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The Book of Jonah

The Book of Jonah is a scripture that teaches about God’s forgiveness and compassion. It shows that God can be forgiving and compassionate to all people, even those who are wicked. It also teaches that humans should not question God’s ways and that, even if human beings cannot show care and compassion towards their enemies, they must accept that God loves all and is not exclusively on their side.

Although he was a prophet, Jonah was stubborn and disobedient to God. He very much wanted God to destroy the Ninevites as they were known for their wickedness and were the fiercest enemies of Israel, God’s chosen people.

When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, he did the exact opposite and boarded a boat going in the other direction. Displeased with him, God sent a violent sea storm that nearly ripped the boat to pieces. The crew blamed Jonah for the storm. Jonah told them to throw him overboard. They did, and the storm stopped.

Jonah wanted to be drowned, but God sent a giant fish that swallowed him up. In the fish’s stomach, Jonah thanked and praised God for saving him. After this, God caused the fish to vomit him out onto the shore.

Jonah was now more obedient to God. He went to Nineveh, proclaiming that God would destroy the city. To his surprise, the Ninevites repented. God showed them compassion and mercy. Jonah was angry with God for sparing them.

While Jonah was resting in the hot sun, God provided him with a vine (a small, leafy tree) to shade him and this made him happy. However, the next day, God sent a worm that ate the vine and made it wither. Hot and bothered, Jonah complained again to God, who told him off for caring more about a vine than about the Ninevite people. At the end of the story, God expresses care and concern for all people, even those who are wicked.

The problem of evil and suffering

Many Jews believe that, as God created everything, evil and suffering must too have been created by God. This does not seem to make sense if, as Jews believe, God is all-loving, all-knowing and all-powerful – God would know there is suffering and his loving nature means that he should not want suffering to happen. Furthermore, being all-powerful, he could put a stop to it.

However, Jews also believe that God is transcendent – beyond human understanding and not bound by the physical conditions of this world. Although suffering may appear unfair and opposed to Jewish ideas about what God is like, many Jews have faith that evil and suffering are part of God’s over-arching plan for humanity. They believe that, ultimately, humanity will benefit from it in ways people are unable to understand.

Jews also believe that God gave human beings free will, meaning that they can choose between good and evil. Sometimes humans choose to be evil, and this causes suffering. Jews believe that because God is loving and caring, he has given humans commandments by which to live in order to prevent suffering. People who choose to go against God’s commandments are guilty of sin, which God will punish them for in the afterlife.

The Book of Job

The Book of Job is part of the Tanakh. Job is described as a good man who loves God. Satan challenges God, saying that Job is only good because he has a happy life. God allows Satan to put Job’s faith to the test by causing him to suffer.

First, Job loses his livestock, his servants and all his children. He is devastated but remains faithful and praises God. Then he suffers horrible weeping sores all over his body. Job’s wife tells him to reject God and to accept that he is dying, but Job refuses. He tries to find ways to live with his suffering.

Even his closest friends think that he must somehow be to blame for his suffering. Job begins to question God’s fairness - how could God let wicked people flourish while good people suffer?

Eventually, God appears to Job. He asks impossible questions that show Job how little he can understand about God’s ultimate plan. Job is humbled by this encounter, and at last appreciates that God’s unlimited power cannot be fully understood by human beings.

Job never learns why he has suffered. However, God restores his health and gives him twice as much property as before, more children, and a very long and prosperous life.