Redemption in Jonah

Archaeological and inscriptional evidence details the cruelty of ancient Assyrian kings. King Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BC) boasted about how he responded to rebellious cities: "I flayed as many nobles as had revolted against me, and draped their skins over the pile . . . some I impaled on stakes on the pile . . . I cut off the limbs of the officers, of the royal officers" (Grayson, Assyrian Royal Inscriptions, Part 2: From Tiglath-pileser I to Ashur-nasir-apli II, 124).

We might think that Jonah's fear of the Assyrians caused him to disobey God's command to go to Nineveh. However, his motivation is given in the book. When he finally obeyed and preached to Nineveh, they responded with repentance. “But it greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry. Then he prayed to the Lord and said, 'Please Lord, was this not what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore in anticipation of this I fled to Tarshish, since I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy, and One who relents of disaster. So now, Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life'” (Jon. 4:1-3). He knew God was gracious and compassionate.

"The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here" (Matt. 12:41).

Ben