Post by Mark on Sept 26, 2009 5:02:50 GMT -8
As a gentile, the book of Jonah is a most profound and amazing story. When we look back at the Old Testament, we tend to consider these to be Jewish Scriptures: uniquely concerning the relationship of Adonai with the Jewish people. Yet, in this story, Adonai sends His message offering reconciliation to a gentile nation: the Babylonians of Ninevah.
What is more fascinating is that the
is commonly understood to be God's covenant definition of sin and righteousness to the Jewish people. Yet, He commands a Jewish prophet to go there for the purpose of instructing these idolaters to repent. Repent of what? On what basis and by what definition are these people to turn? What are they turning from and to what are they establishing their new direction?
What business does the Lord God of Israel have telling these followers of Dagon (among other deities) how they should behave themselves?
There are fundamental principles of understanding that are completely overlooked in the stofy of Jonah when we only consider it as some fish story.
First, Adonai's standard of righteousness is universal.
For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
(Romans 2:11-12 KJV)
...where there is no law, there is no transgression. (Romans 4:14).
If there was no Law of God to be applied to the gentile nations, then Adonai would have been unjustified in any aggression against the Ninevites. The only conclusion is that Adonai has established His standard of righteousness as binding upon all peoples of the world. This is contrary to both modern Christianity and modern Judaism.
If the standard of righteousness, the evidence of a guilty verdict against the Ninevites were based upon anything other than the Hebrew, why would Adonai send a Jewish prophet? We have sufficient evidence from the story of Balaam that He is capable and willing to work through any device which He should choose. Would have it not been as equally as effective, probably more so, to send the great fish to tell the Ninevites that they should repent?
Adonai's design is that the nation of Israel is to be established as "a kingdom of priests" to whom the world may come and see the Light of Messiah in them.
The story of Jonah establishes the fundamental premises of Messianic theology concerning the nation of Israel and the rest of the world.
[Is he] the God of the Jews only? [is he] not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing [it is] one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
(Romans 3:29-31 KJV)
The Hebrew is the definition of sin and righteousness by which we must all evaluate our relationship with Adonai.
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
(1 John 3:4 KJV)
The Jewish people are the chosen vessel through which Adonai has chosen to reach out and declare His authority and majesty throughout the world.
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
(Romans 3:1-2 KJV)
What is more fascinating is that the
is commonly understood to be God's covenant definition of sin and righteousness to the Jewish people. Yet, He commands a Jewish prophet to go there for the purpose of instructing these idolaters to repent. Repent of what? On what basis and by what definition are these people to turn? What are they turning from and to what are they establishing their new direction? What business does the Lord God of Israel have telling these followers of Dagon (among other deities) how they should behave themselves?
There are fundamental principles of understanding that are completely overlooked in the stofy of Jonah when we only consider it as some fish story.
First, Adonai's standard of righteousness is universal.
For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
(Romans 2:11-12 KJV)
...where there is no law, there is no transgression. (Romans 4:14).
If there was no Law of God to be applied to the gentile nations, then Adonai would have been unjustified in any aggression against the Ninevites. The only conclusion is that Adonai has established His standard of righteousness as binding upon all peoples of the world. This is contrary to both modern Christianity and modern Judaism.
If the standard of righteousness, the evidence of a guilty verdict against the Ninevites were based upon anything other than the Hebrew
, why would Adonai send a Jewish prophet? We have sufficient evidence from the story of Balaam that He is capable and willing to work through any device which He should choose. Would have it not been as equally as effective, probably more so, to send the great fish to tell the Ninevites that they should repent?Adonai's design is that the nation of Israel is to be established as "a kingdom of priests" to whom the world may come and see the Light of Messiah in them.
The story of Jonah establishes the fundamental premises of Messianic theology concerning the nation of Israel and the rest of the world.
[Is he] the God of the Jews only? [is he] not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing [it is] one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
(Romans 3:29-31 KJV)
The Hebrew
is the definition of sin and righteousness by which we must all evaluate our relationship with Adonai.Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
(1 John 3:4 KJV)
The Jewish people are the chosen vessel through which Adonai has chosen to reach out and declare His authority and majesty throughout the world.
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
(Romans 3:1-2 KJV)
