Jonah the False Prophet?

[jd.morrison]

My pastor and I have discussed Jonah, because back in July I gave a sermon on Jonah. In our discussion, he said that his Professor at Trinity Seminary in Chicago said that he was a false prophet. I am wondering if any body else has heard about this or has this opinion of Jonah and why.

** Note: This is not my position, I am just trying to find out why someone would come to this conclussion. Thanks and God bless!

Sermon On Jonah for those interested: - Click Here -

 

[Herald]

The only thing I can gather is that Jonah was an unwilling prophet; all the way to the end, when he became upset that the plant that gave him shade was cursed by God. I have never heard of him being called a false prophet.

Perhaps someone else has heard this description?

 

[Blueridge Believer]

I agree with Bill. What possible reason could someone have for calling Jonah a false prophet?

 

[jd.morrison]

From what I gather, remember this is not what I believe, it was that because he was reluctant and that he preached that "in 40 days Ninivah would be destroyed" and failed to tell them to go to God and repent. But I only see Jonah being told to go and tell them that God is going to destroy them. Hence, my confusion in the matter of why one would think him to be a "false" prophet, rather than a reluctant and rebellious prophet.

Thanks for the input, by the way!

 

[Poimen]

I have never heard that before but I will offer an observation. In Jonah 3:4-5 we read the following:

And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.

Notice however that when Jonah speaks they 'believe God' which a natural reading of the text would understand as a response to Jonah's message. Furthermore we see no indication that Jonah receives the rebuke or 'reward' of a false prophet as indicated in other passages of scripture.

In other words I don't think anyone can repent and believe without the true message, however surly the vessel who brings it!

 

[Poimen]

For what it's worth, I also preached on the book of Jonah (a few years ago). That does not make me the expert (believe me I am far from it) but having read several commentaries and studied the book from the Hebrew I never understood that Jonah was a false prophet.

 

[A5pointer]

who preached that sermon?

 

[jd.morrison]

"who preached that sermon?"

Well, I preach a sermon on Jonah. But I am not the one who thinks Jonah to be a false prophet. My pastors professor did and I found out about this through a discussion about Jonah. If you want to listen to my sermon, you are more than welcome to it is at the beginning of the thread.

 

[Amazing Grace]

I agree with Bill. What possible reason could someone have for calling Jonah a false prophet?

Becasue according to God's word In Deuteronomy 18:20-22 it says that anyone who gives a prophecy that does not come true is a false prophet. Therefore Jonah said the city will be destroyed..No mention of him asking Ninevah to repent to be saved from the wrath of God. Jonah himself thought the same, thats why he was so ticked off.

But to leave it there misses the other part of prophecy. There is an implicit thought that if one repents, God will relent.

"If at some time I announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it" (Jer. 18:7-10).

 

[Contra_Mundum]

1. God sent his minister with words of severe judgment. Is it not mercy to hear a preacher?

2. God's announcement of wrath comes with a specified warning period. What is this, if not the implied offer of mercy, room for repentance, which the Ninevites were prepared (outwardly) to plead for?

3. Jonah himself stated that his reason for running the other way was that he knew God was a God of mercy, and he wanted Ninevah to "get what was coming to them!" i.e. get what they deserved.

In other words, the whole story revolves around the interplay of God's mercy to the undeserving (even Gentiles!), who do in fact deserve justice, and plenty.

So, the dear professor offers his students precious little of use, and shows almost a complete absence of theological sensitivity. Jesus identified Jonah as a prophet, Mt 12:39, etc. So, either Prof So-and-so is in error, or Jesus is. Take your pick.

 

[Pergamum]

Rev BRUCE Rev BRUCE Rev BRUCE.......... Go Go Go......

YOu go ContraMundum!


We need a smiley of people doing the wave!

 

[Presbyterian Deacon]

My pastor and I have discussed Jonah, because back in July I gave a sermon on Jonah. In our discussion, he said that his Professor at Trinity Seminary in Chicago said that he was a false prophet. I am wondering if any body else has heard about this or has this opinion of Jonah and why.

** Note: This is not my position, I am just trying to find out why someone would come to this conclussion. Thanks and God bless!

Sermon On Jonah for those interested: - Click Here -

Here is a quote from another forum...Biblcal Understanding. org

"Jonah was a false prophet because what he said about Ninevah did not happen, did it? Also know that this nation was the enemy of Israel, not just a neighbor of good people, these people were...the most evil nation in that area."



It is not my position, but as I understand the argument, because Ninevah was not destroyed in forty days, these feel that Jonah was a false prophet.

Of course, we know that is absolutely wrong, and in due course--Ninevah was destroyed, That is what Nahum is about.

 

[Puritan Sailor]

1. God sent his minister with words of severe judgment. Is it not mercy to hear a preacher?

2. God's announcement of wrath comes with a specified warning period. What is this, if not the implied offer of mercy, room for repentance, which the Ninevites were prepared (outwardly) to plead for?

3. Jonah himself stated that his reason for running the other way was that he knew God was a God of mercy, and he wanted Ninevah to "get what was coming to them!" i.e. get what they deserved.

In other words, the whole story revolves around the interplay of God's mercy to the undeserving (even Gentiles!), who do in fact deserve justice, and plenty.

So, the dear professor offers his students precious little of use, and shows almost a complete absence of theological sensitivity. Jesus identified Jonah as a prophet, Mt 12:39, etc. So, either Prof So-and-so is in error, or Jesus is. Take your pick.

Plus, Jonah would not be in the Canon if he were a false prophet.

 

[holyfool33]

I have never hear of anyone saying that but even if he was he repented and preached to the Ninavites

 

[Vytautas]

2. God's announcement of wrath comes with a specified warning period. What is this, if not the implied offer of mercy, room for repentance, which the Ninevites were prepared (outwardly) to plead for?

Some people read Jonah 3:4 as saying that the judgment upon Ninevah will happen no matter what. They do not keep the above point in mind, since they do not read Jonah as the judgment will happen if you do not repent.

1. If you do not repent, then judgment will happen.

Since they did not fulfill the antecedent, then it does not mean the consequence will happen. Also the statement is true since the antecedent is false. If 1. could be deduced from the text, then Jonah is not a false prophet.

 

[Sonoftheday]

This is an argument mormans try to make whenever you say that Joseph Smith was a false prophet by the guidelines set down in the Law. They reply that yes not everyone of Josephs prophecies came true, but Jonah made a prophecy that did not come true. As if by Jonah making a false prophecy (which he didnt) somehow voids Deuteronomy 18:20-22.

 

[DMcFadden]

False prophet? Hmmmm. At Fuller they taught us that it was a parable, but not false (just unhistorical).

BTW, I didn't learn very well in seminary and take it as fully historical. It is, however, HIGHLY stylized and full of literary mastery. Jonah goes "down" to Joppa (3), down to the boat (3), "down" below deck (5), and "down" to the bottom (2:6). We see the "fear" of the sailors (9, 10) and the "fear" of the Lord (10, 16).

Ch. 4 has the wonderful example of God's providence . . .
God “appointed,” “determined,” “prepared”
- A “whale” to carry him (2:1)
- A weed to comfort him (4:6)
- A worm to correct him (4:7)
- A wind to confirm to him(4:8)
(OK, so it wasn't a "whale" but I needed a "w" for the alliteration; certainly not original, but it worked)

 

[Sydnorphyn]

hummm...close to this position

My pastor and I have discussed Jonah, because back in July I gave a sermon on Jonah. In our discussion, he said that his Professor at Trinity Seminary in Chicago said that he was a false prophet. I am wondering if any body else has heard about this or has this opinion of Jonah and why.

** Note: This is not my position, I am just trying to find out why someone would come to this conclussion. Thanks and God bless!

Sermon On Jonah for those interested: - Click Here -

This is a great question; Jonah DOES not get it in my reading of the book; the book may best be understood as a satire. Jonah, the Israelite does not get it and yet is shown mercy, the nations (who are not supposed to get it) get it....total Irony; I read Jonah as representing Israel - the non-remnant - and Nineveh as representing the remnant - the book is turned upside down - The gospel to the nations - genesis 12.1-3, et al/

 

[MW]

I'm more inclined to think Jonah understood only too well; that explains both his reluctance and his anger. In this he characterised Israel's proud particularism. It's hard to be better than the rest when the One you boast in, who supposedly makes you better than the rest, also shows mercy to whom He will show mercy. I also don't think Nineveh understood very well what was happening. They didn't know their right hand from their left, and yet how keenly were they moved to action! Israel and Jonah (asleep in the ship) lazily enjoy the knowledge of the one true God, while Nineveh and the mariners (zealously calling on their gods) are spurred to reflection and reformation at the first sign of destruction. As Dennis McFadden pointed out, Jonah's is a downward movement, and it's not until he reaches the very bottom that he will start to think about his religious duty. In this he is the perfect *sign* which Jesus gave to the adulterous religious generation who would not believe on Him.

 

[Sydnorphyn]

Why

1. God sent his minister with words of severe judgment. Is it not mercy to hear a preacher?

2. God's announcement of wrath comes with a specified warning period. What is this, if not the implied offer of mercy, room for repentance, which the Ninevites were prepared (outwardly) to plead for?

3. Jonah himself stated that his reason for running the other way was that he knew God was a God of mercy, and he wanted Ninevah to "get what was coming to them!" i.e. get what they deserved.

In other words, the whole story revolves around the interplay of God's mercy to the undeserving (even Gentiles!), who do in fact deserve justice, and plenty.

So, the dear professor offers his students precious little of use, and shows almost a complete absence of theological sensitivity. Jesus identified Jonah as a prophet, Mt 12:39, etc. So, either Prof So-and-so is in error, or Jesus is. Take your pick.

Plus, Jonah would not be in the Canon if he were a false prophet.

Why not, read Jeremiah 26-29 where their are recored of false prophets in the exile.

 

[jd.morrison]

I have never hear of anyone saying that but even if he was he repented and preached to the Ninavites

Holyfool33

No where in the Book of Jonah does it indicate that he repents. He grudgingly does what God asks and is enraged when the people actually listen and God shows mercy. Had he repented he would have rejoiced in God's fulfilled will. He is sortof like a Pharisee in that sense he did what he was supposed to but was rebelling in his heart.

 

[jd.morrison]

I'm more inclined to think Jonah understood only too well; that explains both his reluctance and his anger. In this he characterised Israel's proud particularism. It's hard to be better than the rest when the One you boast in, who supposedly makes you better than the rest, also shows mercy to whom He will show mercy. I also don't think Nineveh understood very well what was happening. They didn't know their right hand from their left, and yet how keenly were they moved to action! Israel and Jonah (asleep in the ship) lazily enjoy the knowledge of the one true God, while Nineveh and the mariners (zealously calling on their gods) are spurred to reflection and reformation at the first sign of destruction. As Dennis McFadden pointed out, Jonah's is a downward movement, and it's not until he reaches the very bottom that he will start to think about his religious duty. In this he is the perfect *sign* which Jesus gave to the adulterous religious generation who would not believe on Him.

I tend to agree with both of you. For on the one hand, Jonah foresees the possible outcome of going and is enraged at the idea of gentiles being shown mercy then on the other hand he doesn't get his roll as the Nation of Israel. He is supposed to be a light unto all the nations declaring God Holiness and His Soveriegnty over all the earth. They didn't get it, hence they failed at one of their earthly callings.