I meant no offense, but I repeat that the majority of the answers related to Bible questions are rather personal opinions or vague recollections and not based on Biblical text or historical facts. I don't find anything tangible or creditable core substance in most of the answers. I urge and exhort everyone to spend time in studying the Word of God.
The story in brief: God commanded the prophet Jonah (meaning dove) to go to Nineveh and warn the Assyrians of imminent judgment because of their wickedness. But Jonah, reluctant to see Nineveh spared, makes his way to Joppa, a seaport, and took a ship bound for Tarshish.
But on the way came a big storm. Jonah was cast into the sea because the storm was his fault. A great fish which the Lord had prepared came and swallowed Jonah. It is wrongly said that a whale swallowed Jonah. It was not a whale but a big fish sent my God. The event is portrayed as a miracle and should be understood that way. In fact, the whale is not a fish, it is a mammal. Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights before it disgorged him on the sea shore.
God re-commissioned Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah went, reluctantly. From Jonah's or human point of view, there are reasons why Jonah thought Nineveh deserve to be punished.
Nineveh was the capital city of the vast Assyria Empire. It is located about 500 miles northeast of Israel. For a period of 300 years (911-609 BC) Assyria was the greatest political power in the Near East. Warfare was an essential aspect of the Assyrian way of life. They worshipped many gods and goddesses but their king was their favorite god. Drunkenness was a severe social problem and prostitution flourished.
Jonah hated the Ninevites, but God loved them and want them to change their evil ways of life. Jonah finally reached Nineveh and delivered the message of imminent destruction. The city repented, from the king to the last person, and the judgment of God was stayed.
Note: The repentance of Nineveh saved it from destruction for nearly 100 years. But apparently they returned to their evil ways. Nineveh was completely sacked by the combined forces of the Babylonians and the Medes in 612 BC, and has lain in ruins to this day.
The story in brief: God commanded the prophet Jonah (meaning dove) to go to Nineveh and warn the Assyrians of imminent judgment because of their wickedness. But Jonah, reluctant to see Nineveh spared, makes his way to Joppa, a seaport, and took a ship bound for Tarshish.
But on the way came a big storm. Jonah was cast into the sea because the storm was his fault. A great fish which the Lord had prepared came and swallowed Jonah. It is wrongly said that a whale swallowed Jonah. It was not a whale but a big fish sent my God. The event is portrayed as a miracle and should be understood that way. In fact, the whale is not a fish, it is a mammal. Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights before it disgorged him on the sea shore.
God re-commissioned Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah went, reluctantly. From Jonah's or human point of view, there are reasons why Jonah thought Nineveh deserve to be punished.
Nineveh was the capital city of the vast Assyria Empire. It is located about 500 miles northeast of Israel. For a period of 300 years (911-609 BC) Assyria was the greatest political power in the Near East. Warfare was an essential aspect of the Assyrian way of life. They worshipped many gods and goddesses but their king was their favorite god. Drunkenness was a severe social problem and prostitution flourished.
Jonah hated the Ninevites, but God loved them and want them to change their evil ways of life. Jonah finally reached Nineveh and delivered the message of imminent destruction. The city repented, from the king to the last person, and the judgment of God was stayed.
Note: The repentance of Nineveh saved it from destruction for nearly 100 years. But apparently they returned to their evil ways. Nineveh was completely sacked by the combined forces of the Babylonians and the Medes in 612 BC, and has lain in ruins to this day.
