Curious Christian

In our cultural imagination, YHWH often wears the robes of judgment, a celestial critic ready to pounce on the slightest misstep. The tale of Jonah, however, beckons us to question this caricature.

This story from the Old Testament presents Jonah as a reluctant prophet. That is, after all, how Jonah ends up in the belly of the whale / fish / sea creature midway through his journey. When tasked with delivering a warning to the Babylonian Empire, Jonah flees over the sea in the opposite direction. Why? Because he feared YHWH was not the xenophobe he was and might just be open to showing the Babylonians mercy.

It turns out Jonah’s apprehensions were entirely justified, as that is exactly what YHWH did. He extended mercy to Israel’s enemies when they heeded the warning. The story concludes, most comically, with the prophet Jonah pouting.

The message the Israelites, and we, are supported to get from this story is that YHWH is far more compassionate and merciful than some of us would like, and like Jonah we’re just going to have to suck it up. Centuries later Jesus echoed a similar sentiment. YHWH seeks reconciliation above all else. And yet, tragically, we still struggle to fully grasp it.