Study Audio Download

The Book of Jonah Chapter 1:1-17

[Aired February 1, 2025]

The Book of Jonah opens with the Lord’s terrifying commission for Jonah to go to Nineveh in Assyria, the most murderous nation of his time, and ours within.

Jonah is another of the Lord’s prophets typically given a specific message, and on this occasion, to focus on the crucial aspect of our innate Adam-like avoidance of addressing our wickedness. Like little children, we spiritually are when expecting chastisement for breaking one of our Lord’s commands, our first impulse is to hide by running away. Upon our inevitability of needing to ‘come home’ to where food and the other necessities of life reside, we, like Jonah, face the music from our Father and our proclivity to accuse and excuse ourselves. Our Father gently chastises those childish urges equal to the severity of the crime, and we, on our figurative ‘three-day journey’ to Nineveh, become more mature at witnessing to ourselves and brothers and sisters in the Body and hopefully some in the world. Of course, we shall see in Jonah chapter 4 that his prophesies are eventually heard by the entirety of mankind, represented as “cattle”, a mighty sacrifice in the Lake of Fire and symbolic sweet savour to the Father.

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Joh 10:15  As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep [safe in Christ].
Joh 10:16  And other sheep [symbolically in Nineveh] I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they [some] shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

The meaning of Jonah’s name is phenomenally indicative of the young Bride’s initial calling. She, depicted as a dove (Son 5:2), is peaceful and emits a sparkling feminine responsiveness that every man delights, particularly Christ, spiritually.

H3124
– Original: יונה
– Transliteration: Yonah
– Phonetic: yo-naw’
– Definition: Jonah = dove.
Origin: the same as H3123
– Strong’s: Probably from the same as H3196; a dove (apparently from the warmth of their mating): – dove pigeon. Definition:
1. wine
– Origin: from an unused root meaning to effervesce [sparkle – the spiritual result that wine does to our spirit; as doves fluttering their wings, and indicative of the holy spirit descending (Luke 3:22) effectuate in mating symbolising the Bride’s responsiveness to Christ, his ‘seed’ represented by the holy spirit conceiving the beginning of eternal life; opposite to the Whore’s lifeless eyes, formally ours]

The correlation is that Jonah is a passionate believer and, just like the immature Bride, is keen to do the Lord’s biddinguntil she inevitably begins to doubt that the Lord will come through to fight her battles. Consequently, she fears that she is not cut out for the ‘job’ and momentarily considers fleeing. It all is designed to build her faith and belief in her husband, Christ, in and by his strength and typified by Jonah’s growing faith.

Jonah Flees the Presence of the Lord

Jon 1:1  Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai [= my truth. 1. firmness, faithfulness, b. stability, continuance], saying, 
Jon 1:2  Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 

The name Nineveh means ‘abode’, and the capital of ancient Assyria, whom the Israelites, by God’s design, for many future reasons, failed to conquer, a primary reason being set up for Jonah’s timid, nonetheless faithful entrance for him to play out like our journey to becoming Christs.

Definition: Nineveh = abode of Ninus.
– capital of the ancient kingdom of Assyria; located on the east bank of the Tigris River, 550 miles (880 km) from its mouth and 250 miles (400 km) north of Babylon.

Of course, the Body of Christ is well versed in understanding that a ‘city’ is within with its particular traits typifying one’s sins. Subsequently, we see Jonah representing a far bolder Christ, indicting us for our like sins, and we develop a deep compassion for our Babylonian brothers and sisters, Ninevehian-like ignorance of their same sins should some hear our crying out.

Luk 19:38  Saying, Blessed be the King [Jonah, you and I] that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Luk 19:39  And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
Luk 19:40  And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. 

However, as typified by Peter, when we first begin to know the Lord, we are full of spiritual bravado, chopping off our family and friend’s ears, and when they scoff at us, we slink off with our tails between our legs, like Jonah, not willing to suffer repeated humiliation. In our immature state, our sickly impulse is to run away and hide in Tarshish, whose name depicts our disease. Our decision to flee our responsibility gives us an uneasy peace by nature of the name, Joppa, meaning ‘bright and beautiful’. In paying the ship’s captain the fare, we unwittingly pay Satan a non-refundable return to the deepbut for Christ’s buy-back (1 Co 6:20).

Jon 1:3  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish [= yellow jasper] from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. 
Jon 1:4  But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 

Jonah’s saga is indicative of our journey. We, too, will in our time and order, hopefully as Christ’s Wife in submissive co-rulership with him in the Lake of Fire, will at an advantageous time, as did Joseph to his brothers, relate to our fearful brothers and sister’s terrified eyes our like fiery death in our flesh as ones who first trusted in Christ to pave their way to life. Their calm will gradually come as they see that we, too, suffered the great wind of God’s spirit upon our sins while in the sea of Babylon, heaving up and down, feeling utterly broken in despair.

Psa 107:21-31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Psa 107:23  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters [fleeing from the Lord; making ourselves rich physically and a false Jesus, spiritually];
Psa 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep [in the world, within].
Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 
Psa 107:28  Then they [typified by us, not Jonah – he’d rather die] cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Jon 1:5  Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. 

We are the mariners who are sometimes afraid of God’s calling. Should we bury our talent in the earth, effectively casting forth our wares into the sea, we deludedly lighten our spiritual burden insidiously. In that case, we are worshipping another Jesus and represented by the ship’s ethnically diverse crew, indicative of Babylon, since each fancifully has ‘his own god’ to save them.

Indeed, Jonah was at peace with fleeing from the Lord since he lay asleep in the worst place imaginable, ‘in the sides of the ship’ as it sickeningly rolled and pitched in death throws. Jonah embodies those who were of us who were at peace in returning to Babylon, whereupon all the spiritual understanding that they thought they had was subsequently taken away.

Mat 25:24-30  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Mat 25:26  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Mat 25:27  Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Mat 25:28  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
Mat 25:29  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Mat 25:30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The classic case of someone absurdly being asleep in a small ship amid a tempest was Christ, being the positive antithesis of Jonah’s reasons for sleeping. Christ trusted in the Father, and Jonah unbelievably in himself; either way, they were at peace in stark parallel to the Ten Virgins; five foolish and five wise until the grim reality strikes too late.

Mat 25:1-13  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Mat 25:13  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

The few chosen to be the Bride of Christ are like Jonah’s God-given commission to perform His will to give the Kingdom to whom he wills, and there is no escape.

Psa 135:6  Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Jon 1:6  So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. 

In this instance, the shipmaster represents Christ judging our slothfulness and switches personality to be the many called in not knowing who Christ is, since if he uses the ‘scatter-gun’ prayer approach, hoping at least one of the many gods might awake and answer that they perish not such is the unbelief of the people in Babylonian Christianity from their many versions of Jesus, their consciences unnervingly accusing them of not diligently seeking the God of gods before getting into desperate straits.

1Ki 18:26  And they [Prophets of Baal] took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
1Ki 18:27  And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 

Isa 55:3  Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Isa 55:4  Behold, I have given him [Jonah, in this case representing us] for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
Isa 55:5  Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 
Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved [in their particular time and order of salvation, and not by the drowsy ten-second sinner’s prayer]
Rom 10:14  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Jonah Is Thrown into the Sea

Jon 1:7  And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

The casting of lots originated by God in Moses’ time for Aaron’s God-directed selection of a sin-offering goat and the scapegoat them both representing our like offerings. Jonah represented a type of sin offering and scapegoat offering illustrative of us.

Lev 16:8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

The casting of lots in ancient Biblical times was a kind of works of the law that lots afforded by the undeniability of God’s hand in the outcome of disputes without man’s influence. Since the cross, we have a similar guaranteed outcome though through the prayers of a righteous man. Since he knows and lives Christ’s commands, he already discerns the result of all disputes by a multitude of Eldership counsel. Consequently, there is no need for lots.

Pro 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Isa 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Heb 8:10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 
Heb 8:11  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Jon 1:8  Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? 
Jon 1:9  And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. 

Jonah’s response represents us not denying Christ before Babylonian Christianity’s many ethnic gods claiming the name of Jesus. In our fearfulness of what they can do to us, we stumble, unskilled in the word of God, and we are initially happy to be thrown back into the deep, the ‘sea of mankind’ from whence we came and drown our humiliation in obscurity but for the Lord’s saving grace, spewing us back on dry land denoting the process of transition for those the Lord calls his very Elect guaranteeing their turbulent, yet safe passage, them heeding his warnings for ‘that great city, Nineveh’ within.

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Joh 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Jon 1:10  Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 
Jon 1:11  Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. 

Psa 139:7  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Psa 139:8  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
Psa 139:9  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Psa 139:10  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Psa 139:11  If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
Psa 139:12  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

The ship’s crew asking Jonah how to calm the sea is emblematic of our tempestuous fiery trials, which make us sick in the stomach with embarrassment. The only solution is to acknowledge our iniquity before our Lord for glorious liberation (Jer 3:13-14), being cast into the Lord’s baptism of his fiery word likewise demonstrative, yet very different for mankind since Adam, in the Lake of Fire, the Second Resurrection.

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Jon 1:12  And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. 
Jon 1:13  Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. 

The ship’s crew, by having compassion on Jonah and making every effort to work hard to get to landfall, equates to Christ, not willing that any should die. But when we continue in iniquity, he, by the design of our journey, chastises us. Jonah could have repented on the spot before the Lord, and the sea of tribulations made calm, but no, he stubbornly stuck by his determination not to face the highly probable wrath of Nineveh.

Eze 18:23  Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Eze 18:24  But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

Jon 1:14  Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee. 
Jon 1:15  So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. 

The seafarers easily disbanded their many gods in the face of the Lake of Fire like terror and prayed to the God of gods, which typifies every man’s fateful distress, as did the rich man juxtaposed with the great gulf between him and Lazarus.

The saga wonderfully equates to Pilate spinelessly washing his hands of authority over the Jews and us denying Christ. How glorious is Jonah’s witness against himself, typifying our formally like fear of the Jews of Babylonian Christianity. When we, and by Christ’s strength, powerfully affirm Christ within to those who enquire, our foaming sea within becomes as calm as a moonlit millpond. Consequently, the world eventually will greatly fear our Lord and Husband, and like Joseph’s Father, mother and brothers, bow and worship God at the Bride’s feet.

Mat 27:24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Mat 10:33  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.

Jon 1:16  Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. 

The highly varied ethnicities of the ship’s crew denote the world outside the camp of Israel, particularly Gentile Christianity not yet dragged to Christ, stuck in the fearful expressions of the Law of Moses, knowing no better than to make endless vows submitting to their own strength to keep God’s word.

Jer 17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
Jer 17:6  For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
Jer 17:7  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

Luk 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

Luk 11:29  And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
Luk 11:30  For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
Luk 11:31  The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
Luk 11:32  The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

We complete this study, a kind of bedtime story, with the wide-awake eyes of mature children of Christ looking forward, at His will, to the highly anticipated spiritual outcome of the next verse of Chapter One leading into Chapter Two:

A Great Fish Swallows Jonah

Jon 1:17  Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 

Sleep well, wise Virgins…