Jonah and Saul: A Comparative Analysis of Prophetic Inadequacy

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Recommended: Imperative essay of the book of jonah

In this essay, I will argue that Jonah is not a good prophet because he shows that he is more concerned with his reputation rather than God’s will. In order to do this, I will articulate and defend a framework for my argument, according to which a good prophet is defined by his closeness to God as a result of his authentic concern with God’s visions and goals. This will be proven by exploiting the analogy between Saul and Jonah as bad prophets and contrasting them with the ultimate good prophet in Moses. The first component of my framework will demonstrate that a good prophet typically has an intimate relationship with God. Moreover, this intimacy with the Lord is important, as it shows the level of favor that God has for them. Thus, the …show more content…

Ultimately, some of the prophets that are chosen demonstrate that they aren’t as close to God as others.
A prophet’s closeness to God is significant, because it represents the level of favor God possesses for them. This idea is supported through Moses, as he is unrivaled in his intimate relationship with God, as the Hebrew Bible states:
Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses, face to face, as one speaks to a friend… The LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name”
(Hebrew Bible, p. 130-131)
The relationship between God and Moses is effectively highlighted by the powerful simile of the Lord speaking to Moses “as one speaks to a friend”. It is immediately revealed that their relationship transcends the norm of God’s altercations with his people. Ultimately, …show more content…

Moses proves to be a good prophet in demonstrating this idea, whereas Saul demonstrates that he is unfit for such a status. Ultimately, Jonah’s position on the prophetic spectrum will be revealed through the comparison of these two prophets. Jonah’s lack of concern is analogous to Saul’s, as he demonstrates that he is more concerned with his own reputation rather than God’s victory. After much struggle, Jonah eventually delivers the Lord’s message to the people of Nineveh that they will perish in forty days. Nineveh reacts by repenting their wrongdoings in hopes that God will show mercy, and it proves to be successful. Sequentially, Jonah wavers as a good prophet in his reaction towards God’s mercy, as the Hebrew Bible states:
But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. Hey prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?… for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent in

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