Does the book of Jonah call human beings animals?

Polar Bear Quest said:

I don't see any comparison in the verse. There is mention of man and then of beast. Now considering it makes no sense for 120,000 beasts to literally have on sackcloth there is only one logical conclusion, correct?

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No. Whatever the purpose of this thread, or whatever you are seeking, you have not clearly stated yet.

Polar Bear Quest said:

Were people walking around putting sackcloth on literal animals?

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Yes.

This is a case of a person who has come to a conclusion and is way to proud to consider anyone's alternate views and explanations... You got to wonder why people come in and ask questions like ""Does the book of Jonah call human beings animals" when it then becomes subsequently clear their intention was not to ask a question at all but to push their own interpretation of scripture and ignore all else..

Polar Bear Quest said:

There are still glaring questions that are still yet to be unanswered.

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Yes, let's look at them. : )

Polar Bear Quest said:

For instance, both beasts and humans are mentioned in the passage in Jonah. So if you're saying God is comparing people to animals then why wasn't he comparing all of them to animals?

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God wasn't just "comparing" humans to other animals (beasts). He was pointing out that humans are beasts (animals). It's like asking if "Toyota sedans" are "cars". Yes, they are. They are a type of car. Just like humans are a type of animal (beast). All humans are animals, just as all toyota sedans are cars. There are also other cars that aren't toyota sedans (such as honda accords*). In the same way, there are other animals that are not humans (such as lions, tigers and bears - oh my).

Polar Bear Quest said:

I see what point you're trying to make but that doesn't get past the fact that it appears that what we may consider humans today perhaps previously were considered "beasts."

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Today we consider humans animals (beasts), just as God was pointing out in these verses back then. Biologists have recognzied for a long time that humans are a type of animal, just as a raccoons and horses are types of animals.

I guess I'm not sure what questions are left in this?

in Jesus' name-

Papias

* Jesus drove a Honda Accord. He says so right in the gospel of John.

John 12:49 -
Jesus said "for I do not speak of my own Accord....."

: D

From Genesis 1 forward, God has made it very clear the differences between:
A. Mankind
B. Animal Kingdoms

THREE parts of "MAN" = SPIRIT + SOUL + BODY...= "ONTOLOGY"

Man is "divided" into 3 parts:
1. SPIRIT => (~God conscience/ spiritual Image = "pneuma"),
2. SOUL => (~psyche / personality / God Likeness = "psyche") and
3. BODY => (~man's machine, controlled by brain bucket /CNS = "sarx/soma")

The Soul of Man is also a DYNAMIC REACTION of its 3 parts:
1. MIND...the process of intellect...stored knowledge...its function is "thinking" / "reasoning"
2. WILL...your decision maker...your computer-reactor...your balancer
3. EMOTIONS...how you "feel"...natural reactions / intuitive responses

The Animal Kingdom has only TWO parts:
1. Body
2. INSTINCTS
..NO SOUL NOR SPIRIT!

Genesis 1 (all NASB)
Creation of the Animal Kingdoms
20 Then God said, “Let the waters [ad]teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.”(atmosphere)
21 God created the great sea monsters (dinosaurs?) and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind,
and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas,
and let birds multiply on the earth.”
23 There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

More on "fifth day"

24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind:
cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so.
25 God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

The "sixth day": Creation of Mankind

27 God created man in His own (spiritual) image,
in the image of God He created him (mankind);
male and female He created them.
28 God blessed them; and God said to them,
“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth,(populate with homo sapiens)
and subdue it (all life on planet earth);
and RULE (HAVE DOMINION OVER) over
the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

We have an animal body, but God gave us a spirit, and so we have a soul, and that's something more than mere instincts and drives and thoughts about how to get more stuff.

I really don't see what is happening here. Why would the king of Ninevah think his people as well as himself were cattle? And then why would he call his people "adam" to refer to people and "behemah" to refer to cattle.

He is trying to save his entire country from utter annihilation. He wants God to look down and see all living creatures in repentance.

Polar Bear Quest said:

The book of Jonah says:
Both man and beast are to be covered with sackcloth...animal and man are to be covered with sackcloth...why? because both have been defiled; Nineveh was an
exceedingly wicked city.


I've tried diligently to try and figure out this passage but it just comes off as the bible is saying certain people are animals. To add to the that the book of Jonah finishes off saying:

But it's still not calling people animals...there be a distinction, it's saying God will have compassion upon persons who don't know one hand from another and that He will have compassion upon the animals.


This last verse confirms at least in my mind some people are considered animals according to the bible. I looked up the word "animals" in strong's concordance and the word is behemah.

Here's a link: Strong's Hebrew: 929. בְּהֵמָה (behemah) -- 190 Occurrences

The thing is when one inserts people into some of the passages where behemah is used the passages only make sense if the verse is talking about literal people. For instance, Zechariah 8:10.
No hire for man nor was there hire for animals... no jobs/work available for either.
I don't live far from farms...often there is seen signs for hire: man, machinery and
animals. People will hire men to work on the farms, hire out their machinery and
some hire out animals...lots of children enjoy having pony/horse rides at their birthday parties...some even have petting zoos at their parties.


As far as I can tell there aren't any instances where I suspect any people were potentially called animals in the new testament, perhaps it was that the nations were considered "animals" before Christ hit the scene? Does anyone have a rationalization for this or am I reading into things too much, thanks in advance for the response.

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It's used dog/dogs...meaning gentiles. Dogs in biblical times weren't cherished pets...
they were mongrels that ran wild and scavenged to survive.
Lambs: denotes innocent/innocence. Sheep:goods/ those who are dependents.
Goats: wicked/unsaved. (Turtle)Dove(s): purity/pure.
Lion: power/authority...such terms are used as a metaphors/symbolisms in
various verses:
Philippians 3:2
Matthew 15:21-28
Matthew 25:32
Psalm 74:19
Hosea 5:14

RESPONSE TO POST #30: Q1:..."We have an animal body,"

Q2: but God gave us a spirit, and so(?) we have a soul, and

Q3: that's something more than mere instincts and drives and thoughts about how (MAN) gets more stuff.

A1: The ONLY thing than Man "bodies" have in common with Animal "bodies" is "DNA"...God's miraculous and complex "building blocks".

A2: Man's 3 parts: BODY + SOUL + SPIRIT

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NIV)
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.
May your whole SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A3:
The Body of Man has its 5 senses / sensors (maybe 6? ESP?) to interact with environment....Biology 101

The Soul of Man is the "snowflake" individual personality which starts with some genetic predispositions and is generally developed in and around the brain "bucket" and CNS nerve conductions...Psychology 101

The Spirit of Man is given by God, and it searches for its Creator...Bible 101

Job 32:8
“But it is a SPIRIT in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

Job 33:4
“The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.(BODY+SOUL+SPIRIT)

Isaiah 42:5
Thus says God the Lord,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread out the earth and its offspring,
Who gives breath (BODY/SOUL COMBO) to the people on it
And SPIRIT to those who walk in it,

Ecclesiastes 12...Remember God in Your Youth: AT DEATH, SPIRIT returns to God
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”;...
For man goes to his ETERNAL home while mourners go about in the street....
7 then the dust (Body/Soul combo ) will return to the earth as it was, (Genesis 2:7)
and the SPIRIT (breath of life) will return to God who gave it. (Genesis 1:26)
8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”

Luke 23:46...Jesus' final of 7 sayings on the Cross
And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said,
“Father, into Your hands I commit My SPIRIT.”
Having said this, He breathed His last.(BODY/SOUL COMBO bled to death)

Ron Gurley said:

RESPONSE TO POST #30: Q1:..."We have an animal body,"

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Sure. As also explained in post #27.

Ron Gurley said:

Q2: but God gave us a spirit, and so(?) we have a soul, and

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Of course. No one is disputing that either. We have an animal body with a divinely given soul.

In Christ-

Papias

Polar Bear Quest said:

The book of Jonah says:



I've tried diligently to try and figure out this passage but it just comes off as the bible is saying certain people are animals. To add to the that the book of Jonah finishes off saying:



This last verse confirms at least in my mind some people are considered animals according to the bible. I looked up the word "animals" in strong's concordance and the word is behemah.

Here's a link: Strong's Hebrew: 929. בְּהֵמָה (behemah) -- 190 Occurrences

The thing is when one inserts people into some of the passages where behemah is used the passages only make sense if the verse is talking about literal people. For instance, Zechariah 8:10.



As far as I can tell there aren't any instances where I suspect any people were potentially called animals in the new testament, perhaps it was that the nations were considered "animals" before Christ hit the scene? Does anyone have a rationalization for this or am I reading into things too much, thanks in advance for the response.

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Nineveh had 120,000 people who did not know their left from there right hand and many animals. God is talking about having compassion on the people and also compassion on the animals. The people of Nineveh were very wicked and for a long time. The not knowing right from left is an idium meaning they did not know right from wrong. They had become so wicked that wicked was the new normal. They repented at the warning of Jonah who only preached destruction he did not preach for them to repent. They must have been convicted and by faith they put on sackcloth and ashes on the animals to. In Isaiah God gives a principal of reconciliation with God.

Thus says the LORD:
“Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,”
Says the LORD.
“But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.
3 “He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck;
He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood;
He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol.
Just as they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,
4 So will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
Because, when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.”

In Jonah the people demonstrated a contrite heart and God relented of the promised destruction. Later in history Nineveh reverted back to being wicked and they did get destroyed. Same with Sodom and Gommorah as Genesis records they whole kingdom was taken captive after losing a war and was set free by Abraham. The king of Sodom was there when Abraham met Melchezedek. He offered Abraham the money and ABe turned him down and testified of the LORD. Sodom was 1st saved by hand of the LORD and then destroyed for their wickedness.

Polar Bear Quest said:

The book of Jonah says:



I've tried diligently to try and figure out this passage but it just comes off as the bible is saying certain people are animals. To add to the that the book of Jonah finishes off saying:



This last verse confirms at least in my mind some people are considered animals according to the bible. I looked up the word "animals" in strong's concordance and the word is behemah.

Here's a link: Strong's Hebrew: 929. בְּהֵמָה (behemah) -- 190 Occurrences

The thing is when one inserts people into some of the passages where behemah is used the passages only make sense if the verse is talking about literal people. For instance, Zechariah 8:10.



As far as I can tell there aren't any instances where I suspect any people were potentially called animals in the new testament, perhaps it was that the nations were considered "animals" before Christ hit the scene? Does anyone have a rationalization for this or am I reading into things too much, thanks in advance for the response.

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We have living breathing bodies like animals do.
And without God guiding us, we have an "animal"
or "natural" nature to us.

The passage doesn't say that bacteria need sackcloths.
So it's not defining what humans or life is or anything.

#34..." We have an "animal body" with a divinely given "soul"..."

WRONG!
I have "homo sapiens" body (sarx/soma)...Just like A&E's "DNA". I did NOT devolve from some "animule".
That BODY is mysterically INTERconnected with SOUL (psyche). TOGETHER they both "house" SPIRIT!

1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body (/SOUL combo) is a temple of (God) the Holy Spirit who is IN you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

That part which God gave me in His own IMAGE and LIKENESS is SPIRIT (PNEUMA!).

GENESIS 1:
27 God created man in His own (spiritual) image,
in the image of God He created him (mankind);
male and female He created them.

Ecclesiastes 12

Parts is parts, but one must figger out which parts is which!

Ron Gurley said:

WRONG!
I have "homo sapiens" body (sarx/soma)...Just like A&E's "DNA". I did NOT devolve from some "animule".
That BODY is mysterically INTERconnected with SOUL (psyche). TOGETHER they both "house" SPIRIT!

1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body (/SOUL combo) is a temple of (God) the Holy Spirit who is IN you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

That part which God gave me in His own IMAGE and LIKENESS is SPIRIT (PNEUMA!).

GENESIS 1:
27 God created man in His own (spiritual) image,
in the image of God He created him (mankind);

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First, if you want to argue evolution and creationism, there is a whole forum for that (both for Christians only and another one for everyone). I encourage you to post there if you are as passionate about this as all the yelling makes it appear. Here, it's off topic and it's not nice to hijack someone's thread.

Secondly, if you need to add words to scripture to make your argument work, you might want to think about that.

That said, I don't see much to discuss with you. Have a good day.

In Christ-

Papias

...""animal" or "natural" nature to us..."

aka

Man's "sin nature"!.

~= "SIN NATURE" ~=Natural and innate tendancy for Man's BODY/SOUL/SPIRIT to turn FROM God and TOWARD:
1. worldly "SELF" +
2. chaotic "WORLD" + and/or
3. "devil" (evil spirit beings' attack/temptations)
aka
the natural capacity and inclination to do / not do those things that can in no way commend Man and his "works" to God.

OP: Q1: Does the Book of Jonah call "human beings" "animals"?...BY: "Polar Bear Quest"
(NOT Papias)
A: N0!

RE: "sackcloth and ashes"

Esther 4:1,3[ Esther Learns of Haman’s Plot ]
When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes,
put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly...
In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came,
there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.

Isaiah 58:5
“Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed?
Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord?

Jeremiah 6:26
O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth And roll in ashes;
Mourn as for an only son, A lamentation most bitter.
For suddenly the destroyer Will come upon us.

Daniel 9:3
So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications,
with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

Jonah 3:6
When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him,
covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes.

Matthew 11:21
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you,
they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.