Part I: Scripture Research Paper: The Book Of Jonah (Jonah 1-4).
How was it possible that a true prophet should disobey a direct divine command? Is it likely that God would go to so much trouble to teach one man? Curiosity is what attracts us to the book of Jonah due to it not being like any other in the Old Testament. The Book of Jonah was written in the fifth century during the Postexilic Era. There is also no known author for the Book of Jonah. It is said to be about the prophet Jonah of Gath-Hepher in Zebulon, who lived in the eight century during the reign of Israel's King Jeroboam II. It is believed to be reflective of the Yahwist or Jahwist tradition. This didactic story has, I believe, a very specific audience; the Jewish people of the time, who believed that they were the only ones capable of deserving God's grace and mercy. The Book of Jonah has a very insightful theological message that depicts human nature.
The story begins with the Lord telling Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against its wickedness. Jonah disobeys the Lord and boards a ship to Tarshish (people of that time believe that gods where regional or in charge of a specific element). The Lord, however, created a violent storm against the ship. The ship was close to breaking point so the mariners became frightened and prayed to their pagan gods. Meanwhile during the turmoil, Jonah was asleep in the hold of the ship. The captain astonished asks Jonah to pray to his God so their lives may be spare. Then the mariners decided to cast lots to find out who is the cause of this and they single out Jonah. They asked him many questions, however, Jonah does not identify himself by any of these questions, but by his faith. Jonah reveals to them that he is a Hebrew and his God is the God of the heavens, maker of the land and sea and that he is fleeing his God. .
The mariners became more frightened by the power of the Lord and asked Jonah what they needed to do.
