At a Glance
Jonah at a Glance
Jonah is a short story with a long reach. A prophet told to carry God's warning to a violent foreign city runs the other way. The book follows him through a storm, a great fish, a revival, and a sulk, and ends with a question to the reader.
- Author. Jonah the son of Amittai, a prophet from Gath-hepher in Galilee (Jonah 1:1; 2 Kings 14:25). The book tells his story in the third person, as other ancient writers did.
- Date. The events fall in the days of Jeroboam II, about 780 to 760 BC (2 Kings 14:25).
- Written To. Israel, a nation slow to believe that God would show mercy to its enemies, and every reader who needs the same lesson.
- Setting. Nineveh, a great city of Assyria, the cruel empire that would soon threaten Israel and in 722 BC end the northern kingdom.
- Key Verse. Salvation is of the LORD (Jonah 2:9).
- Key Word or Theme. God's mercy. He is gracious to the people we would leave out, including us.
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Further reading
For Deeper Study
- Be AmazedAmazon Warren W. WiersbeA warm, practical commentary covering Jonah with Hosea, Joel, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Malachi.
- The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's MercyAmazon Timothy KellerA close reading of Jonah's heart. Keller was a Presbyterian pastor, and we differ with him on some doctrines.
- Exploring the Minor ProphetsAmazon John PhillipsA readable expository commentary from a premillennial preacher.
- Foxe's Book of MartyrsAmazon John FoxeThe classic Protestant record of those who died for the faith, from the early church to the English Reformation.
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Obadiah
The shortest Old Testament book announces God's judgment on proud Edom for standing aside and gloating when Jerusalem fell, and ends with Israel restored and the kingdom the LORD's.
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