2. Some things that support this view include that the book mentions no specific author (nor do references elsewhere), the extreme age of the book (it is assumed it was written between 400-200 BC long after the events around 770 BC), and the fact that the book puts Jonah in a somewhat negative light. God sent a big fish, some call it a whale, to swallow Jonah and to save him from drowning. & Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian empire and the enemy of Israel. He was the most famous foreign missionary in the Old Testament, who once attempted to run from God (Jonah 1:1-3), was then swallowed by a great sea But where? God then answers: Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh. 14:25). Paste the top piece of the whale on a paper cup, then the bottom piece (see picture below). Print and assemble your own story of the Men of the Bible mini-book.. Viewer suggestion. What does Jonah do. Attach and tie a string (about 12 inches long) at the top of a straw or stick to create a fishing pole. Jonah thought he knew better than God. Assyrians couldve seen this as a cooperative effort with their god or, given Jonahs dedication to the God who so terrified his sailing companions, proof of YHWHs Supremacy. Jonah and the Whale Free Printables and Activities This is like the theory that there was a canopy of water surrounding the earth before the huge flood because water at that volume surrounding the earth would cause a pressure so great that the blood would boil and for enough water to be on earth to cover Mount Everest you would have to dump the amount of water that would fit the volume of the moon. There is actually a man who suffered a very similar fate (perhaps what he suffered was a bit of poetic justice given the barbarism of whaling): The records of the British Admiralty testify that James Bartley, an apprentice seaman on a whaler, was swallowed by a whale in February, 1891, some two hundred miles east of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. It's also the only answer here that isn't an objection. Jonah got swallowed by a whale." The teacher says, "That's just a story from the Bible. And their pregnant women will be ripped open. Prophet Jonah- Wikimedia. 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. EvC Forum: Jonah and the whale - It happened! The prophet Jonah lived in the Galilean city of Gath-hepher (about four miles north of Nazareth) during the reign of Jeroboam II (793-753 B.C. })(document, 'script'); 2023 Johnny Cirucci. Jonah and the whale - It happened! The discovery of him, and his disobedience, to be the cause of the storm (v. 7-10). The blue whale is the largest creature on the planet. He begs God to kill him, which He does not. 3 important lessons from the life of Jonah, the prophet who was swallowed by a whale. Your email address will not be published. The fish releases Jonah onto dry land, where he then travels 500 miles to Nineveh so that he can jumpstart a revival in the city. What personal detail of Jonah's life does the Book of Jonah reveal about its protagonist? Colin Smith, God In Pursuit, Part 1 Jonah and the Whale - Amazing Bible Timeline with World History Some Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Prophet Jonah Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Jonah was in the giant fish three days. The second takeaway from the story of Jonah and the whale is an encouragement. Then an ominous slacking in the line signaled the monster was going to surface. acVszcAy"uUc*0r Because Jonah obeyed God and took the message to Nineveh, it continued for a few more generations. Of course we could still believe that Jonah was indeed swallowed by a whale, but seeing the original message makes you wonder about the entire story and its message. God called out to Jonah and scolded him for being so concerned and worried about just a plant while God was concerned with the heart condition and lives of 120,000 people who lived in the city of Nineveh. All rights reserved. The Story of Jonah & The Giant Whale (Biblical Stories Explained) And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?. On the third day, God told the fish to spit Jonah out, and the fish spit Jonah out on the land. Matthew 12:40 "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.". The captain shook him awake and told Jonah to call on his God, as the others in the ship had all called upon theirs. However, afterward, he became discontent because he expected something different from what happened. Concluding questions for you to ponder and/or comment on below: Filed Under: Did Jonah and the fish actually happen? Today. Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted (Bible Study Book) Paperback January 1, 2010, The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy Hardcover October 2, 2018, Jonah (Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible) Paperback December 5, 2017, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) Paperback October 19, 2009, 30 Inspirational Vinyl Quotes for Your Wall. Top 10 Interesting Facts about Jonah - Discover Walks Blog At first, we see that Jonah is scared and prideful, which causes him to run from God. According to history, the city was conquered in 612 BC, about 150 years after Jonahs message. s.onload = s.onreadystatechange = function() { 3. Clearly, Jesus accepted this story as an accurate description of a real, historical event. If you find (900-60 B.C.) The whale sounded and eight hundred feet of heavy line streaked out of the line tub before he ended his dive. But God sent a great wind out onto the sea, and the ship felt like it was going to be broken apart! A person cannot consistently maintain a belief in Jesus and His teachings, while denying the details of the accounts that He taught as factual. i.e. Jonah shows us that God's love is greater than our self-interest. I found a small mistake at the end of the quote of the seamans story: James Bartley -1870-1909 A Modem Jonah. Should be modern Jonah. V. The casting of him into the sea, for the stilling of the storm (v. 11-16). God had compassion on them and did not destroy them. The word for belly in Hebrew is imprecise and does not necessarily mean stomach. Jonah may have been in the oral cavity of a large-mouthed whale. It is not good enough to pick and choose the parts of the Bible you wish you to apply and the parts you dont, nor is it good enough to fudge logic and tell people to believe things that dont stack up rationally. Whales can hold their breath for about 20 minutes. As a result of his fifteen hours inside the whales stomach, Bartley lost all the hair on his body and was blind for the rest of his life. Jonah & the Whale: Montessori Style - Mama's Happy Hive Jonah started from Joppa and headed west (Jonah 1:3), along the entire length of the Mediterranean, towards the coast of Spain. As soon as they tossed Jonah in the water, the storm stopped. Some scholars believe the Ninevites paid attention to Jonah because of his bizarre appearance. God called to Jonah one day and told him to go preach to Nineveh because the people were very wicked. Thus we don't have to give it an explanation limited by modern experience or knowledge. When God called Jonah to go and warn the violent and . By: Giovanni 'Johnny' Cirucci Only the author of Eaters of Children could bring you this historical sequel. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. Jonah | Encyclopedia.com 50 Jonah Bible Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts Jonah told them to throw him overboard. He always has economy of energy and when He does something there are layers to it that take generations to unravel, sometimes never. That's more than 330,000 pounds (150,000 kg). (end of article summary). 2. The other theory is that it is unnecessary to take it to be a (later) postexilic work or a critique of Ezra and Nehemiah. When God caused a great storm to engulf the ship, and the sailors were doing everything they could to save the ship, Jonah was fast asleep, down in the lower decks. 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, "I called out of my distress to the Lord, And He answered me. 60 Interesting Facts About Whales - The Fact File Jonah Whale Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Jonah 1:17, referenced as 2:1 in the Hebrew Bible, uses the Hebrew word dag to refer to a broad range of sea creatures. Therefore, this article will delve into some interesting facts about Jonah and how his story is important in the bible. He then felt sharp stabbing pains as he was swept across the teeth and then slid feet first down a slimy tube that carried him to the whales stomach. II. Jonah - Wikipedia Jonah is the Old Testament book that reminds us "God so loved the world," including the Gentiles. If we take this literally (and we should) this was probably a rather unpleasant experience. This is a summary of the Biblical account of Jonah and the big fish. The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here (Matthew 12:38-41). Happy travels! Jonah and the Whale - Listen to bible stories online! var scr = d.getElementsByTagName(t)[0], par = scr.parentNode; par.insertBefore(s, scr); The prophet Jonah was an unusual servant of the Lord. These are extrapolations and conventions that have been passed down through the ages that have no basis in the original passages. For local insights and insiders travel tips that you wont find anywhere else, search any keywords in the top right-hand toolbar on this page. 3. Jonah is the only prophet in the Old Testament to completely minister on foreign soil. 'ssl':true}; The tree gives him shade. At Jonah 1:17, it says: " And Jehovah prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah .". Then, God said, "Jonah, go preach to the people of Nineveh. As the Book of Jonah opens, the first thing God says to Jonah is (1:2) "Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim judgment upon it, for their wickedness has come before Me." Though he flees from the presence of the Lord, and seems to fall into his avenging hands, yet God has more work for him to do, and therefore has prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah (v. 17),a whale our Saviour calls it (Mt. 7. Anything really. A command given to Jonah to preach at Nineveh (v. 1, v. 2). 'height':'344', Your email address will not be published. The Bible's plain teaching is that, yes, Jonah was truly swallowed by a whale (or a great fish). Accumulated ear wax can tell a whale's age. He walked through Nineveh proclaiming that in forty days the city would be destroyed. 'async':true, https://www.learnreligions.com/jonah-and-the-whale-700202 (accessed March 4, 2023). Unlike all other Old testament books, Jonah revolves exclusively around a Gentile nation. Animal Flesh Eater Arrested: Felony Charges Serious Injury To 3 Month Old! http://www.atacrossroads.net/fact-or-fiction-four-ways-to-view-old-testament. The account lacks evidence of a real understanding of Nineveh and is history. Jonah's story is told in the short (just 48 verses) but powerful book of Jonah.