What is the Sign of Jonah?- Jesus’ Resurrection and the Call to Repentance
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What is the sign of Jonah? Yeshua (Jesus) used this prophetic reference to explain His death, burial, and resurrection, drawing a parallel between His own mission and the story of the prophet Jonah.
Rooted in Jonah’s experience of repentance and divine mercy, the sign of Jonah serves as a powerful symbol of God’s desire for all people to turn to Him.
In this post, we will further explore what the sign of Jonah is, how it connects to Yeshua’s resurrection, and the valuable lessons it offers about repentance and obedience.
Be sure to download your free copy of our Sign of Jonah study and reflection questions at the end of this post!
The Story of Jonah: A Call to Repentance and Obedience
Jonah stands out among the prophets in Scripture because, unlike most prophets, we don’t primarily know him through the words he spoke as God’s messenger. While other prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel are recorded delivering lengthy prophecies, Jonah’s story focuses more on his actions—or rather, his reluctance to act.
Instead of prophetic declarations, we see Jonah’s internal struggle, his resistance to God’s command, and his eventual begrudging obedience. His journey of defiance, repentance, and frustration reveals more about his demeanor and character than any words he speaks.
Jonah’s narrative is unique in that it emphasizes a prophet’s personal wrestlings with God’s mercy, rather than the prophetic messages themselves. The Book of Jonah in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) is a short but profound narrative with enduring lessons.
Jonah, a prophet of Israel, is commanded by God to travel to Nineveh, a major city of the Assyrian empire known for its wickedness, to proclaim God’s message:
“Forty more days, and Nineveh will be overthrown!”
(Jonah 3:4 tlv
However, instead of obeying, Jonah attempts to flee from God’s presence by boarding a ship headed for Tarshish, which was in the opposite direction.
Jonah’s attempt to flee sets the scene for God’s intervention. A violent storm threatens to destroy the ship, and the sailors—recognizing the storm as divine—cast lots to identify the cause.
Jonah admits he is fleeing from God’s command and offers to be thrown into the sea to save the crew. As soon as Jonah is cast overboard, the storm ends, and Jonah is swallowed by a great fish, where he remains for three days and nights.
Inside the fish, Jonah prays a heartfelt prayer of repentance (Jonah 2:2-9), acknowledging God’s power and salvation. God commands the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land, giving him a second chance to fulfill his mission.
This time, Jonah goes to Nineveh and delivers God’s warning. Amazingly, the entire city— from the king to all its citizens— responds to Jonah’s message with belief and repentance. They repent by fasting and wearing sackcloth, and God, in His mercy, spares the city from destruction.
Even though his mission was successful, Jonah was actually upset by God’s mercy toward Nineveh. He sits outside the city, hoping to see its destruction.
God uses a plant that provides Jonah shade, then He causes it to wither the next day, to teach Jonah a lesson about compassion. Just as Jonah cared about the plant, God cares about the people of Nineveh, showing His love and mercy even for those who turn to Him at the last moment.
This mercy God shows to the people of Nineveh mirrors Yeshua’s teaching in the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). In this parable, a landowner hires workers throughout the day, some early in the morning and others as late as the eleventh hour.
At the end of the day, each worker, regardless of when they started, receives the same wage. When those who worked the full day complain, the landowner responds that he is generous and can give as he chooses.
Likewise, God’s mercy toward Nineveh shows that He is willing to forgive anyone, even those who turn to Him at the last minute. Like the workers who were hired late in the day, the people of Nineveh did not earn God’s mercy by years of righteous living, but by their immediate repentance.
This highlights God’s incredible grace—He is always ready to welcome those who sincerely turn back to Him, no matter how late in their lives or how far they have wandered.
Lessons from Jonah: Obedience and God’s Call
The story of Jonah offers more than a miraculous event of survival; it speaks to fundamental issues of obedience, repentance, and God’s compassion. While the sign of Jonah is crucial in connecting the story to Yeshua’s resurrection, there are also vital lessons we can draw from Jonah’s life that apply to our own spiritual journeys.
- Running from God’s Call
Jonah’s initial response to God’s command was to run in the opposite direction. He didn’t want to deliver a message of repentance to a city he despised. This highlights the human tendency to resist God’s calling when it challenges our comfort or prejudices. Jonah’s attempt to run away shows us that God’s plans can’t be stopped. Even when we resist, God will continue to pursue us until we respond to His call. His will is greater than our personal fears or biases. - The Power of Repentance
Jonah’s story also shows us that repentance is transformative. The people of Nineveh, when they heard Jonah’s message, turned from their wickedness, and God showed them mercy. This illustrates the central biblical truth that God’s mercy is extended to all who truly repent. No matter how far we’ve strayed, God is always ready to forgive when we genuinely turn back to Him. The city’s rapid repentance also highlights the importance of humility in acknowledging our sins and changing our ways. - God’s Boundless Mercy
Jonah struggled with God’s compassion toward Nineveh, a pagan city. He wanted justice—destruction for the wicked—but God wanted repentance and salvation. This reminds us that God’s mercy is far greater than human understanding. He desires that no one should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Jonah’s resentment toward Nineveh’s deliverance is a caution against self-righteousness and reminds us that God’s grace extends beyond the boundaries we may set for others. - Obedience Even in Discomfort
Jonah’s mission was uncomfortable. He didn’t want to preach to Nineveh, and even after his success, he was displeased. Yet, God calls us to obey even when it goes against our own personal desires. This lesson challenges us to step out in faith, trusting that God’s ways are higher than our own, and that He knows what is best even when we do not. Jonah’s story teaches that obedience to God sometimes requires us to set aside our own plans and prejudices. - God’s Relentless Pursuit
Despite Jonah’s resistance, God pursued him. Whether through the storm, the fish, or the withering plant, God continually reached out to Jonah, not only for the sake of Nineveh but for Jonah’s own growth and understanding. This shows us that God does not give up on us, even when we try to run from His calling. He will use circumstances, challenges, and even discomfort to bring us back to the path He has set for us.
Jonah and Yom Kippur
Jonah’s story holds a special place in Jewish tradition, particularly during Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. On this sacred day, the Book of Jonah is read in synagogues during the afternoon service. While the day is marked by fasting, prayer, and self-reflection, Jonah’s story acts as a powerful reminder of two central themes: the boundless mercy of God and the power of teshuvah (repentance).
Yom Kippur is the culmination of the ten Days of Awe, a time when the Jewish people focus on repentance and reconciliation with God. As we have seen, Jonah’s reluctance to deliver God’s message and his eventual obedience mirror the human struggle with repentance and self-examination. This connection reminds the community that, like the people of Nineveh, we all have the opportunity to turn back to God, even when we are far from Him.
Reading Jonah during Yom Kippur emphasizes that no sin is too great for God to forgive, as long as there is genuine repentance. Just as Nineveh’s repentance led to their deliverance, Yom Kippur offers the chance for individuals and communities to renew their relationship with God through sincere teshuvah.
The reading also calls to mind that, much like Jonah, we may sometimes hesitate to extend grace to others or struggle with our own shortcomings. Yet, Yom Kippur reminds us that God’s mercy is vast and available to all, urging us to open our hearts and follow His ways more fully.
Jesus and the Sign of Jonah: Bringing God’s Mercy to All Nations
When Yeshua refers to the sign of Jonah in the New Testament, He not only points to His own death and resurrection but also to a deeper message about God’s intention to extend His mercy to all nations.
In Matthew 12:38-40, Yeshua is asked by the Pharisees and Torah teachers for a sign of His divine authority. He responds:
“An evil and adulterous generation clamors for a sign, yet no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.”
Matthew 12:39-40 TLV
Just as Jonah was sent to a foreign nation, Nineveh, with a message of repentance, Yeshua’s death and resurrection brought the message of God’s salvation to all peoples. Yeshua, as the Messiah, fulfills God’s ultimate plan of redemption not just for Israel but for the entire world.
The comparison between Jonah and Yeshua emphasizes that God’s desire is for all nations to receive His word and repent, turning back to Him in faith.
In the same way Jonah’s reluctant mission to Nineveh brought salvation to a pagan city, Yeshua’s resurrection opens the door for salvation to extend beyond Israel to all the nations in a new covenant with them.
Yeshua’s role as the agent of this grace fulfills the vision of God’s kingdom encompassing people from every tribe and tongue, as promised in the Scriptures. Through Yeshua the Messiah, God’s mercy reaches every corner of the earth, offering forgiveness and new life to all who repent and believe.
Repentance: The Central Theme in Jonah’s Story and Yeshua’s Ministry
Both Jonah’s mission and Yeshua’s resurrection emphasize the importance of repentance in experiencing God’s mercy. The people of Nineveh repented at Jonah’s warning, and in response, God spared the city from destruction. This same principle is central to Yeshua’s ministry.
He called people to repent and believe the Good News or ‘Besorah‘ of the kingdom of God. Through His resurrection, Yeshua provides the ultimate opportunity for repentance and reconciliation with God.
Just as Jonah reluctantly delivered God’s message to Nineveh, Yeshua willingly carried out God’s plan of salvation for the world. The sign of Jonah, with its message of death and resurrection, challenges us to respond with repentance and faith. Yeshua’s resurrection demonstrates God’s power over sin and death and opens the way for all to receive His grace.
My Final Thoughts on Jonah in the Bible
Jonah’s story challenges us to examine our own lives and ask: Are we running from God’s call? Is there an area in our lives where we need to repent and turn back to Him? Just as Jonah’s mission was a call to repentance, so too is Yeshua’s resurrection an invitation for us to receive God’s mercy. Reflect on your spiritual journey, and consider how you can respond to God’s call with obedience and faith.
How is God calling you to repentance today? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your reflections on Jonah’s story in the comments below. And if you’re looking to dive deeper into the Bible, join our Facebook Bible Study Group where we explore Scripture together and grow in faith. We’d love to have you in the conversation!
Don’t forget to download your free copy of our Sign of Jonah study and reflection questions below!
FAQs
- What is the sign of Jonah?
The sign of Jonah refers to Yeshua’s comparison of Jonah’s three days in the belly of the fish with His own death, burial, and resurrection. It symbolizes Yeshua’s resurrection as the ultimate sign of God’s salvation. - Why is the Book of Jonah read on Yom Kippur?
The Book of Jonah is read on Yom Kippur because it emphasizes the themes of repentance and divine mercy, which are central to the observance of the Day of Atonement. - How does Jonah’s story connect to Yeshua’s mission?
Jonah’s mission to Nineveh, a foreign city, reflects God’s desire to bring His word to all nations. Yeshua fulfills this by bringing salvation not only to Israel but to all people through His death and resurrection. - What lessons can we learn from Jonah’s life?
Jonah’s story teaches us about the importance of obedience to God, the power of repentance, and the boundless nature of God’s mercy for all people. It also reminds us that God’s plans are greater than our own desires or prejudices. - How can I apply the story of Jonah to my life today?
Reflect on areas where you might be resisting God’s call or need to repent. Like Jonah, we are all invited to turn back to God, trust in His plan, and extend His message of mercy to those around us.
Tree of Life (TLV) – Scripture taken from the Holy Scriptures, Tree of Life Version*. Copyright © 2014,2016 by the Tree of Life Bible Society. Used by permission of the Tree of Life Bible Society.