Jonah and His Nationalism Since we frequently skip straight to the section of the story about Jonah and the whale, we frequently overlook crucial details. Before we can comprehend the reason why Jonah does what he does, we want to have close to zero familiarity with how this person was. Let’s go back a little bit.

Jonah was essentially a prophet—a man who spoke on behalf of God to others.

However, not all of the things God supported were supported by him. Jonah had supported Jeroboam’s aggressive military strategy in the past to increase the nation’s power and influence. To put it another way, he was a player in politics; he had opinions, power, and influence in politics.

all in all, Jonah adored his country. Which is beneficial. However, Jonah transformed a good thing into the ultimate. He put his patriotism over his loyalty to God.

I don’t know about you, but that sounds a lot like the modern Western church.

When God asks him to do something ridiculous, that attitude is displayed even more clearly.

God’s Crazy Solicitation
The book of Jonah opens up with an incredible solicitation. Jonah 1:2: Jonah, I believe you should go to Nineveh.

You’re not stunned would you say you are?

Nineveh likely means very little to you, as a matter of fact. Or perhaps you’ve heard Nineveh compared to Las Vegas, and you think going there wouldn’t be bad. However, Nineveh dislike Vegas, it was a whole lot more regrettable.

Allow me to give a somewhat more present-day model.

Imagine that Jonah was a Jewish rabbi in 1943. When God appears, he tells Jonah, “Hey, Jonah… I want you to go to Berlin.” You know the Nazi capital. Additionally, I want you to identify yourself with them and urge them to turn from their evil ways. In addition, if they do that, I will pardon them.”

What implications does that have for Jonah? not at all well. Jewish Rabbis were not very well-liked in Nazi Germany. Furthermore, no reasonable Jew would choose to travel there.

So it seems OK why Jonah takes off to Tarshish (Jonah 1:3). Australia’s equivalent in 1943. He does what any of us would have done.

The Assyrian empire’s capital was Nineveh; They were, to put it mildly, evil. Much worse than you think.

They were brutal war machines with great effectiveness. At the point when they caught a foe they would frequently remove their legs and one arm, and as they gradually drained out they would shake their excess hand taunting them at their loss. They frequently required family members to parade through with their loved one’s decapitated heads. They would cut off limbs, burn children, remove tongues, and mock people while they were still alive. They were criminals.

Check out this article from the Biblical Archaeology Society if you want to learn more about the brutality of the Assyrian empire: Grisly Assyrian Record of Torture and Death If Jonah arrives at this location, he is aware of the outcome. Additionally, who might need detestable individuals like that to be pardoned? He needs them obliterated.

No way, Jonah must be thinking that. I will never do that. These people have caused harm to my people and country. I maintain that they should pay, not be excused.