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Week 2

Week 2. In The News …. IRS targeting of conservative groups DOJ watching the Associated Press NSA data collection on Verizon cell phones within US . What is similar about these scandals? Why are they so surprising? .

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Week 2

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  1. Week 2

  2. In The News … • IRS targeting of conservative groups • DOJ watching the Associated Press • NSA data collection on Verizon cell phones within US What is similar about these scandals? Why are they so surprising? Give some examples of the way people behave differently from what we expect Note how the book of Jonah is a study in opposites of what is to be expected

  3. Telling the Jonah Story Mary Margaret, 6 Years Old Father Mapple sermon from Moby Dick

  4. WHO? Quick Review from Last Week …

  5. Jonah = Dove = Israel • Jonah’s name means “dove” • Dove signifies someone who is • Easily frightened • Double-minded in his ways • Lacking discernment • Not faithful or truthful • Only Jonah knew all the facts contained in this book • He likely wrote it late in his life as his confession • This book offers his mature reflection on the triumph of God’s grace

  6. WHAT?

  7. Genre: Classification of Jonah • While it is clear that Jonah differs from other prophetic books, it is not clear how its genre should be classified • Biblical scholars classify Jonah in a multitude of ways: Didactic Fiction Allegory Midrash COMEDY SAGA Parable LEGEND TRAGEDY Parody Didactic History Folklore Philosophical Treatise Ironic Short Story Novella

  8. Fact or Fiction? • The book itself gives no good reason for taking it as other than historical • Tendency to view Jonah as fictional is a relatively recent development • Vast majority of early Jewish and Christian writers adopted the view that the events recorded in the narrative actually occurred • Book of Jonah included in the canon of Scripture • Most ancient references to it in Jewish literature suggest that it was always understood as historical • Jesus’ references to incidents in the book of Jonah are indicative that He understood it to be historical

  9. Genre Identification • Each genre has its own set of “generic signals” • The author uses them to influence the way in which the reader/hearer is to interpret his work • Ended last class with a used bookstore example: • Murder at Marplethorpe • The Life and Times of David Marplethorpe • Now … Week 2

  10. Genre Signals • The first words of the text – “Now the word of the LORD came” – is a genre marker • This frequent Hebrew phrase is the Old Testament’s way of signaling an historical account • See Joshua 1:1; Judges 1:1; 1 Samuel 1:1; Ruth 1:1 • Thus, the very beginning of the book Jonah tells the reader/hearer that this account is intended to be treated as factual • For this class, I will proceed with the understanding that the genre of Jonah is narrative history

  11. Genre Signals • This expression (“Now the word of the LORD came” ) is also used in the OT only when contexts and circumstances regarding the prophet and his mission are already established in previous statements • When Elijah enters the stage, this phrase becomes the standard by which he receives all divine messages (1 Kings 17:2, 8; 21:17) • This is true in many occasions in Jeremiah (14:1; 16:1) • This phrase begins sections of other historical narratives involving prophets (1 Kings 16:1; Ezekiel 3:16; Haggai 1:3) • Therefore, this phrase signals that the narrative begins prior to Jonah 1:1, making the brief description of Jonah in 2 Kings 14 the starting point • We will look at this historical context in the next few weeks

  12. Jonah As Satire and Irony

  13. Literary Tone of Jonah • The book of Jonah is satire with irony for a specific purpose • Though subtle, satire is pointed and powerful • It has the following general characteristics: 1. It has a definite target 2. It is characterized by indirect attack and subtlety; the charge comes from the flanks rather than head-on 3. It attacks inferior excesses; hypocrisy is one classic and familiar example 4. It is usually external in viewpoint; that is, the actions of the character being satirized are emphasized rather than his or her inner thoughts What is satire?

  14. Satire: How Do We Know? How does a speaker reveal he is being satirical? • Face-to-face verbal satire is usually not difficult to determine • They may wink or smile; or exaggerate their tone • May modify their manner in countless ways to signal that the words do not themselves speak the whole truth • However, the presence of satire in a written text is not easily proven • Writers don’t give immediate indicators of satire • It may often seem a “safer” choice to take a writer’s words literally, rather than risk a reading between the lines that is necessary to a satiric interpretation • Signals of satire are often difficult to detect because the essence of satire is to be indirect • A straightforward satirical statement would be a contradiction in terms Why is written satire so hard to determine?

  15. Are You Serious? • How do authors signal to their audience that they are speaking satirically? • The key is to be alert to the text’s context • By paying attention to the context and narrative of Jonah we will see that the book is filled with satiric irony • Irony is the means by which satire is communicated • Irony is a figure of speech in which • The intended meaning is the opposite of that which is stated, or • An event or statement occurs or is used in a way that is just the opposite of what would be expected • Irony serves to point out inconsistencies in a situation between what is and what ought to be Note: This question is not in a white box with red lettering … The teacher must be asking a rhetorical question here. I can relax knowing he is going to give us the answer in the next bullet statement

  16. Irony in Jonah: Expectations of a Prophet • Jonah abandons the task Yahweh calls him to do (1:3) • Jonah sleeps during the storm while the unbelievers pray (1:5) • The unbelieving captain has to urge a believing Israelite – Jonah – to pray (1:5) • Jonah appears to remain unrepentant until the end of chapter four; on the other hand, the unbelieving sailors (1:16) and Ninevites repent and believe (3:5) • Jonah’s anger over the conversion of Nineveh (4:1) occurs precisely when Yahweh turns his anger away (3:10) • The sailors and Ninevites perform classic acts of Israelite piety (making vows, sacrificing, clothing themselves with sackcloth 1:16; 3:6-8), while Jonah does none of this even though he promises to do so (2:10)

  17. Irony in Jonah: Inconsistent Actions 1. Jonah flees from Yahweh, yet confesses him as Lord (1:9) 2. Jonah recognizes that Yahweh sent the storm due to his disobedient behavior (1:12), yet he does not repent 3. Jonah’s overwhelming success in such a wicked city and with such meager efforts (3:3-4) 4. Jonah’s joy over the gift of extra shade (4:6) at the same time he is twice expressing his desire to die (4:3, 8) • Jonah’s joy over his own deliverance (2:10) and his anger over Nineveh’s deliverance (4:1) • Jonah’s wish for death (4:3, 8) upon his success • Jonah’s anger to the point of death over the destruction of such an unimportant plant (4:8) • Jonah, in seeking to avoid the task of a missionary, ends up being Yahweh’s vessel in converting both the sailors and the Ninevites (1:16; 3:5) • The psalm (2:3-10) is unexpected with its emphasis on thanksgiving, because it is surrounded with a narrative that rarely shows Jonah in a favorable light

  18. Purpose of Satire in Jonah • The narrator combines irony and satire in his factual account of history for several reasons: • To expose that not only Jonah but also the audience for which the narrative was written have deviated in some ways from Yahweh • To restore the audience to repentance and true faith in Israel’s God • To strengthen the missionary outreach of God’s people • The author wants to lead the audience to recognize its own similar hypocrisy, repent of it, and return to Yahweh in renewed and sincere faith that confesses the enormity of His grace toward all people

  19. The Structure of the Book of Jonah Chapters 1-2 (At Sea) Chapters 3-4 (At Nineveh) Word of God to Jonah 3:1 Content of the Word 3:2 Response of Jonah 3:3-4a Gentile Response 3:5 Action of King 3:6-9 Ninevites and God 3:10 Disaster Averted 3:10c Response of Jonah 4:1 God and Jonah 4:2-3 God’s Response 4:6-11 • Word of God to Jonah 1:1 • Content of the Word 1:2 • Response of Jonah 1:3 • Gentile Response 1:5 • Action of Captain 1:6 • Sailors and Jonah 1:7-15 • Disaster Averted 1:15c • Response of Sailors 1:16 • God and Jonah 2:1-11 • God’s Response 2:11 • Depicts Yahweh’s power beyond Israel’s territory … into Nineveh • Depicts Yahweh’s power beyond Israel’s territory and across the sea

  20. The Structure of the Book of Jonah • Scene 1:Jonah’s First Call (1:1-3) • Scene 2: The Storm at Sea (1:4-16) • Scene 3:Jonah’s Deliverance & Prayer(1:17 – 2:10) • Scene 4:Jonah’s Second Call(3:1-3a) • Scene 5:Jonah’s Preaching Converts (3:3b-10) Nineveh & Yahweh Changes His Verdict • Scene 6:Jonah’s Response to Yahweh’s (4:1-3)Change of Verdict to Save Nineveh • Scene 7:Yahweh’s Provisions and (4:4-11)Jonah’s Response

  21. WHY?

  22. Too Focused on Big Fish … • In the book of Jonah: • The “great fish” is subject of only 3 verses (6% of text) • The name Yahweh is mentioned 22 times • Elohim or El (once) is said 13 times • And the combination Yahweh Elohim is used 4 times • There is a total of 39 references to the deity in four chapters, while the word “Jonah” is used only 16 times • This is clearly a story about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and his accepting grace for all people, even their animals! “Men have been looking so hard at the great fish that they have failed to see the great God.” -- Campbell Morgan

  23. Main Message • We find here a most intriguing confrontation between Yahweh, the God of heaven and earth, and Jonah, his rebellious prophet • The central message of the book of Jonah is that “Salvation comes from the Lord” • Salvation is not the exclusive possession of any one group, nor does it guarantee their continued existence at the expense of others • To those who appeal, on the basis of their special relationship with God, for the overthrow of their enemies, the book of Jonah voices a stern rebuke • God's mercy may extend to the most unlikely of people, and who can tell what the consequences may be?

  24. Sub-Themes in Jonah 1. About Repentance (Respond to God like the heathen sailors and Ninevites) A. To encourage Israel to repent B. To show the possibility of repenting C. To identify repentance as the correct response to prophecy 2. About Unfulfilled Prophecy A. To discuss prophetic non-authentication B. To offer justification for unfulfilled prophecy C. To consider the problem of conditional vs. unconditional prophecy 3. About Israelite Attitudes Toward Gentiles (Don’t Act Like Jonah) A. To encourage a missionary concern B. To condemn Israelite exclusivism (i.e., the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah) C. To condemn Israel’s reaction against God’s forgiving the Gentiles 4. About The Problem of Evil (Whatever the Lord does is Right) A. To affirm God’s freedom to act graciously B. To explore the relationship between mercy and justice; are God’s compassionate actions just?

  25. Topics We Will Explore • Missions/Evangelism • True Repentance • Salvation & Election • Sanctification • Questioning God • Prayer • Death in General (Suicide in Particular) • Discerning God’s Will • Law and Gospel • Rebels of God • Purpose of Troubles • True & False Prophecy • Sovereignty of God • Divine Justice vs. Mercy • Forgiveness • Our Struggles with the Grace of God • Compassion Towards the Lost • Presumptions of Being Elect • Dangers of Self-Absorption • Responding to God’s Interruptions in Our Lives

  26. So What?

  27. Look In the Mirror • The book of Jonah is like a mirror … “I AM JONAH!” • During our study of this book you will see the struggles and problems of your own inner life • Jonah was a mature believer who had given his life to ministry … … but he battled with the impulses of his own self-interest and self-centeredness • “My heart is desperately wicked”

  28. Look Out the Window • The book of Jonah is like a window … it reveals the heart of God • Let’s discover what Jonah did about the grace of God • His redeeming love • His extraordinary patience • His relentless pursuit of lost people and rebellious saints

  29. WHERE?

  30. Nineveh, a major city of the Assyrian Empire in Jonah’s time Geography of Jonah Where in the world is … Jonah, son of Amittai? The LORD told Jonah to go to Nineveh, about 550 miles northeast of Israel. Instead, Jonah goes to Joppa and boards a ship bound for Tarshish in the opposite direction The LORD told Jonah to go to Nineveh, about 550 miles northeast of Israel. Instead, Jonah goes to Joppa and boards a ship bound for Tarshish in the opposite direction So where is Tarshish? 550 miles Samaria, capital of Israel (Northern Kingdom) Joppa, the only natural harbor in Israel south of Acco, and probably the closest one available to the fleeing prophet Jerusalem, capital of Judah (Southern Kingdom)

  31. Geography of Jonah Nineveh, a major city of the Assyrian Empire in Jonah’s time Tarsus Tarshish, believed by many to have been a seaport or region in southern Spain Samaria, capital of Israel Joppa, the only natural harbor in Israel south of Acco, and probably the closest one available to the fleeing prophet Jerusalem, capital of Judah

  32. WHEN?

  33. Although the story related in the book of Jonah took place in the eighth century B.C., it actually began about a thousand years earlier with one man in the city of Ur of the Chaldeans

  34. Old Testament History • 2090 – 1876 BC: The Patriarchs • 1876 – 1446 BC: Egyptian Captivity • 1476 – 1406 BC: The Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings • 1406 – 1375 BC: Conquest of Promised Land • 1375 – 1050 BC: The Period of the Judges • 1050 – 931 BC: United Monarchy • 931 – 750: Divided Kingdom to Time of Jonah

  35. God’s Call and Promise • The descendants of Noah had spread out, multiplied and populated the earth and they had again abandoned the God who created them • Yet God had not abandoned mankind • He called one man, Abram, and told him that if he would leave his country and go to a land God would show him, He would make of Abram a great nation • God would give him that land and through him all the world would be blessed … this was the Abrahamic covenant • It would be through Abram’s descendants that the Savior of the world would come … in faith Abram obeyed God • He was the world’s first monotheist

  36. Abram leaves Haran after Terah dies (c. 2085 BC) God calls 75-yr old Abram out of Ur (c. 2090 BC) Promised Land

  37. Helping God Keep His Promises • Roughly twenty years after the original message from God, Abram decides to give the promise a helping hand • He borrows Sarai’s servant Hagar as a second and unofficial wife, promising Sarai that any child of Hagar’s would be officially considered her offspring • But God’s promise of a new nation had been specific not just to Abram, but to Abram and Sarai together • After the episode with Hagar, God repeats His promise to Abram and renames him Abraham, showing his divine ownership of this man and his descendents

  38. Abraham Fathers the Arab Peoples • Through Hagar a son is born and named Ishmael • It is through this son whom the Arab peoples trace their heritage • According to the Qur’an, Abram-Ibrahim (in Arabic spelling) was the first to worship Allah, the one God, rather than the stars, the moon, or the son • When grown, Ishmael went with Ibrahim down into Arabia, to the city of Mecca, and together they build the Ka’ba, the first house for the worship of Allah • To this house, the Qur’an orders all of Allahs’s followers (the People of the Book”) to turn: “Wherever you are,” the Qur’an says, “turn your faces in that direction. From wherever you start forth, turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; wherever you are, turn your face there.”

  39. Sons of Abraham • When he is 100 years old, Abraham has a son, Isaac, to whom the promise/covenant was given (c. 2065 BC) • He in turn had a son, Jacob, to whom the promise/ covenant was given • Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel, had 12 sons • When Jacob was an old man he, his sons and their families (70 people in all) went into Egypt to escape starvation during a great famine • One of the sons, Joseph, was already there and in great power; he was second only to the Pharaoh serving as Prime Minister (1885 – 1805 BC) • Because of Joseph’s position, he was able to take care of his family

  40. Joseph and his brothers c. 1800 BC Gen 37: 1-36 Facing a famine that threatened to wipe them out, Abraham’s descendents moved down to well-watered Egypt where they settled in the north and prospered

  41. Egyptian Sojourn(c. 1876 – 1446 BC) • However generations passed and the descendants of Israel grew in numbers • A new pharaoh arose (“one who did not know Joseph”) and was fearful (along with all of Egypt) of this great number of foreigners living within the borders of his land • To protect himself and his country, he placed the Israelites in bondage and pressed them into labor for his many building projects • The Hebrews remain in bondage for 430 years • As always God was faithful, and in His time He raised up a man named Moses to lead His people • With great and mighty miracles God delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians and led them to the land He had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

  42. 4. Led people of Israel during their 40 years of wandering in these wilderness areas while God prepared them to enter the land of Canaan 6. Appointed Joshua as his successor; died on Mt. Nebo overlooking land of Canaan 3. Returned to Egypt to lead God’s people out of captivity; led people into the wilderness known as Sinai Peninsula 2. In Midian, spent 40 years as shepherd; had a dramatic encounter with God in the burning bush 5. Received the Law, including 10 Commandments, directly from God on Mt. Sinai 1. Born in Egypt to slave parents , Moses spends his youth in Pharaoh's household in Thebes; flees to Midian after killing an Egyptian guard

  43. Exodus From Egypt

  44. (c. 1446 – 1406 BC)

  45. Boundaries of Promised Land Basic Campaign Strategy

  46. “Conquest” of Canaan under Joshua (c. 1406 – 1375 BC) 4 1. Upon crossing the Jordan, Joshua camped at Gilgal, then moved to take Jericho and Ai 2. Joshua made peace with Gibeon, then moved thru Valley of Aijalon; defeated the five Amorite kings 3. From Makkedah, Joshua launched a southern campaign against Lachish, Hebron, Debir, & Gaza 2 1 4. In a northern campaign, Joshua moved from Gilgal all the way to Hazor 3

  47. The Judges of Israel (c. 1375 – 1050 BC) • The time between Joshua's death (Judges 1:1) and the coronation of Saul (1 Samuel 10) • Era of frightful social/religious chaos; moral and spiritual declivity • The book of Judges teems with violent invasions, apostate religion, unchecked lawlessness, and tribal civil war Shamgar Barak Elon Jair Gideon Tola Abdon Jephthah Ehud, Deborah Samson Ibzan Othniel

  48. Treacherous Behavior of Israel Samson Cycle Othniel Cycle Gideon Cycle Barak Cycle Ehud Cycle Jephthah Cycle Degree of Devotion to YHWH Time

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