The story of Jonah is unique. It is bundled with the so-called "minor prophets," but it is very different from the rest. Instead of containing a series of prophetic words from the Lord, it tells a story. The story of Jonah addresses the issue of exclusivity among God's people---thinking they are the only ones favored by God. That kind of exclusivity was a problem for ancient Israel; it was a problem for the early church in its struggle to allow Gentiles in. It's a struggle for the church today, too, as we see divisions of social class, race, and gender in our congregations. It may also be a problem for the kids in your group, who have experienced the pain of cliques.

As the story begins, God tells Jonah, "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me" (1:2). You might think Jonah would jump at the opportunity, for Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire, a brutal conqueror constantly at war with its neighbors. Jonah might have been intrigued with the idea that God was now going to bring down on them the judgment they deserved.

But something nagged at Jonah, as we will discover as the story unfolds. The same God who declares judgment can also turn toward people in mercy should they repent. Jonah wanted no part of that. It offended his sense of God's exclusive covenant with Israel. To Jonah's way of thinking, God and Israel went together well, but God and Israel and Nineveh was an outrage.

So, Jonah ran the other way to escape God's call. He boarded a ship that would take him to Tarshish, a city on the other end of the Mediterranean. But God was after Jonah. A great storm arose and, ironically, the pagan sailors sensed that this was a judgment of some god against someone on the ship. They cast lots to see who the culprit was, and it fell on Jonah. Still, the pagan sailors did all they could to save his life rather than cast him overboard. Jonah the "insider" was the recipient of the mercy of the "outsiders."

Finally, Jonah himself confessed his disobedience and told them to cast him overboard to save the rest of the crew. Still, they prayed to Jonah's God to save him along with all of them. Finally, in desperation, they threw him overboard.

But God wasn't through with Jonah. Instead of judgment, Jonah found mercy. As the story continues, God appointed a "great fish" to swallow Jonah and, finally, spit him out on the shore, scared and smelly, but alive! There, in the belly of the great fish, Jonah had time to contemplate God's claim on his life, and God's mercy in spite of his disobedience. Jonah 2 is written in the familiar poetic form of the Psalms, expressing thanksgiving to God for his salvation.

Jesus refers to the story of Jonah in Matthew 12:38-41. There Jesus upbraids his enemies, who are always looking for a sign, and points them to the "sign of Jonah," who was three days in the belly of the fish. He then goes on to declare that one "greater than Jonah" is here, and that the "men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it."

Unlike Jonah, who was guilty, the sinless Son of God takes on our sin on the cross and spends three days in the belly of death, to rise again for our redemption and the redemption of all who trust in him.