Marlon’s Musings #21

This Saturday, I begin a new sermon series diving deep into the book of Jonah. I love doing sermon series because it allows me to dive deep into some of my favorite stories in the Bible. But since I am limited to four sermons due to time/scheduling constraints, I can’t mention all the fascinating things I am learning about Jonah. But that’s why I have my blog and this newsletter. So I’ll be sharing some bonus content on the Book of Jonah in the next few issues of this newsletter.

For example, here’s a thought-provoking point I came across that probably will not make it into my sermon or blog.

Bonus: Deep dive into the historical context and the impact of Jonah’s ministry.

Given the knowledge of Jonah’s general period of ministry, we can ascertain that the story occurred during a time of Assyrian weakness. In the first half of the eighth century b.c., especially between the death of Adad-nirari III (810–783 b.c.) and the crowning of Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727 b.c.), Assyria was fighting to defend itself against the Arameans and Urartians. The Assyrian Eponym Chronicle records that Assyria’s troubles were aggravated by famine (in 765 and 759 b.c. and perhaps the years between) and internal revolts (763–760 and 746 b.c.), all of which explain the “increasing impotence of the Assyrian monarchs towards the middle of the eighth century BC.”

According to G. Roux, “for thirty-six years (781–745 b.c.) Assyria was practically paralysed.” W. W. Hallo observes that “even the central provinces maintained only a tenuous loyalty to Assyria, for the various governors ruled in virtual independence.”7 This could explain the otherwise unknown expression “king of Nineveh” (rather than “king of Assyria” found elsewhere) in 3:6. Nineveh was at this time virtually the extent of the king’s domain. It also could explain the unusual phrase in 3:7, “By the decree of the king and his nobles.” As P. J. N. Lawrence has demonstrated, the precarious position of the king may have necessitated his acknowledging in his decree the power and influence of surrounding provincial governors.

The Chronicle also mentions that during the reign of Ashur-dan III (771–754 b.c.) there was a full eclipse of the sun (in 763 b.c.), which some have suggested would have increased Nineveh’s receptivity to Jonah’s preaching if it occurred not long before he arrived. The period finally culminated in a revolution that installed on the throne the famous Tiglath-Pileser III. He reestablished Assyrian supremacy, annexing the Aramean kingdoms and subjugating Israel and Judah (cf. 2 Kgs 15–16).

The following king, Shalmaneser V (727–722 b.c.), conquered Samaria in 722 b.c. and deported its inhabitants (cf. 2 Kgs 17). Thus Jonah’s prophetic mission to this languishing foreign nation resulted not only in their repentance and deliverance but ultimately also in Israel’s destruction. This fact must surely contribute to the canonical significance of the book.

—Billy K. Smith and Franklin S. Page, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, vol. 19B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 204–205.

If you don’t live in the Boise area, you can watch the livestream on Cloverdale’s YouTube channel. We begin the livestream around 11 AM Mountain Time.