The Hebrew Old Testament

It has been my experience that most churches today prefer to preach from the New Testament and almost totally ignore the Old. It is true that the material in the New Testament is more familiar to congregations and appears easier to handle than some Old Testament passages. But if it is barely ever mentioned in church (other than Sunday school), then the average Christian is also less likely to read it themselves. This means they miss out on having the stories and wisdom of the Old Testament explained to them and being able to engage with it in their own reading. After all, without it the New Testament makes little sense. 

The Book of Jonah: Assyria and the Northern Kingdom of Israel

A Difficult Question Asked and a Response.

 

A few weeks ago I was asked a very probing question about Jonah by a colleague. I will attempt to respond to here because I think it was a valid, but also very challenging question.

Considering that the events of Jonah were supposed to have taken place only a few decades before the Assyrian defeat of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, how did Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire, go from repenting and professing a belief in God, to destroying the northern half of the kingdom that he had given to his chosen people?

After giving it some thought, I think there are a few things I can say in response to this.

Jonah 4:4-11: Translation and Comments

Jonah 4:4-11

4 And YHWH said, “Is it right for you to be angry? [lit. is it rightfully hot for you?]” 

5 And Jonah went forth from the city and he sat down east of the city and he made for himself there a booth and he sat down under it in the shadow until he would see what would become with the city.

6 And YHWH God supplied a plant and he made it grow up over Jonah to be a shadow over his head to take him away from his misery and Jonah rejoiced over the plant with great joy. 

Jonah 4:1-3: Translation and Comments

Jonah 4:1-3

1 And it was displeasing to Jonah, a great disaster and he became angry with regard to it.

2 And he prayed to YHWH and he said, “Oh YHWH, is this not my word while I was in my land? Therefore I did the first time to flee to Tarshish for I know that you are a gracious God and compassionate, slow to anger [lit. slow of nose] and abounding steadfast love and one who relents concerning the calamity.  

3 And now YHWH, please take my life from me because my death is better than my life.”

Jonah 3:1-10: Translation and Comments

Jonah 3:1-10

1 And it happened the word of YHWH came to Jonah a second [time] saying, 2 “Get up and go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to her the proclamation which I am speaking to you.”

3 And Jonah got up and went to Nineveh according to the word of YHWH and Nineveh was a great city to God, a distance of three days.

4 And Jonah began to go into the city a journey of one day and he proclaimed and he said, “Still forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”