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'Now the Lord had prepared a great fish', 'The Lord God prepared a
gourd', 'God prepared a worm', 'God prepared a vehement east wind' (Jonah
1:17; 4:6,7,8). The God of the book of Jonah was Personal. He could and did
interpose in the affairs of men, He wrought miracles when it pleased Him so
to do.
The structure* of Jonah is an extended alternation:
*
We are indebted to Mr. E. A. Cater for suggestions in arriving at this
structure.
Jonah
A
1:1,2.
The word of the Lord, Arise, Cry.
B
1:3.
Jonah's disobedience.
C
1:4 -17.
Effect upon the heathen mariners, 'let us not perish'.
D
2:1 -7.
Jonah's prayer, 'life from corruption'.
E
2:8.
Reference to idols.
F
2:9,10.
Salvation is of the Lord.
A
3:1,2.
The word of the Lord, Arise, Preach.
B
3:3,4.
Jonah's obedience.
The second time.
C
3:5 -10.
Effect upon heathen citizens, 'that we perish not'.
D
4:1-9.
Jonah's displeasure
'Take my life from me'.
E
4:10,11.
Reference to idolaters.
Jonah's God also was a God of Grace; there is nothing primitive or
savage here:
'Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly'.
'Salvation is of the Lord'.
'The word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time'.
'And God saw their works that they turned from their evil way'.
'I knew that Thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and
of great kindness, and repentest Thee of the evil'.
'Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry? Should not I spare
Nineveh?'.
Men bring up over and over again the passages of Scripture where Israel
are commissioned to destroy another nation root and branch; they scarcely
ever stop to consider the reasons offered in the Word for this 'surgical
operation', but how many emphasize the extreme kindliness of the Lord, as
expressed in the closing words of Jonah's prophecy: