Jonah was a minor prophet who prophesied to a pagan nation Nineveh. From II Kings 14:25 we can understand that Jonah is from Gath-hapher near to Nazareth. Eventhough it is characterised as a prophetical book there is only one prophesy in the book; 3:4. The purpose of the book is that God has a concern for other nations too.

We know that Ezra and Nehemiah; thay had a mission exclusively for the Jews; rebuilding of the temple and the wall. We commonly understand from old Testament that God was interested only on Israel, His own people. And in the New Testament God has a wider concern about the gentiles through Jesus Christ. Otherwise Evangelism is only in the New Testament. It is true that God selected Israel as His own people, but He did not forget other people. This is shown in the book of Jonah. God sent his prophet to a pagan nation; not to annihilate them but to restore them. God is highly compassionate. We can see it in the gospel also. Jesus was moved with compassion while looking at the scattered ones without shephered. Eventhough God is highly compassionate Jonah was not very much bothered about it. So he ran away, from his responsibilities. Why he ran away? I think there are two possibilities.

First one is that; he was afraid of the Ninevites. In chapter 1:2 we see that the iniquities and sins of the people of Nineveh were so terrible. He was not dare enough to face that cruel, sinful people. But this was not acceptable to God. In the Gospel we can see that Jesus said to His disciples "I send you among the wolves as sheep." Actually evangelism is a hard job. As an evangelist he/she is supposed to work hard to deliver those under the bondages of satan. In other words turning the people from darkness to light is a tedious job. Jesus came here not to save righteous but the sinful people, those who are addicted to various worse habits. Many evangelists are interested to evangelise the people who do not much argue or act against what we say or preach. In the campuses also we are trying to reach such category of people and avoid a big number of filthy students, student polititians, drug addicts etc. We are calling Jonah as a disobedient servent of God. We would say we are not like prophet Jonah? God is interested in our implicit obedience. God require implicit obedience to His commands.

God has given a promise that "I shall be with you always till the ends of the age" (Mtt. 28:20). This was said to the disciples who have received the great commission. So once you are called and appointed as servant of God by God Himself, His mighty presence will be with you always, which enable you to do the ministry even in the hard situations and among the cruel people.

Second possibility was that he thought about his status. Let me explain it. God gave Jonah an assignment to preach the judgment upon them. Jonah thought that God is a compassionate God and He will restrain of His dicision. Likewise now a days in the Christian realm we can see that ministers are more interested in their own status and positions. Today the socalled servants of God are using God or exploting Him to build their own kingdoms. We need God to satisfy our desires, sometimes our lust also.

We are singing and praying to God that we need Him. But I wish to say if we are available in God’s hands He will make use of us. C.T. stud said that God count’s not your ability but your availability. If you are in God’s hands you can experience the touch, you can experience the warmth, experience the renewal and experience that you are under real security. Here I want to raise a question whether God is for you or you are for God? For many people in our surroundings God is for them; means to get healed, to get a job, or to get some material benefits. They are more concerned about the earthly things. I can say that this is the state of prerepentance period. But after the repentance it should be changed, I mean the philosophy must be changed. Not God for me, but I am for God. I am for God should be the philosophy of a repented person.

Here Jonah was more concerned about his status. But as a servant of God our status or position is not very much concerned. John the baptist said that He (Jesus) must become greater and I must become less. One more thing he said that he is only a voice. Voice has no face, Voice is voice. As a servant of God our desire should be the glorification of Jesus Christ only. In our ministry we must learn and practise to lift up Jesus the saviour of mankind, who shed His blood for the humanity.

From this book we can see that Jonah has failed to understand God’s heart. He knew that God is the creator of heavens, earth and seas.

Intellectual or academic excellence in theology alone will not help you to do God’s ministry in God’s own way. You may preach excellently from the word of God and could speak about characters in an appealing manner. But if we don’t have the heart of God about the perishing people, your performance will be in vain. Knowing the truth is not enough, it must be accepted and applied.

One more thing I want to add from the book of Jonah. If God has chosen a person to do the ministry he/she must be submissive to His call. But if you are rejecting His call God may sometimes use hard ways to bring you back. Obedience must be complete and not simply partial to suit your convenience.