Jonah Chapter 1
Introduction to the Book of Jonah
The Book of Jonah is one of the twelve Minor Prophets, not minor in importance but in length. Unlike other prophetic books, Jonah is not a collection of sermons or prophecies but a narrative focused on the life of the prophet himself. Jonah, the son of Amittai, is mentioned earlier in Second Kings 14:25, where he is described as a prophet from Gath Hepher in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Jeroboam II. This places Jonah in the eighth century B.C., around 760–750 B.C., during a time of national prosperity and spiritual decline in Israel. Instead of delivering a message to Israel, God sends Jonah on a mission to Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire, a violent and pagan nation known for its cruelty, brutality in warfare, and hostility toward Israel.
Jonah is unique among prophetic books because it emphasizes the prophet’s struggle with God's mercy rather than the sins of the people. It reveals a man who knows God but resists His will, a prophet who would rather flee than see God show grace to Israel’s enemies. The structure of the book is simple and divided into four chapters: Jonah’s call and rebellion, his prayer from the belly of the great fish, his reluctant obedience and revival in Nineveh, and finally his anger at God’s mercy. The Book of Jonah confronts self-righteousness, exposes national pride, and highlights the compassion of God for all nations. It shows that God is not only the God of Israel but the God of all people and that His mercy extends even to the most wicked if they will repent.
Theologically, Jonah teaches that God is sovereign over creation, from the sea to the storm to the fish to the plant and worm. It emphasizes God’s compassion, patience, and willingness to forgive, but also His absolute authority to command His servants. The book is also prophetic in typology. Jesus Christ Himself affirmed Jonah as a historical figure and used Jonah’s three days and three nights in the belly of the fish as a foreshadowing of His own death, burial, and resurrection, as seen in Matthew 12:40. While some liberal scholars attempt to reduce the book to allegory or legend because of its miraculous elements, Jesus’ words affirm its literal truth and divine authority.
Jonah shows the contrast between God’s heart for the lost and man’s reluctance to show mercy. It addresses Israel's failure to be a light to the nations and confronts the believer’s struggle between obedience and personal prejudice. The book ends abruptly, leaving the question open for the reader: will God’s people accept His mercy for others, or will they cling to bitterness and pride? Through Jonah, God reveals that His grace is sovereign, His compassion is wide, and His mission extends beyond Israel to all people who will hear and repent.
Jonah Runs from God
A. Jonah’s Attempted Escape
1. (Jonah 1:1-2) God’s call to Jonah
“Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.”
a. “Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah”:
The narrative begins immediately with divine initiative. Jonah does not seek God; God seeks Jonah. The phrase “the word of the LORD came” indicates direct revelation. This is the same prophet mentioned in Second Kings 14:25, showing Jonah was already known as a true prophet of Israel. As a prophet, Jonah was accustomed to speaking God's word to his own nation, yet this time the command is different and far more difficult. God gives Jonah a clear directive: he is to arise, leave where he is, and go where God sends him. There is urgency in the command—“arise”—indicating immediate obedience was expected.
b. “Arise, go to Nineveh”:
Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire, located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River in present-day Iraq. It was a powerful and intimidating city known for its military brutality, cruelty to captives, idolatry, and moral corruption. This command was radical because God was sending a Hebrew prophet to a Gentile nation, an enemy of Israel, to preach against their sin. No other prophet in the Old Testament is sent to a foreign nation in this way. Everything in Jonah’s life prepared him to speak to Israel, but now he is called to leave his homeland and confront a hostile and pagan empire. Humanly speaking, this assignment would be terrifying, unpopular, and humiliating. Yet it reveals God’s heart for the nations, even Israel’s enemies.
i. Nineveh as a great city:
Ancient historians describe Nineveh as the largest city in the world during that period. Its walls were massive, its population vast, and its reputation fearsome. Scholars estimate the inner city held at least 120,000 people (Jonah 4:11), not counting those in the surrounding region. To Jonah, this was no ordinary mission—it was a call to walk into the capital of a ruthless empire that had shed Israelite blood and declare divine judgment.
c. “Cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me”:
God sees all wickedness. Nothing is hidden from His sight. The phrase “come up before me” indicates that Nineveh’s sins had reached a point where God would no longer delay His intervention. The Lord’s command to “cry against it” was not merely a message of doom, but also an opportunity for repentance. The judgment God declared was a warning intended to turn sinners from destruction. This reveals both His justice and His mercy. God does not ignore sin, yet He gives warning before judgment falls.
2. (Jonah 1:3) Jonah’s Attempt to Flee from God’s Call
“But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish 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.”
a. “But Jonah rose up to flee”:
Instead of obeying, Jonah did the exact opposite of what God commanded. God said, “Arise, go to Nineveh,” but Jonah arose to flee from the duty God placed upon him. He is not an ignorant man; he is a prophet who knows God's voice and yet chooses rebellion. Several reasons explain his reluctance. Nineveh was wicked beyond measure, as later described in Nahum 3:1-4, filled with bloodshed, sorcery, idolatry, and cruelty. Jonah knew that preaching there could bring ridicule or death. But even more, Jonah did not want Nineveh to receive mercy. The Assyrians were enemies of Israel, known for torture and destruction. To Jonah, it would be better that Nineveh be judged than forgiven. He would rather flee than become an instrument of God’s compassion toward Israel’s enemies. Yet before we criticize him, we must remember that God commands every believer to preach the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20), and like Jonah many run from that call. Jonah's disobedience mirrors the disobedience in our own lives when we choose comfort, fear, or hatred over obedience.
b. “To flee unto Tarshish”:
Tarshish was considered the end of the known world, likely in southern Spain beyond the Strait of Gibraltar. If Nineveh was east, Jonah ran as far west as he could go. His intention was not just to leave the mission—it was to quit the presence of God’s calling entirely. Tarshish represents man’s attempt to escape the will of God. Jonah thought he could abandon his assignment by changing his location, but no journey can outrun divine authority.
c. “He went down to Joppa; and found a ship”:
Jonah’s downward path begins here—down to Joppa, then down into the ship, later down into the sea, and then down into the belly of the fish. Every step away from God is a descent. He “found” a ship, which may have felt like opportunity or even providence. This is the danger of following impulses and feelings. Jonah felt like going. The ship was there. He had the money. The sea was calm. Everything looked easy. But convenience is not confirmation of God’s will. Many justify disobedience by saying “the Lord opened the door,” when in reality it was their own will creating an excuse. As Spurgeon warned, people often follow impulse rather than obedience and call it the Holy Spirit. An impulse can be brave, self-sacrificing, or appear spiritual, yet still be rebellion if it contradicts the Word of God.
d. “So he paid the fare thereof”:
Jonah paid his own fare. When you run from God, you always pay your own way. When you walk in obedience, God provides. Jonah may have even convinced himself that God provided the money and the ship, but circumstances are not the authority—God’s Word is. Spurgeon said it well: men often invent “providence” to justify sin. But when you run from God, the price is always high, and the journey never reaches success.
e. “From the presence of the LORD”:
This does not mean Jonah believed God is not omnipresent—he knew Psalm 139:7-10, that no one can flee from the presence of the Lord. The phrase means he was fleeing from the place where God’s presence was known and served, from his prophetic duty, and from submission to God’s will. Jonah wanted distance not from God’s existence, but from God’s call. His heart was hardened. For a moment, he lived like the heathen sailors he boarded with. As Spurgeon said, while the ship sailed smoothly, Jonah blended in with the pagans, forgetting his God. But you cannot escape the presence of the LORD. He may let you run, but His hand will still reach you.
B. God Prevents Jonah’s Escape
1. (Jonah 1:4) God Sends a Storm
“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.”
a. “But the LORD sent out a great wind”:
While Jonah is attempting to flee from the presence of the LORD, God responds—not with silence, but with sovereign intervention. The phrase “sent out” is deliberate; it means God hurled or cast the wind like a weapon onto the sea. This was no coincidence, no natural storm. It was a specifically appointed storm from the hand of God. We often remember the Lord calming the wind and waves, such as when Jesus rebuked the storm in Mark 4:39, but here God does the opposite—He stirs up the storm to arrest a disobedient servant. God has authority not only over peace but also over the tempest. When His people resist His will, He can shake the very elements of creation to bring them back into submission.
b. “So that the ship was like to be broken”:
The storm was so violent that the ship threatened to break apart. These were seasoned sailors, men accustomed to the dangers of the sea, yet this storm terrified even them. The danger was not due to their own wrongdoing; their only mistake was allowing a runaway prophet on board. Jonah was the problem. The sailors were in their rightful place, functioning within their profession, but Jonah was outside the will of God, and his disobedience endangered everyone around him. This is a sober truth—rebellion rarely hurts only the one rebelling. Husbands, fathers, pastors, and leaders must recognize that when they run from God, their family, their church, and those around them often suffer the consequences.
i. Jonah may have argued within himself, “I paid my fare, I have every right to be on this ship.” But paying your fare does not justify rebellion. Spurgeon says, “Apologies for disobedience are mere refuges of lies. If you do a wrong thing in the rightest way in which it can be done, it does not make it right.” Jonah may have traveled respectfully, purchased his passage honestly, and behaved decently aboard the ship, yet the entire journey was sinful because it was in defiance of God’s will. You can be polite, respectable, and religious and still be in outright rebellion against God if you are rejecting His command. Even when disobedience is carried out with order and decency, it still carries divine consequences.
2. (Jonah 1:5–6) The Sailors Seek Their Gods While Jonah Sleeps
“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.
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.”
a. “Then the mariners were afraid; and cried every man unto his god”:
These were seasoned sailors, used to storms and danger, yet this tempest terrified them. Their fear confirms the supernatural power of the storm—this was no ordinary weather. In desperation, each sailor cried out to his own god. They were religious men but spiritually blind, calling upon idols that could neither see nor save. This is what man does in crisis—first he tries to solve the problem by human effort, then he turns to whatever spiritual belief he has. They threw cargo overboard to lighten the ship, sacrificing profit to preserve life. But those who do not know the true God cry out to false gods in vain. A man who will not bow to the God of Scripture in peace will often reach out to false gods in panic. It is a dangerous assumption to think one can delay seeking God until a more convenient time. Trouble does not create faith—it only exposes what faith, if any, is already there.
b. “But Jonah… was fast asleep”:
While unbelievers prayed frantically to gods who could not save them, the one man on board who knew the true and living God was asleep. Jonah had gone down into the lowest part of the ship and lay fast asleep. This sleep was not rest from obedience—it was escape from conviction. The storm inside his conscience was far greater than the storm outside; perhaps physical exhaustion from inner turmoil finally forced him into a deep, careless sleep. But spiritually, this scene is tragic. The heathen sailors are praying, the prophet of God is sleeping. The world is crying out for help, and the messenger of God is silent. This is the picture of a backslidden believer—out of fellowship with God, detached from reality, indifferent to a dying world.
Spurgeon compares Jonah to many Christians today: the devil makes enough noise in the world to wake all the sleeping prophets, yet many remain asleep, indifferent to sin, judgment, and lost souls. The nature of Jonah’s sleep mirrors the sleep of many careless believers. He hid in a place where he thought no one would bother him; many Christians hide in the church but avoid service. He slept while others were working; many neglect the work of God. He slept while a prayer meeting was happening on deck; many ignore prayer meetings. He slept unaware of the danger; many live comfortably while souls are perishing. He slept while the lost needed truth; many are silent when the world needs the gospel. Some deny being spiritually asleep—yet they only talk of Jesus, walk for Jesus, feel for Jesus, or dream of Jesus, but they do not obey Him.
c. “What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God”:
The shipmaster cannot believe someone is sleeping through such chaos. His words are sharp and urgent—a pagan rebukes a prophet. The sailors’ prayers to their idols have not worked, so the captain urges Jonah to pray to his God. This is deeply ironic. Jonah boarded the ship to escape from the presence of the LORD, yet now the same unbelievers he hoped to avoid are begging him to speak to God. God will not allow His servants to escape His calling. Even the lost recognize that prayer is necessary when death seems near. The words “call upon thy God” must have struck Jonah’s conscience—how can he pray to the God he is actively disobeying? Yet God is using the voice of a pagan sailor to awaken a sleeping prophet.
3. (Jonah 1:7–8) The Sailors Discover Jonah Is the Cause of the Storm
“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.
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?”
a. “Let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us”:
At this point, the sailors have exhausted their human and religious efforts. They have thrown cargo overboard to lighten the ship, cried out to their false gods, and awakened Jonah to pray. Still, the storm intensifies. Out of desperation, they turn to casting lots—a common ancient practice similar to drawing marked stones or sticks, believing the gods would reveal the guilty party. Whether this was superstition or a mixture of spiritual instinct and fear, Scripture shows that in this case, God sovereignly directed the outcome. As Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.” The storm had spiritual origins, and the sailors sensed it. Though pagans, they understood that this was judgment for someone’s offense against deity—even if they did not yet know the true God.
b. “So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah”:
God exposes Jonah. The prophet who tried to hide is now brought into the light by divine providence. No matter how far one runs, God knows how to reach them. Jonah could flee from his duty, but he could not flee from accountability. This moment must have struck his conscience deeply—God was using pagan sailors and a storm-tossed sea to confront His disobedient servant. Once the lot revealed Jonah, the sailors immediately turned their attention toward him, desperate for answers and for survival.
c. “Tell us… What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou?”
The sailors bombard Jonah with rapid questions: Who are you? What do you do? Where are you from? What people do you belong to? Their survival depends on this information. They understand now that this storm is no natural disaster but a divine confrontation. If Jonah’s occupation is indeed a prophet—as Second Kings 14:25 confirms—then their fear only intensifies. Imagine the horror: a man who claims to speak for the God of heaven is fleeing from that very God, and now the entire ship is about to break because of his disobedience. Their questions reveal panic, urgency, and perhaps hope that Jonah will confess and provide a solution. God has trapped His prophet lovingly but firmly—He will not allow Jonah to remain hidden in rebellion, and He will not allow innocent men to perish without revealing the truth.
4. (Jonah 1:9–10) Jonah Tells Them Who He Is and What He Has Done
“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.
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.”
a. “I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land”:
Jonah’s reply is both a confession of identity and a declaration of theology. He first identifies himself as a Hebrew, a people known throughout the ancient world as those who worship the one true God. He then explains who his God is—“the LORD,” using the covenant name Jehovah (YHWH). He further declares that this God is “the God of heaven,” sovereign over all, and specifically “which hath made the sea and the dry land.” This was direct and alarming information for the sailors. The storm is on the sea, and Jonah’s God is the Creator of that very sea. Their gods ruled small territories—Jonah’s God ruled everything.
Jonah says, “I fear the LORD,” but his actions contradict his words. He claims reverence yet is running from the very presence of the God he claims to fear. This is the tragedy of a believer in rebellion—orthodox theology paired with disobedient living. Yet even in sin, Jonah speaks truthfully about who God is. God can still be glorified when His people declare truth, even if their lives are not in harmony with it. There is also the possibility that at this moment Jonah is beginning to repent inwardly. The storm, the casting of lots, and the sailors’ questions have cornered his conscience. His words may signal an awakening of fear and submission to God’s authority once again.
b. “Then were the men exceedingly afraid”:
At first, they feared the storm. Now they fear the God behind the storm. Their fear intensifies when they realize they are not dealing with an ordinary deity but with the sovereign Creator of the universe. If Jonah’s God controls sea and land, then running from Him by ship is madness. Their fear moves from natural panic to spiritual terror.
c. “Why hast thou done this?”
This is the most logical question in the world. Even unbelievers understand the foolishness of resisting the God who made the heavens and the earth. It is a solemn rebuke: “If you serve the God who made everything, why would you rebel against Him? Why would you endanger us? Why would you run from Him?” This is a shameful moment—pagan sailors rebuking a prophet of the true God. Yet it is often true that the world sees the hypocrisy of a disobedient believer more clearly than the believer himself. They knew Jonah fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. Jonah’s attempt to escape God did not only bring danger—it brought reproach to the name of the LORD before unbelievers.
5. (Jonah 1:11–16) Jonah Asks to Be Thrown into the Sea, and the Sailors Reluctantly Agree
“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.
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.
Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
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.
So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.”
a. “What shall we do unto thee…?”
The sailors now fully understand Jonah is the cause of their calamity. The sea continues to grow “more tempestuous,” increasing in violence. They are frightened and desperate, yet they still treat Jonah with respect, asking him what must be done. The more they learn about Jonah’s God—the Creator of land and sea—the more fearful they become. The storm is not calming; it is intensifying until obedience is rendered.
b. “Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea”:
Jonah offers himself as a sacrifice. He knows he is the cause of the storm and declares that if he is thrown into the sea, the storm will cease. Why did Jonah make this request? Several possibilities exist:
Perhaps out of compassion for the sailors—he would rather die than see them perish because of him.
Perhaps because he finally surrendered to God and knew that only by submitting fully to God's hand—even unto death—could peace come. There is no safer place than total dependence on God.
Perhaps he believed death was preferable to living in rebellion. The weight of guilt, shame, and chastisement may have crushed him inwardly.
It may also indicate that genuine repentance was forming in his heart. Repentance is more than emotion—it leads to action.
i. Jonah here becomes a picture of Christ—but only in shadow.
Both Jonah and Jesus faced a storm of divine judgment. Both were willing to give their lives to save others. But the comparison stops there. Jonah was guilty and disobedient; Jesus was sinless and obedient. Jonah was thrown into judgment for his own sin; Jesus entered judgment for ours. Jonah fled from God’s will; Jesus said, “Not my will, but thine, be done.”
c. “Nevertheless the men rowed hard…”
Even after Jonah tells them what must be done, the sailors resist the idea of throwing him overboard. They feared the LORD enough to hesitate at shedding a prophet’s blood. Their compassion and fear are remarkable. They rowed with all their strength, trying to return to land, but their efforts were useless. The sea only grew worse. This shows the futility of human effort against divine judgment. Salvation does not come by rowing harder—only by submitting to God’s appointed way.
Finally, when every human effort fails, they pray: “We beseech thee, O LORD… lay not upon us innocent blood.” These pagan sailors are now crying out to Jehovah, using His covenant name. They recognize God's sovereignty: “for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.” They throw Jonah into the sea—not in hatred, but in fearful obedience.
d. “And the sea ceased from her raging”:
The moment Jonah hits the water, the storm stops. The sea obeys its Creator. This immediate calm proves that Jonah’s God is real and that Jonah’s rebellion was the cause of the storm. What human effort could not stop, divine justice and surrender resolved in an instant.
i. The sailors move from fearing the storm to fearing the LORD.
This mirrors Mark 4:39–41, where Jesus calms the storm and the disciples “feared exceedingly.” When men realize the power and holiness of God, their fear shifts from creation to the Creator.
Spurgeon beautifully describes the peace that comes when a sinner sees Christ taking their place under God’s wrath: conscience is quieted, judgment no longer condemns, and the soul knows it cannot be punished because Christ has already borne the wrath.
e. “Offered a sacrifice… and made vows”:
The sailors respond to God’s power with worship. They sacrifice and make vows—after the deliverance, not before. False converts bargain with God for protection; true worshipers respond after God has acted in mercy. Many commentators believe this indicates genuine conversion among the sailors. They no longer cry to their idols. They now fear the LORD alone.
i. Spurgeon summarized the sailors’ experience in four gospel truths:
Sinners tossed upon the sea of conviction make desperate efforts to save themselves.
All fleshly efforts to save themselves must fail.
The soul’s distress increases while it relies on self.
Salvation is found only through the sacrifice of another on their behalf.
