JONAH, BOOK OF

What Is the Book of Jonah About?
Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria. It was an exceedingly wicked city, but Jehovah loved even these alien Gentiles. Accordingly, he sent Jonah, a prophet from northern Palestine, to proclaim unto the citizens a message of repentance. 

Jonah rebelled at this mission, heading west instead of east. God caused him to be thrown into the sea, where a giant fish swallowed him. After three days of "education" in a submarine classroom, Jonah decided to do as the Lord had commanded. 

The prophet went to Nineveh and proclaimed God's message as he had been directed. The people of Nineveh repented and were spared (for another century and a half). 

The confinement of Jonah in the fish's belly was a pictorial preview of Jesus' stay in the tomb (Mt. 12:40-41).

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Adapted from the book "Bible Words and Theological Terms Made Easy" by Wayne Jackson