Latter

Yes, I’m back in Jonah 1 again!

What happens if we take the view that Jonah represents Israel?

(The Book of the Twelve is another name for the “Minor Prophets”, Hosea – Malachi).

Peter Leithart has an illuminating post on the unity of these 12 books entitled Book of the Twelve.

Think Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.

Think Isaiah 40-46.

Then read the story that appeared on the BBC News website today, entitled Hindu gods [sic.] get summons from court.

That depends on which God you are talking about.

People who embrace a set of views known as “open theism” like to say that God does not know the future (either his own, or that of his world, or both – there are different versions).

I’m reading Isaiah 41-44 again, and am freshly struck by what is here. God sets out one test or characteristic that will distinguish him, the true God, from an idol or false God.

God can tell you what is going to happen; an idol cannot

Here is the test, for example, in 44:7

“Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.

— Jonah sent to Nineveh (1:1-2)
—— Jonah goes to sea – boards a ship (1:3)
——— Jonah in the belly of the ship; the sailors cry to their gods (1:4-6)
———— Jonah tells the sailors that he worships the one true God (1:7-10)
———— The sailors worship the one true God (1:11-16)
——— Jonah in the belly of the fish; Jonah cries to his God (1:17-2:9)
—— Jonah back on land (2:10)
— Jonah sent to Nineveh (3:1)

Corroborates my suspicion that Jonah’s ministry to the sailors is very important to these chapters

I’m doing some work on Jonah 1 at the moment (again!), and it seems that we have another fine example of responsibility being passed between groups of people and representative individuals.

Thanks to Joel Green, commentary on Luke page 136, for this one

Isaiah 1:3

The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master’s crib,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.

Does anyone know where I can get hold of a copy of Simon Wakeling's dissertation on the unity of the book of the 12?

Thank you Mark Dever, in The Message of the Old Testament for this that I’ve never seen before: