Nineveh

Photo from Wikipedia


I have been doing some research on the excavations and location of Biblical Nineveh for our Sunday School Class. I got hooked because Pastor Mike asked me to find some photos and maps of the area to use in Powerpoint to add interest and information to the class. We have recently studied through the "huge" book of Jonah and are now in Joel. Studying through these Minor Prophets and the timelines is very interesting.
What I have learned...so far:

1. Geographically...Nineveh was found very close to modern day Mosul, Iraq.

2. Jonah knew that God would end up sparing that generation of the people of Nineveh if he went and gave them the message. He hated that, there was much animosity between the peoples of these areas, and so tried to get out of the mission.

3. When Jonah was in the ship and the storm was blowing around him, he knew that he was the cause of it. No question in his mind.

4. In order for the rest of the passengers to be saved Jonah had to be "sacrificed".

5. The sailors did not want to throw him over. They tried every other imaginable thing possible. They were hearing Jonah say that this was how it had to be...but they tried everything else first. (Do you ever do that? I know I do!)

6. It must have been Icky in the belly of a fish!

7. Is it a coincidence that Jonah was in the fish for 3 days? Jesus rose from the tomb on the third day. Isn't it interesting how the Old Testament points (always) to the coming Messiah?

8. When Jonah got out of the fish...that would be after the fish got a bad case of nausea...he eventually went to Nineveh. I found it interesting that it does not say where the fish dropped him or how long it may have taken him then to get to Nineveh...but he did go.

9. Nineveh was sizable. It took Jonah days to "visit" all of it.

10. Jonah spent time at the meeting places in the city.

11. God's will was done...using an imperfect man, who thought he could run and disobey. I know that God's will must be done and that very often we see that HE uses unexpected people. Wonder how HE might use you or me today. Hope I listen. Sure would be a bad time of the year to end up "in the belly of a fish"!