Junus prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, saying, "In my distress I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me; from the dead I cried out, and you heard my voice." (Jonah 2:1-2, TB-2)
Junus, the prophet who was swallowed by a great fish. That's the popular description of him. He was a prophet, but his whole behaviour was not that of a prophet at all. Quite the opposite. From the beginning, this prophet was not enthusiastic about his mission. The LORD sent him to the city of Nineveh to proclaim His judgement: if the city didn't repent, it would be destroyed. Jonah just seemed to comply. He got up, and ... went the other way. GOD told him to go East (Nineveh), Jonah instead wanted to flee to Tarshish, the farthest region in the West. Imagine, a prophet doing exactly the opposite of what GOD told him to do. Jonah's name means 'dove', a symbol of sincerity. But Jonah was a 'dove who broke the covenant'. Will GOD's plan fail, because His messenger disobeyed?"
Turns out not! Jonah could not escape the call of the LORD. His escape became a moment for the LORD to educate and change him. His understanding of the LORD had to change. Firstly, the LORD is the God of the universe, who rules over the earth, the sea and everything in it. Everything is under His command. So, it was useless to run away. Previously, Jonah thought that the LORD ruled only in the territory of Israel. Beyond that, he was powerless. So, Jonah would be safe if he ran out of Israel. It turns out that he failed to understand. The power of the LORD is limitless.
Secondly, the LORD is an omnipotent GOD. He is worshipped by "pagan" sailors. The captain of a foreign ship even asked Jonah to pray. The LORD rules over nature and creation. Storms and waves come at His command. The big fish swallowed Jonah also at His pleasure. The fish's stomach became the place where Jonah prayed, realising his guilt, and he proclaimed the message of God's judgement to the people of the notorious city of Nineveh.
The reaction was unusual: the entire population, from the king to the commoners, even all the livestock, fasted and put on sackcloth as a sign of repentance. There had never been such a mass repentance in Israel. None of the prophets' proclamations in Israel had been as successful as Jonah's. His one-sentence proclamation, which may have been spoken with reluctance, had colossal results. God has the power to change the hearts of people, even those who have been considered the most evil and unrepentant. The task of missionaries and preachers is only to do the assigned task. Results are the Almighty's business alone!
Third, the LORD is a loving GOD for all nations, not just for the people of Israel! Jonah imprisoned the LORD in his theology: A GOD who blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked. Jonah could not accept that GOD also wanted the best for the Ninevites, Israel's sworn enemies, who were notoriously cruel and wicked. Jonah failed to understand and accept the extent of the LORD's love. GOD works in unfathomable ways, full of mystery and surprise. All the schemes and reasoning of man, even if he is a prophet, are useless.
Missionaries and messengers of the Good News must always be open to be educated, to learn to see the unexpected works of GOD in the world, in other people and nations, even in those who are considered opponents'. Through a caterpillar and a castor tree, the LORD finally made Jonah aware of His infinite love for all His creation. The LORD wants all people to change and be saved. That is the Good News that we must always proclaim and present. Not just among us but for all people.
Faces of Mission: The Story of Mission in Scripture. Rev Anwar Tjen, Ph.D., Hortensius F. Mandaru. Budi Ingelina. Indonesian Bible Institute. 2021.
