The Book of Jonah

The book of Jonah differs from the books of all the other prophets in that its only message was addressed to the people of a foreign nation. Furthermore, the book is strictly narrative in form, and contains no direct message from God except His command to the Ninevites to repent. This is where Jonah's role in the Bible takes place. Jonah was a prophet from God, who at first tried to avoid that role by …

…lives of the heathen seamen. In sparing Jonah's life despite his disobedience. In giving the Ninevites an opportunity to repent and in averting punishment when they did so, and in His patient dealings with Jonah (Jonah 4:111). But by an object lesson God shows Jonah the folly of his attitude and justifies the decision to spare the people of Nineveh (Jonah 4:4–11). The narrative also reveals the simple means God often employs to accomplish His will (Jonah 1:4, 17; 2:10; 4:68).