Audio Multimedia


Jonah
Raymond B. Dillard and Tremper Longman III
AN INTRODUCTION to the OLD TESTAMENT

Jonah contains one of the most memorable stories in the Bible. Many people know the account of the prophet who was swallowed by a great fish. This story has evoked wonder in many and ridicule from others. Unfortunately, the debate that surrounds the historicity of this story has obscured its literary beauty and theological significance. No one can deny that Jonah is a book unlike any other prophetic book in the canon. Most prophecies center around the preaching of the prophet. Jonah, on the other hand, is a prose narrative. The prophet’s preaching is reluctant and contained in a single verse (Jon. 3:4), which does not even mention God’s name. While unique and at times perplexing, the book of Jonah contains a theological message that is relevant for today.