Top 10 Interesting Facts about Jonah

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Jonah

The story of Jonah is one of the most notable stories in the bible. His story of Jonah and the whale is the story that was told to the kids in Sunday school and thus made it popular among the Christians. However, there are things that people are unaware of about Jonah like his background as the story only concentrates on how Jonah was swallowed by the fish that took him to Nineveh.

Therefore, this article will delve into some interesting facts about Jonah and how his story is important in the bible.

1. He came from Gath Hepher

Jonah came from a small village known as Gath Hepher which was located close to Nazareth as it was only three miles apart. Today, the village is known as Mash Had. This was the place that Jonah was living when he was called by God to fulfil his mission to the people of Nineveh.

2. It is believed that he was the only prophet Jesus likened to himself

Prophet Jonah-Wikimedia

The story of Jonah is often likened to that of Jesus in that the experiences that Jonah went through from his trip to Nineveh to warning the people of the city, represent the kind of death, burial and resurrection that Jesus went through.

3. He was scared and prideful

It is seen at the start of the book of Jonah that he was scared and prideful and thus making him run away from God. He did not want to go to the city of Nineveh and deliver the message that God had given him as he felt that the people were his enemies and if he went and swayed them to repent, then God would not carry out his threat.

4. He was tossed into the ocean

The Prophet Jonah (painting_by_Demetrios_Stavrakis)-Wikimedia

After disobeying God, Jonah boarded a ship that was going in the opposite direction at Tarshish. While on the ship, a serious storm developed through the hands of God and the crew had to cast lots. They concluded that Jonah was the one who was making their journey difficult and thus tossed him overboard where he was swallowed by a big fish. He stayed at the belly of the fish for three days and three nights and in there, he said a prayer to repent. The fish then released him to dry land that was not far from Nineveh where he was to deliver the message.

5. He influenced the people of Nineveh to repent

When Jonah goes to pass the message that God sent him which was to tell the people of Nineveh that they were going to perish because of their sins, he manages to influence them to repent and turn back to God.

However, Jonah is angry when they do so as he knows that God was going to punish the city and after they repent, God spares them. Jonah believed that the city would be destroyed as he had been told but he had not envisioned that the people of the city would ask for forgiveness from God and he would grant it. His anger prompts him to beg God to kill him but instead, God decides to teach him a lesson.

6. God gave him shade

Jonah has requested God that he dies but instead of listening to him he commanded a tree to grow over the prophet and provided him with shade. When God did so, Jonah was very grateful but he became angry the next day after God sent him a worm to eat with a plant. He goes on to tell God that it would have been better if he had died. God the makes the plant wither and asks him why he should not spare Nineveh which has six thousand people who cannot discern between their right hand and left hand.

7. He is considered to be the most effective prophet

Prophet Jonah-Wikimedia

Jonah is considered to be the most effective prophet in the bible in that he convinced a whole city to repent and change their ways so that they may avoid the wrath of God. Most prophets in biblical history only had a few converts who listened and believed in what they were sent to say. Jonah on the other hand, only told the people of Nineveh once that they had veered off the path of God and they were heading to destruction and they listened. Therefore, this makes him one of the iconic prophets in the old testament.

8. He was the most famous foreign missionary

It is well known that Jonah went from his home country to another region to warn the people of the wrath that was about to fall on Nineveh because of their sins. His fame also arose from the fact that he is the only prophet in the bible that made one prophecy and the same prophecy did not come true as God decided to spare the people of Nineveh after they repented.

9. He is used to demonstrating the sovereignty of God

Jonah is used in the bible to show the sovereignty of God in that even though he had refused the calling that he had been given, God still used him as a channel to bring redemption to the people of Nineveh. Therefore, he is critical in teaching Christians that God will always come to pass no matter what obstacles seem to be along the way as he is all-powerful.

10. He teaches that no one is beyond forgiveness

Jonah is known in the bible as the man who disobeyed God and refused to go to Nineveh as he did not think that the people in the city deserved forgiveness. However, it is seen from the book of Jonah that even though he had sunk as low as he could by not agreeing to the instructions given to him by God, he was still forgiven. Therefore, jonah teaches people that even if one has gone beyond redemption, one can still be forgiven.