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Bible Overview is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in Bible study. Each month we feature a book of the Bible (in order) by Bible scholar and lecturer, Mary Jane Chaignot.
This month has three entries, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah, whose writings are found among the Minor Prophets. Scholars aren’t sure why these particular books of the Minor Prophets are in this order. (Interestingly, the order differs in the LXX.) Neither length nor chronology seems to provide the answer, since most assign Obadiah to a later date. Scholars aren’t even sure why Jonah is considered a prophetic work since it is about a prophet, not from a prophet. (Technically, there is only one verse of prophetic material in the whole book.) Nonetheless, the other two prophets speak to the people at a particularly difficult time in history. In their own way, they both address the consequences one might expect when people stand by idly while others suffer. In the case of Obadiah, the Edomites are the target, but Micah is talking to the very leaders of Israel and Judah – leaders that advanced their positions at the expense of those less fortunate. Scholars cannot help commenting on the relevancy of some of these themes in today’s world, indicating the timelessness of God’s word. Yet, alongside the oracles of judgment, both prophets offer a message of hope for those who suffer. If you want to read some of the history previous to this selection, you can find the earlier books in our archives.
The Bible Time-Line is another quick reference for locating individuals or specific books. We encourage readers to share their Bible Study success stories on this site. Email us at overview@biblewise.com to be included on next month's site.
Jonah
Despite being grouped among the Twelve Minor Prophets, Jonah stands out as being very different. Instead of being a collection of oracles from a prophet, it is a story about a prophet, even though Jonah is never called a prophet in the book. He is identified, however, as a prophet in 2 Kings 14:25, where he prophesied that Jeroboam II would expand the territory of the Northern Kingdom (ca 780 BCE). There, it states that “Jonah, the prophet” hailed from Gath Hepher, located approximately fifteen miles west of the Sea of Galilee from the tribe of Zebulun. Scholars agree, however, that Jonah was probably not the author of the book that bears his name and furthermore, it might have been written long after that time.
During the reign of Jeroboam II, Assyria was not a major player on the international stage. That began to change with the reign of Tiglath-pileser (745-727 BCE) and by 701 BCE, Sennacherib had made Nineveh his capital city. Riding the crest of Assyrian domination, it was probably the most powerful city in the Ancient Near East in its day. But its fortunes changed dramatically in 612 BCE when the Babylonians and Medes overtook Assyria. Nineveh was reduced to rubble, and it was never rebuilt. Since Jonah was told to preach to Nineveh, he would have had to do so prior to its destruction. But some of the language in the book dates to the Persian period (as late at 330BCE), leading some scholars to suggest a date anytime between 750 and 250 BCE.
The question on everyone’s mind, however, is, “Is the story true?” It has been variously labeled a short story, a legend, a folk tale, a sermon, a myth, an allegory, a parable, or a midrash. It doesn’t fit any of these genres completely; rather it embodies parts of most of them. In general, it can be called a prophetic narrative, much like that of Elijah and Elisha. The difference is, of course, that those stories focused on the prophets’ faithfulness, whereas Jonah did the opposite of what God told him to do.
But scholars are not so quick to dismiss the historical argument. They point out that it really makes a big difference as to how one reads the book. If the purpose of Jonah is to show God’s compassion to a nation other than his chosen people, that’s one thing. But if the purpose of the book is to show how a prophet had to learn this lesson the hard way, then it’s a bit more serious. That would say that God will be compassionate, even to those we don’t think are deserving of it. In such an instance, the book then becomes God’s revelation of Himself, as opposed to just an interesting story by a narrator.
Scholars debate Jonah’s placement among the prophets. Some feel that it was added simply to bring the number of the Minor Prophets to twelve. Perhaps, but its length and subject matter fit best with the prophetic works. Moreover, is it not interesting that this is the book that follows Obadiah? Obadiah was told to prophesy about the destruction of Edom; Jonah was told to prophesy about the destruction of Nineveh, but he resisted that command and tried to hide from God. When that didn’t work, he finally did as he had been commanded to do only to have the citizens listen and repent. When God spared them, Jonah was irritated beyond belief.
In a sense, both books wrestle with God’s dealings with the Gentiles, but they do it in very different ways and come to very different conclusions. Obadiah speaks from the point of a chastened Israelite who has experienced God’s judgment firsthand. He maintains that Edom (as well as the other nations) would, in turn, soon experience God’s judgment. His words to Edom are borne out of a deep respect for divine justice. Evil will simply not have the final word. Jonah, on the other hand, is a sanctimonious Israelite who cannot believe God intends to be merciful to an enemy. Edom’s destiny was to be destroyed for its sins; Nineveh’s destiny was to repent and find forgiveness for its sins. Given their close proximity, Obadiah and Jonah are strange bedfellows, indeed. Read in sequence, they reveal much about God’s compassionate nature and care and concern for all people. It is always God’s intent to overturn evil and to show mercy to those who repent.
There are two main sections to the book of Jonah: Jonah’s disobedience 1-2; Jonah’s obedience 3-4.
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