The Consequences of Jonah Disobedience to Himself and People Around Him

Abstract

Individual offences in daily life often impact on others. One example is the negligence of the community and the lack of assertiveness of the government in handling and preventing illegal logging. This has led to natural disasters due to environmental degradation. The Bible explains that blessings and calamities involve common responsibility and common punishment. This is similar to the story of the Prophet Jonah when he was about to flee to Tarshish. Jonah's case should have only resulted in his punishment, but in reality the passengers and crew also suffered from Jonah's actions. The purpose of this study is to understand the common responsibility and common punishment in the story of Jonah's disobedience in fleeing to Tarshish. This research also aims to raise public awareness that natural disasters signify that humans must be responsible in preserving nature. The research was conducted with a literature study through a critical historical approach and concluded that the consequences experienced by the community are a form of God's wisdom for a person's (or community's) offence against Him. The concept of common responsibility and common punishment is God's way of building obedience to Him, restoring the situation and bringing people to know Him more deeply.