This research paper by Jonathan Dennis, submitted to Dr. Richard Belcher for OT516 – Isaiah to Malachi at Reformed Theological Seminary – Charlotte, argues that the central theme of the book of Jonah is the absolute sovereignty of God. Dennis shows that while the great fish often dominates popular imagination, the narrative’s true focus lies in God’s providential authority over all of creation—winds, seas, plants, and creatures—each obeying His command to accomplish His divine purposes.
Through extensive engagement with scholars such as Boice, Kennedy, and Ironside, Dennis traces how Jonah portrays a God who appoints, directs, and governs every event to reveal His supremacy. He contrasts this with alternative readings that interpret Jonah as satire or naturalistic allegory, ultimately affirming that the book’s recurring phrase “the Lord appointed” underscores a theology of meticulous divine control. God’s sovereignty, Dennis argues, is both cosmic and personal—ruling nature’s forces and orchestrating Jonah’s disobedience and repentance alike.
The paper concludes that Jonah’s story demonstrates not only the certainty of divine rule but also the redemptive intent behind it. God’s sovereignty brings judgment to awaken repentance and mercy to restore the wayward. For Dennis, this interplay of judgment and redemption displays the heart of Jonah’s message: that the Creator’s total power is inseparably bound to His covenant love, guiding all creation toward His saving purpose.
Course and semester: OT516 Isaiah to Malachi — Fall 2015
