Course 1, Chapter 37: The Messiah promised and prefigured — Eighteenth figure of the Messiah — Jonas. (A. C. 975-825.)

Q What happened after the death of Solomon?

A. After the death of Solomon his kingdom was divided; there remained to his son Roboam but two tribes, those of Juda and Benjamin. The ten other tribes chose for their king Jeroboam, and took tho name of the kingdom of Israel. The two former tribes remained faithful and were called the kingdom of Juda,

1. What was the capital of the kingdom of Israel?

The capital of the kingdom of Israel was Samaria.

2. What was the capital of the kingdom of Juda?

The capital of the kingdom of Juda was Jerusalem.

3. Did God abandon the ten tribes?

The Lord did not abandon the ten tribes; on the contrary he sent them a great many prophets to withdraw them from idolatry into which Jeroboam had caused them to fall; but they would not be converted. One of these prophets was Jonas.

4. What order did God give to Jonas?

God ordered Jonas to go and announce to the city of Ninive that the iniquities of its citizens had reached their height, and that he was about to punish them.

5. Did Jonas obey the order of God?

Jonas did not immediately obey the order of God. Knowing the great mercy of the Lord, he plainly fore saw that if the Ninivites would repent they would be pardoned, and his menaces would not be accomplished. He embarked, therefore, on a ship to go to the city of Tharsis.

6. What happened to Jonas whilst on board of the ship?

Scarcely was Jonas on the vessel when a violent storm arose, and the crew suspected that there was some great criminal on board who gave offence to heaven. They cast lots to ascertain who it was, and the lot fell upon Jonas.

7. What did thoy do with Jonas?

They cast Jonas into the sea; but the Lord caused a large whale to swallow him alive. Jonas lived miraculously three days and three nights in the whale, which afterwards threw him up on the shore. The prophet went to Ninive, and began to travel over the city, crying with a loud voice — "Yet forty days, and Ninive shall be destroyed."

104 CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE.

8. What did the people of Ninive do?

At the voice of Jonas the people of Ninive repented, and the Lord revoked the sentence he had pronounced. Jonas complained of this to the Lord, and said to him that he had well foreseen what would happen.

9. How did the Lord appease Jonas?

Jonas had retired a short distance from the city. During the night the Lord caused an ivy to grow up the shade of which protected Jonas from the rays of the sun. On the day following, the ivy. by the order of God, was withered, and Jonas, being exposed to the rays of the sun, began to murmur. Then the Lord said to him, you complain of the loss of this ivy which cost you nothing, and you wish me to destroy a lame city which has done penance, and in which there is a multitude of innocent children!

10. Was Jonas a figure of the Messiah?

Jonas was the eighteenth figure of the Messiah. Jonas whom the Israelites, his brethren, would not hear, was sent to preach penance to the Ninivites who were idolaters; our Lord, who was sent to preach the gospel to the Jews, his brethren, is not heard; he then causes it to be preached to the Gentiles by his apostles. Jonas, by his disobedience, is the cause of a violent tempest, and is thrown into the sea; our Lord, innocent himself, but loaded with the sins of the world, ex cites the anger of God against him, and is put to death. Jonas remains three days and three nights in the belly of a whale; our Lord remains three days and three nights in the tomb. Jonas, being delivered, converts 'the Ninivites; our Lord, after Ms resurrection, converts the infidel nations.*