Jonah Chapter 1
Series name:
Jonah This morning we start a journey through the Book of Jonah. Many will immediately picture Sunday school plays featuring large cardboard cut-outs of whales, and blue bed sheets doubling as dramatic waves as they are shaken enthusiastically by children at either end—it puts a smile on the face—and the Book of Jonah is designed to do the same thing—to make us smile, even to laugh at the hapless Jonah. With great literary skill the writer of Jonah uses irony and satire to tell the story of Jonah, the reluctant prophet who runs away from God and seems utterly surprised that God would pursue him. And as we laugh at Jonah we realise that the writer has skilfully encouraged us to laugh at ourselves—to see that in many ways all of us are like Jonah who, in the end, can only wonder at the mercy of God.
