Ben007Masada
A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM
As a prelude to this thread, I would like my fellow posters to read with me what the torah says in Numbers 12:6.
"Should there be a prophet among you, in visions will I reveal Myself to him; in dreams will I speak to him; said the Lord."
Jonah was a prophet among the Israelites who were left behind when Assyria conquered the Ten Tribes of Israel in Samaria, the Kingdom of the North. Jonah had never forgiven the destruction of ten of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Babylon was rising and, the news around was that Nineveh, the capital of Assyria was first in line for destruction.
Then Jonah had a dream. The Lord would let him know that he cared for all, and not only for Judah left behind in the South. Nineveh had to be given a chance to escape, at least for the time being; and Jonah was the one to let them know. For a moment or two, Jonah was happy that the Nivevites were about to meet their end. But that was not God's will. In his dream, to run away from his mission, Jonah went down to Joppa and took a ship to Tarshish.
Once aboard, to prevent any unnecessary conversation, he went down into the hold of the ship, lay down there and fell fast asleep; and he had a dream; the second dream within the first. There was such a tempest upon the sea that the ship was in danger to sink. The mariners became frightened and agreed to cast lots to find out who was to blame for what was happening. They woke Jonah up and had him participate in the lot casting, which proved Jonah to be the cause of all evil.
Jonah hated the Ninevites so much so that he preferred to die than to see them escape destruction, such as they had done to Israel. Hence, he himself advised the mariners to throw him into the sea if they wanted to save themselves from disaster. At least, the Ninevites would not escape their fate. But Jonah could not get rid of his responsibility as a prophet, for a large fish swallowed him down and spewed him upon the shore after three days.
That's when Jonah woke up from his double dream and understood that it was useless to run away from his prophetic responsibility. He rose and went to Nineveh to fulfill his mission. The Ninevites believed, repented of their wrong ways, and had their lives extended for a few years more.
Source: The book of Jonah.
Ben
As a prelude to this thread, I would like my fellow posters to read with me what the torah says in Numbers 12:6.
"Should there be a prophet among you, in visions will I reveal Myself to him; in dreams will I speak to him; said the Lord."
Jonah was a prophet among the Israelites who were left behind when Assyria conquered the Ten Tribes of Israel in Samaria, the Kingdom of the North. Jonah had never forgiven the destruction of ten of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Babylon was rising and, the news around was that Nineveh, the capital of Assyria was first in line for destruction.
Then Jonah had a dream. The Lord would let him know that he cared for all, and not only for Judah left behind in the South. Nineveh had to be given a chance to escape, at least for the time being; and Jonah was the one to let them know. For a moment or two, Jonah was happy that the Nivevites were about to meet their end. But that was not God's will. In his dream, to run away from his mission, Jonah went down to Joppa and took a ship to Tarshish.
Once aboard, to prevent any unnecessary conversation, he went down into the hold of the ship, lay down there and fell fast asleep; and he had a dream; the second dream within the first. There was such a tempest upon the sea that the ship was in danger to sink. The mariners became frightened and agreed to cast lots to find out who was to blame for what was happening. They woke Jonah up and had him participate in the lot casting, which proved Jonah to be the cause of all evil.
Jonah hated the Ninevites so much so that he preferred to die than to see them escape destruction, such as they had done to Israel. Hence, he himself advised the mariners to throw him into the sea if they wanted to save themselves from disaster. At least, the Ninevites would not escape their fate. But Jonah could not get rid of his responsibility as a prophet, for a large fish swallowed him down and spewed him upon the shore after three days.
That's when Jonah woke up from his double dream and understood that it was useless to run away from his prophetic responsibility. He rose and went to Nineveh to fulfill his mission. The Ninevites believed, repented of their wrong ways, and had their lives extended for a few years more.
Source: The book of Jonah.
Ben