Between Science & Religion The Book of Jonah Between Science & Religion

Internal Evidence Jonah’s frankness in confessing his iniquity The Book is included among the Hebrew Books, even though it disagrees with their patriotic zeal. Mentioned in II Kings 14:25 “He restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath Hepher.” Mentioned by Jesus Christ

Jonah’s 1st Sin Jonah Disobeyed God

Nature Obeys God The Storm Obeys: “But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.” Jonah 1:4 The Lots Obey: “So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.” Jonah 1:7 The Fish Obeys: “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17 The Gourd Obeys: “And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant.” Jonah 4:6 The Worm Obeys: “But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered.” Jonah 4:7 The Wind Obeys: “God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he grew faint.” Jonah 4:8

Gentiles Obey God The Sailors Obey The Ninevites Obey The captain came to him, and said to him, "What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish." Jonah 1:6 They cried out to the Lord and said, "We pray, O Lord, please do not let us perish for this man's life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You." Jonah 1:14 The Ninevites Obey “So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.” Jonah 3:5 “Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes.” Jonah 3:6

Jonah’s 2nd Sin Lack of Divine Perspective Does not want God to spare the enemy The Lord said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left-and much livestock?" Jonah 4:10-11

Internal Evidence Jonah’s frankness in confessing his iniquity The Book is included among the Hebrew Books, even though it disagrees with their patriotic zeal. Mentioned in II Kings 14:25 “He restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath Hepher.” Mentioned by Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ’s Referral But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.” Matthew 12:39-41 "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." Matthew 16:4 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.” Luke 11:29-30

Archeological Evidence The City of Nineveh

Location of Nineveh

Physical Sciences Two Kinds of Whales:

Modern Discoveries

Whale’s Stomach

Bitter Gourd