The Story of Jonah: 'Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God'

One of the most genius prophets in the Old Testament Books is Jonah. Jonah had the capability to detect the mind of God, even three or four steps ahead. The reason of why Jonah did not willing to go to Nineveh is stated in Jonah 4.2. He knew already that God could easily cancel His plan to destroy the Ninevehs. Jonah’s knowledge of God was so precise and exactly proven.

In contrast, God seemed to be lack of knowledge about Jonah. He seemed to send wrong person to accomplish His mission. As a leader, one will choose someone trustable, loyal, capable, and qualified to sit as his or her assistant – or in this context, as God’s ambassador, apostle or prophet. God chose Jonah, but Jonah went to the opposite direction (1.3). Jonah completely and intentionally disobeyed God.

Jonah knew God well, but God did not know Jonah well enough.

Jonah refused to go to Nineveh because of some likely motives. First, Jonah might be afraid of the Ninevehs. They were famous of their iniquity. They were evildoers. They did not know their right hands from their left. In New Living Translation’s words, ‘the Ninevehs lived in spiritual darkness.’ Entering the city of Nineveh was a suicidal action. Second, Jonah might be reluctant to preach God’s message to the Ninevehs (the evil non-Jews) because of his narrow Jewish exclusive nationalistic spirit. As a member of the covenant community (the chosen nation), Jonah did not want the evil Ninevehs to be saved. Jonah was a true genuine Jewish prophet. These two reasons had unfortunately created an extremely selfish prophet of God. Jonah loved his national identity, his religion and himself more than he loved God who indeed sent him.

The book of Jonah therefore shows the contrast between the infinite love of God and the coldness of Jonah. Jonah preferred to sink and died in the deep of the sea instead of to preaching the Lord’s judgment to the Ninevehs. But God sent a big fish to save Jonah. This rescue was not for the sake of his Jewish prophet Jonah, but because of his unlimited love to the evil non-Jewish Ninevehs. The end of the book strengthens this argument (4.10-11). Though according to the author, God’s knowledge about Jonah was bare minimum, His love was unfailing. On the contrary, though Jonah’s knowledge about God was accurate, he was an egotistic and selfish prophet. The hero in this narrative is brilliantly pictured as God’s compassion and abundant love – not human super knowledge.

As I am writing this reflection, my memory goes to dazzling inspiring words of one of modern prophets to the poor, Bob Pierce. He said, ‘Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.’ Pierce is the founder of World Vision International. The words have been since then the motto of the organization. World Vision has been used by God for years to bless millions of unfortunate people.

The Ninevehs were unfortunate. They were evildoers and doomed to death, but Jonah, the prophet of God was not keen to see them transformed and saved. God’s heart was broken for the Ninevehs, Jonah’s was not.