*Author’s note: I’d like to thank Michael Raven for being my sounding board. Check out his blog at https://ravensweald.com.
This post isn’t to cause you to question your Faith. I hope it helps you remove the splinter from your own eye before you call out someone else. Matt 7:5
The book of Jonah
Who was Jonah? Was he a coward? Let’s explore these questions together.
Let me ask this, as a Christian, are you a coward? Hold this question in your heart.
Though I’m not a big fan of the KJV, (King James Version) it is the version of the Bible that added to my curiosity about Jonah.
The KJV Bible I own has these little sections before each book: Life’s questions then God’s answers. In this section, before the book starts, we are told that Jonah is a national hero. About 780 B.C. in helps King Jeroboam II extend Israel’s territory. (2 Kings 14:24)
Reading that kinda gives the reader the impression that Jonah is a brave and noble warrior. We first see Jonah’s name in 2 Kings where he is referred to as a prophet. 26 books later we get the Book of Jonah. I don’t know about you, there is a lot to unpack in 26 books, so sure, I remembered that Jonah is a prophet?
I can’t tell you the number of things I’ve read where Jonah is automatically branded a coward. Tattoo it on his forehead. Sear it on his chest. COWARD!
Who among us; when we have told the Lord, “here I am”, Isaiah 6:8 Haven’t paused? Said, “Lord I can’t do this. It’s too hard.” We may still do the thing. But we have the audacity to stand back and call Jonah a coward. How many of us have ran; kicking and screaming into the night from God? But we call Jonah a coward?
I may give Flavius Josephus a lot more credit than he deserves. Branded a traitor by his fellow Jews. He is known as their greatest historian. In The Antiquities of the Jews, he treats the story of Jonah as historic fact rather than a parable.
The Antiquities of the Jews, 9.205–9.227
Flavius Josephus translated by William Whiston:
“206Now one Jonah, a prophet, foretold to him that he (Jeroboam) should make war with the Syrians, and conquer their army, and enlarge the bounds of his kingdom on the northern parts to the city Hamath, and on the southern to the lake Asphaltitis; 207for the bounds of the Canaanites originally were these, as Joshua (Most of us know the story about Joshua fighting the battle at Jericho.) their general had determined them. So Jeroboam made an expedition against the Syrians, and overran all their country, as Jonah had foretold.
2082. Now I cannot but think it necessary for me, who have promised to give an accurate account of our affairs, to describe the actions of this prophet (Jonah), so far as I have found them written down in the Hebrew books. Jonah had been commanded by God to go to the kingdom of Nineveh; and when he was there, to publish it in that city, how it should lose the dominion it had over the nations. But he went not, out of fear; nay, he ran away from God.”
Flavius Josephus mirrors biblical translations for Jonah as a prophet. Not a warrior. And Josephus using of the word ‘nay’ signifies a formal, emphatic “no”. Jonah was getting his behind out of Dodge.
But you’re a prophet. A man of God, get back here and fight! COWARD!
Yes, Jonah ran and we brand him a coward. Why did he run? You may be sitting on your laurels saying, “he’s a coward to run from God. Do what you’re told.” Here’s a little back story about the Assyrians:
Assyrians were notorious for their savage military tactics. They tortured, including skinning and dismemberment and were viewed as deeply depraved, wicked opponents.
This would be the equivalent of me getting a personal invitation to have dinner with Vlad the Impaler.
Jonah was anything but a coward. He was a human; who, all of his life was taught Nineveh was an enemy to Israel. Nineveh was not a God fearing nation, “for their evil has come up before me.” Jonah 1 ESV (English Standard Version)
Yes, Jonah ran out of fear. Fear does not make him or us a coward.
Again you say Jonah is a coward, he can send others into battle but can’t fight the battle when God tells him to do it personally. I ask, how many of you will do the things you ask others to do? Very few I imagine. It’s not your job. It’s below your pay grade. You pass the buck whenever possible. We call that delegating in the business world and managers are praised for it.
We easily brand Jonah a coward because he accurately depicts our nature. Human nature. Take off your blinders and read Jonah again. Not from a lofty 21st century view point. But from a man who thinks he’s running for his life.
There are so many lessons we can learn from the book of Jonah. First and foremost trusting God with our lives. Everyday, we hand off our crosses to him, only to pick them up again.
If Jonah being a coward is your biggest takeaway, you have completely missed a story about faith, trust and obedience.
At the beginning of this; I asked as a Christian, if you were a coward? Has God placed it on your heart to do something and you walked on by? The panhandler asking for money. The homeless person on the street? You felt that little tug? That little pull on your heartstrings but walked on by? Before you label Jonah a coward, take a look into your own heart.
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