to arise been dealt with by different men! Moses hesitates, pleads off, at last agrees (Exodus 4.). Jeremiah urges his youth (Jeremiah 1:6). Paul confers not with flesh and blood (Galatians 1:16). Our Lord sets his face steadfastly to go up to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).

3. Its sphere. "Go to Nineveh, that great city." The prophet is sent outside the boundaries of Israel; he is a foreign missionary - the first foreign missionary after Elijah, who was sent among the Phoenicians. The field is Nineveh, probably the greatest and richest city of the world at that time. As missionary to Nineveh, Jonah occupies a remarkable position - through him God is to assert his claim as the God, not only of the Jews, but of the whole earth. He is to declare himself Lord of Nineveh and of all countries, and summon its inhabitants to their allegiance to him. "Suddenly, without note or warning, without preface, without explanation, assuming sovereign state as God Most High over all the earth; Jehovah, remanifesting, if not reassuming his universal supremacy, conducts, on the scale of most amazing miracle, a movement of his ceaseless government, as it extends over all nations; and that it may not fail to compel the attention of all succeeding ages, he adorns that movement with the most marvellous and romantic incident, with one of the most striking if not perplexing developments of human character, especially as occurring in a man of God, and with the symbolic death and resurrection of the agent under whose hand that movement is conducted - a death and resurrection on the very type of Mesaiah's; for Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, even as the Son of man was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (H. Martin, D.D.).

4. Its purport. Cry against it; for its wickedness is come before me. "He must cry against Nineveh, not whisper in the ear as if it were to one, not speak softly as to a few, but cry as unto all: this is a general proclamation. This word 'cry' is used in Scripture when men are fast asleep and lulled in their sins, and awake not with a little; so that as Elijah said to the Baalites, they were to 'Cry aloud, because Baal might be sleeping, and must be awaked;' so the minister must cry aloud, that men may be raised from their drowsiness in sin" (Abbot). "The wickedness of Nineveh" consisted in pride, ambition, oppression, cruelty, sensuality. The Ninevites were very merciless, and practised most horrible cruelties on captives, even of the highest rank. This wickedness had come before God, denoting that it had become full (Genesis 15:16), therefore intolerable. Yet to this merciless people Divine mercy was to be shown. Great cities apt to become great in sin - the power of sin becomes concentrated - one sinner encourages another - sin can be more easily hid - or, it may become very shameless - it is the duty of God's servants to cry against the wickedness of such cities, their drunkenness, licentiousness, greed, sabbath breaking, etc., and proclaim God's wrath against their sins.

III. THE CALL REFUSED. Jonah fulfilled the command to arise - but not to go against Nineveh. He shrinks from duty - "He should have risen to cry, but he rose to fly" (Abbot). His reasons were probably various - one is afterwards referred to by him (Jonah 4:2). Shirking duty because it is irksome and disagreeable, is too common. In ordinary life, irksome employments, when not patiently accepted, breed negligence, idleness, drunkenness, love of illicit pleasure, etc. Here is a lesson for the young - at school, or when beginning business or trade. In religious life, disagreeableness of duty is often a stumbling block - often makes us unfaithful; we neglect to warn others because the task is disagreeable. As the remedy for this, learn to regard duty ever as the command of God, who will strengthen and carry through all who trust him. "Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." He could hardly have believed that Tarshish was out of God's presence, but he acted as if he thought so. It was away from his immediate and manifested presence. There is a tendency in many to act as if God were in some places, not in others - as if God were in the church or religious meeting, but not in the marketplace, and as if they might act there as his enemies act. Edmund Burke said the humanity of England was "a thing of points and parallels." Some break the sabbath abroad as they would not do at home. Many fly from the company of godly people, because not willing to think of God. Lurking unbelief in this. Omnipresence of God a lesson for both old and young. God is sometimes represented by conscience. Fatal is the wish to escape from God - it would be to leave all that is bright, holy, gladdening, for ways of darkness, filth, misery. If we say to God, "Depart from us" (Job 21:14), he will say to us, "Depart from me" (Matthew 25:41). Jonah's effort to escape from God's presence seemed successful - "he found a ship going to Tarshish." Providence seemed to favour him; but this was a narrow view - providence must be interpreted widely. "We cannot expect smiles of approbation from Heaven any longer than we can say with Abraham's servant, 'I being in the way" (Jones of Creaton). "So he paid the fare thereof." He had the money ready - another apparently favourable providence, and he paid it at once, for men do not grudge expense to carry out their own will, however reluctant often to spend it to carry out God's. See the costliness of sin - yet the devil's taxes are usually paid cheerfully. Picture Jonah afloat in the Mediterranean - his conflicting feelings - relief, yet no relief - like a modern criminal escaping to America, with an evil conscience and dread of the telegraph - his expedition insane. "Whither can I go from thy presence?" (Psalm 139.). No hiding from God (Jeremiah 23:24; Revelation 6:16). Only hiding place in God (Psalm 32:7). The great lesson is this - indefeasible obligation of God's will, and man's alienation from it and disposition to resist it (Romans 7.). Hence the need of watching and prayer: "Teach me to do thy will!" - W.G.B.

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Parallel Verses

KJV: Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

WEB: Now the word of Yahweh came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,