Why did Jonah run?

[joshuanazar]

Anyone?

 

[NewEnglandGirl]

Jonah actually grew up despising the Assyrians, which was where Nineveh was, and was fearful of their atrocities. He did NOT want them to received God's mercy and he did not want them to repent. And he certainly did not want to be the instrument by which they received God's mercy. This is evident too after they DID repent and he sulked afterwards as a result. He did not want to perform the special task God had appointed for him.

 

[joshuanazar]

But why did he hate them?

 

[NewEnglandGirl]

Assyria was a great, evil empire. It was also Israel's most dreaded enemy of the time. The Assyrians flaunted their power before God and the whole world through numerous acts of cruelty. Assyria gobbled up countries and sacked nations. Kind of like what Nazi Germany did during the 1930s and 1940s but on a larger, wider scale. Assyrian cruelty was well known. They were known to impale their enemies on stakes in front of their towns and hang their heads from trees in the king's garden. They tortured their captives by hacking off noses, ears and fingers, gouging out eyes or tearing off lips and hands. Reportedly they covered the city wall with the skins of their victims. These are but some of their deeds that earned them great fear and hatred from other nations. Do you begin to see now why someone would feel repulsed by them?

 

[joshuanazar]

Assyria was a great, evil empire. It was also Israel's most dreaded enemy of the time. The Assyrians flaunted their power before God and the whole world through numerous acts of cruelty. Assyria gobbled up countries and sacked nations. Kind of like what Nazi Germany did during the 1930s and 1940s but on a larger, wider scale. Assyrian cruelty was well known. They were known to impale their enemies on stakes in front of their towns and hang their heads from trees in the king's garden. They tortured their captives by hacking off noses, ears and fingers, gouging out eyes or tearing off lips and hands. Reportedly they covered the city wall with the skins of their victims. These are but some of their deeds that earned them great fear and hatred from other nations. Do you begin to see now why someone would feel repulsed by them?

Of course and wouldn't there be prophecies that Assyria would conquer Israel? And wouldn't Jonah have known that disobeying God meant death like the Prophet that went to Jeroboam? So wouldn't his disobedience also be an act of sacrifice for his country?

 

[RDKirk]

Of course and wouldn't there be prophecies that Assyria would conquer Israel? And wouldn't Jonah have known that disobeying God meant death like the Prophet that went to Jeroboam? So wouldn't his disobedience also be an act of sacrifice for his country?

No, because it was God that Jonah attempted to disobey. It wouldn't prevent the prophesy from occurring. If anything, perhaps it took the Ninevites out of the invasion that occurred about 20 years later.

 

[joshuanazar]

No, because it was God that Jonah attempted to disobey. It wouldn't prevent the prophesy from occurring. If anything, perhaps it took the Ninevites out of the invasion that occurred about 20 years later.

I don't know. If the Assyrian Empire's capital city, with its king and the vast majority of its government, were destroyed, would the nation ever recover to attack anyone? Most likely the governors of the other districts would begin fighting among themselves for power and the unity of the empire and its power would crumble (like what happened to the Greek empire when Alexander died). Obviously, the prophecy came true thanks to Jonah. But the question isn't really about what would have happened if Jonah had continued in his disobedience, but what did Jonah think would happen?

 

[RDKirk]

I don't know. If the Assyrian Empire's capital city, with its king and the vast majority of its government, were destroyed, would the nation ever recover to attack anyone? Most likely the governors of the other districts would begin fighting among themselves for power and the unity of the empire and its power would crumble (like what happened to the Greek empire when Alexander died). Obviously, the prophecy came true thanks to Jonah. But the question isn't really about what would have happened if Jonah had continued in his disobedience, but what did Jonah think would happen?

I thought that had been answered. Jonah was hoping that without him, the Ninevites would fail to repent and God would destroy them. At least he intended not to be the instrument of their salvation.

 

[joshuanazar]

I thought that had been answered. Jonah was hoping that without him, the Ninevites would fail to repent and God would destroy them. At least he intended not to be the instrument of their salvation.

But what I really want to know is whether he was doing this to save Israel, or if he just hated the Assyrians?

 

[RDKirk]

But what I really want to know is whether he was doing this to save Israel, or if he just hated the Assyrians?

As a prophet, he knew Israel could not be saved from God's word. Doesn't mean he would willingly take a hand in it, though.

 

[bigo1984]

I feel this way sometimes too. I think we all do. I look at some people and think to myslf that these people are evil and don't deserve gods mercy. But then god reminds me of myself and what a mess I was (and sometimes still am) and how he had mercy on me.

 

[joshuanazar]

I feel this way sometimes too. I think we all do. I look at some people and think to myslf that these people are evil and don't deserve gods mercy. But then god reminds me of myself and what a mess I was (and sometimes still am) and how he had mercy on me.

Yes, everyone was evil and undeserving of God's mercy. Now I wouldn't call us evil any longer, but we are still undeserving of God's mercy.