Bible Truth FAQs
THE REAL JONAH
Almost everyone has heard of Jonah. Skeptics have gone so far as to label the account as "the great fish story" as though it were fictional. But Jesus placed credence to the story by comparing the three days and nights Jonah was in the belly of I the whale to the time he would be in the tomb (Matt. 12:39-41).
Jonah was rebellious. After he found that he could not successfully flee from God and was given a second chance, he preached God's message to the Ninevites (Jonah 3:1-4). They repented and God changed his mind (verses 5-10). Jonah was exceedingly displeased and angry (Chap. 4:l-3) because the c1ty was not overthrown according to the message he preached.
A gourd sprung up overnight to provide Jonah some relief from the sun's intense heat. When a worm smote the gourd so that it withered, Jonah had pity for the gourd but had no compassion toward the many thousands whom God spared because they repented (Read verses 6-11). When the preacher's feelings become more important than the message, there is little likelihood for any genuine compassion upon the hearers.
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