Two Old Testament greats who had to give way to Jesus Christ

 

by

Damien F. Mackey

  

“When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus”.

 Matthew 17:8

  

Immediately following this, his manifestation in glory, Jesus, coming down from the Mountain of Transfiguration, will refer to his Resurrection, and to John the Baptist having come in the spirit of Elijah (vv. 9-13):

 

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, ‘Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead’.

The disciples asked him, ‘Why then do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah must come first?’

 

Jesus replied, ‘To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands’. Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

 

Here I intend to consider John the Baptist and also Moses, who, with said Elijah, was present at the Transfiguration. The Baptist and Moses had to, in a sense, diminish, so that Jesus Christ could wax the greater (John 3:30): ‘He must increase, and I must decrease’.

 

What follows is not original, but has been picked up from various talks and videos.

 

Saint John the Baptist

 

John the Baptist was, in fact, the head of the Old Testament.

 

Apart from his being prefigured by the prophet Elijah, as Jesus had recalled, John was marvellously foreshadowed by another worthy person, Jonathan, the son of King Saul and the bosom friend of David, the Lord’s anointed. Though Jonathan was the natural heir to Saul’s throne, being the king’s eldest son, he was prepared to yield to his friend, David, knowing that this was what the Lord had intended. For David, not he, Jonathan, was the Lord’s anointed.

 

What a man! What humility!

 

Jonathan could easily have had David removed out of the way by assisting his jealous father in the latter’s desire to have David killed.

Instead, he will risk his own life for the sake of his friend, David.

 

The remarkable sacrifice of the dedicated Jonathan is well captured in the following article: “I Will Be Second”: Insights From an Ancient Friendship - Hope 103.2

 

“I Will Be Second”: Insights From an Ancient Friendship

Home › Christian Living

 

What was the Biblical Jonathan doing when he promised the throne to David and suggested he would be his 2IC?

 

By Hope 103.2 Network

26 January, 2025

 

It’s an often-overlooked statement that is strangely counter-cultural: “You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you.”

 

Key Points

 

• In a world that is built upon the notion ‘me first’; humility and genuine servant-heartedness is becoming more difficult to find.
• Johnathan in the Bible exemplified what servant-heartedness looks like – as well as what a good friend looks like.
• Seeking to serve others instead of yourself is one of the true signs of a good leader.

---

 

You find it in 1 Samuel 23:17 and it is the words of Jonathan to his great friend David.

 

Now it wouldn’t be too startling a sentiment if it wasn’t that everyone expected Jonathan to be king. After all, he was the oldest son of King Saul, and that’s how these things work in royal circles. The oldest son is heir to the throne – easy, straightforward, not controversial at all. So what is Jonathan doing promising the throne to David and suggesting he would be his 2IC (second-in-charge)? And why would anyone willingly say, “I will be second”.

 

The desire to be first fuels so many conflicts – and it certainly fueled a fair few in the Bible. Take Jacob’s desperate desire to have the rights of the first born which were given to Esau who had beaten him by a whisker as these twins exited their mother’s womb. The deceit and conflict that follows is truly tragic, and all because Jacob could never accept that he came out second. While Esau paid scant attention to his rights as a firstborn he never thought that he should simply say to his brother Jacob, “I will be second.” Or what about the conflict between Joseph and his older brothers. Told in a dream that one day these brothers would bow down to him, Joseph is foolish enough to share the vision. Rather than say “No worry, we will be second” they plan to kill him – but then settle for selling him into slavery. And oh the family heartache that follows.

 

Coming second seems counterintuitive

 

There is something deeply counterintuitive in being content to be second, yet Jesus pushes the idea even further.

 

He suggests that the first will be last and the last first – so why select second when you can select last?

 

Noble though Jonathan’s sentiment towards David was, it didn’t turn out that way. David did indeed become king, but Jonathan was killed in battle far, far too young. David is devastated. We will never know if it would have worked with David as king and Jonathan his second. But there is an example set, and it should not be forgotten.

Jonathan was probably right that David would be a better king than him. Both were exceptionally capable – but David a bit more so. It’s hard to be confident in your status as an achiever yet to recognize that someone is a better fit than you are. It takes remarkable humility. Few have it. Jonathan wasn’t interested in what served his agenda, but what would serve the national interest best. When it came to being king, Jonathan couldn’t think of anyone who was a better fit for the role than David – even though Jonathan would have done a good job – and no doubt been better at it than his very erratic father, Saul. ….

 

So perfect was the Baptist’s awareness of his own vocation ‘to make straight the way of the Lord’ – he, likewise, risking his life in the face of fierce opponents and a mad king, Herod Antipas - that Jesus can say of him (Matthew 11:11): ‘Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!’ 

 

John the Baptist was, in fact, the head of the Old Testament.

His beheading, bitter as it was, was, in a symbolic sense, necessary. For the head of the Old Testament needed to be removed in order to make way for the divine Lord of the New Testament.

 

It is a far superior, spiritual order of being.

 

That is why Jesus could finish his statement in praise of John the Baptist with the seemingly belittling words, ‘… yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he’.

 

Moses the Lawgiver

 

The Law alone is insufficient to get us into the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

What was the sin of Moses?

 

At the waters of Massah and Meribah, Moses, it appears, failed to uphold the holiness of God: What defines the holiness of God?

“God’s holiness is His absolute moral purity, transcendence, and set-apart nature, distinguishing Him from all creation and sin.

Definition and Nature. God’s holiness fundamentally describes His unique, set-apart quality that separates Him from all creation and from sin or impurity (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:16)”. 

 

Was the Lord too harsh on Moses?

 

To accuse Moses of “pride” here does not appear to sit very well with that statement about him in Numbers – somewhat mindful of Jesus’s praise of John the Baptist: (Numbers 12:3): “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth”.

 

It is a difficult narrative, with which commentators can struggle.

The following article (2025) at least makes a good attempt to explain it:

What sin did Moses commit against God?

 

What sin did Moses commit against God?

 

By striking the rock instead of speaking to it, Moses failed to uphold God’s holiness before the people. Scholars and theologians have debated the deeper meaning of this act. Some suggest that Moses’ actions reflected anger, impatience, or pride.

 

Moses is one of the most revered figures in the Bible, known for leading the Israelites out of Egypt and receiving the Ten Commandments from God. His faithfulness, humility, and leadership are celebrated throughout Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Yet, even Moses was not without fault. One of the most frequently discussed questions about his life is: What sin did Moses commit against God? This post explores the key incident that the Bible describes as Moses’ transgression, its context, and its consequences for his legacy.

 

Moses’ Leadership and Relationship with God

 

From the burning bush to the parting of the Red Sea, Moses’ life was marked by extraordinary encounters with God. Chosen to deliver the Israelites from slavery, he became the mediator between God and His people.

 

Moses regularly communicated with God, receiving laws, instructions, and guidance for the nation of Israel during their wilderness journey. Despite his closeness to God, Moses was still human and subject to error.

 

The Waters of Meribah: The Incident Explained

 

The most significant sin associated with Moses is found in the Book of Numbers, chapter 20. The Israelites, wandering in the wilderness, arrived at Kadesh and found themselves without water. As they often did, the people complained bitterly to Moses and Aaron, longing for the comforts of Egypt and fearing for their survival. Moses and Aaron sought God’s guidance, and God gave Moses specific instructions: “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink” (Numbers 20:8, NIV).

 

Instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded, Moses, perhaps frustrated by the people’s attitudes, struck the rock twice with his staff. Water did flow from the rock, quenching the people’s thirst, but Moses had not followed God’s command exactly. God then said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them” (Numbers 20:12, NIV).

 

The Nature of Moses’ Sin

 

The sin of Moses, as described in this story, was disobedience and a lack of trust in God’s instructions. By striking the rock instead of speaking to it, Moses failed to uphold God’s holiness before the people. Scholars and theologians have debated the deeper meaning of this act. Some suggest that Moses’ actions reflected anger, impatience, or pride. Others believe that his failure was in not making it clear that the miracle was solely due to God’s power, not his own.

 

This incident is particularly striking because of Moses’ long record of faithfulness. Unlike other leaders who openly rebelled against God, Moses’ disobedience here was subtle but significant. God expected the highest standard from Moses, especially given his role as the leader and representative of God’s will to the people.

 

The Consequences for Moses

 

The immediate consequence of Moses’ sin was that he was barred from entering the Promised Land. After leading the Israelites through decades of hardship and hope, Moses was only allowed to see the land from a distance before his death. This outcome, while seemingly harsh, emphasized the seriousness of his disobedience and the weight of leadership in God’s eyes.

 

Despite this penalty, Moses remained a figure of immense respect. He continued to guide the Israelites, appointed Joshua as his successor, and delivered his final blessings before dying on Mount Nebo. The biblical narrative portrays Moses’ exclusion from the Promised Land not as a total rejection, but as a sobering reminder that even the greatest leaders are accountable to God. ….

 

The Law’s limitations

 

Whatever may be the precise explanation of the incident, it seems as if, just as John’s head had to be removed, so must Moses himself be disallowed from entering the Promised Land, because Moses, as the embodiment of the old Law, was not the one to lead his people into the Promised Land, symbolising heaven.

 

The Law alone is insufficient to get us into the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

Only Jesus, belonging to that superior, spiritual order of things, can lead us into Heaven.

 

Paul allegorically contrasted the Old and the New in Galatians:

Topical Bible: The Allegory of Hagar and Sarah

 

“Paul's allegory emphasizes the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old. It underscores the futility of relying on the Law for justification and the necessity of faith in Christ for true freedom. The allegory serves as a powerful reminder to the Galatians—and to all believers—of their identity as children of the promise, called to live in the freedom of the Spirit rather than the bondage of the Law”.

 

And that is why, symbolically, Moses had to yield to one with the name of Jesus, namely Joshua, who did lead the Israelites into the Promised land.

 

 

Was the archangel Raphael lying?

 

The name Azariah means “God has helped” and

Hananiah means “God has shown mercy”.

  

In the Book of Tobit, angel Raphael pretends he is Azariah, the son of Hananiah the elder. Why did the Angel lie? Isn't it a sin to lie? - Catholic Cafe

 

Chris Cammarata has well explained the archangel’s resorting to subterfuge:

 

 In the Book of Tobit, angel Raphael pretends he is Azariah, the son of Hananiah the elder. Why did the Angel lie? Isn’t it a sin to lie?

 

It is a sin to lie, but the angel isn’t exactly lying. In this situation it’s more like he isn’t revealing the whole truth–at least not yet.

 

The nature of St. Raphael’s mission required that he keep his angelic identity hidden. Other angels in the Old Testament did this as well. Angels are fearful, powerful, and glorious creatures–that’s why they often begin their messages with “do not be afraid!” Masking their angelic nature serves a practical purpose–and it also emphasizes that God is the one who deserves the glory, not the angel.

 

The reason St. Raphael gives the name Azariah to Tobit in the first place is because he urges the angel to tell him where he is from.  So Raphael gets around it with a funny trick: he gives Tobit and Tobiah the name “Azariah, son of Hananiah.” The name Azariah means “God has helped” and Hananiah means “God has shown mercy.” So basically Raphael is disguising his identity while at the same time secretly hinting at it–his whole mission, as revealed at the end of the story, began because Raphael brought their family’s prayer before the Lord and so was sent to help them (see Tobit 12:11-20). He calls himself a “kinsman” and an “Israelite” as a way of showing that they belong to the same spiritual family–the people of God.

 

So you can sort of think of Azariah as the angel’s “codename” for the mission!

 

And just to clear up any confusion on lying, the Catechism notes that “the right to the communication of the truth is not unconditional” (CCC 2488). We have to judge in particular situations whether it is the right time and circumstance to reveal the truth. Being truthful requires prudence, too. Also, “no one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it” (CCC 2489). In the case of St. Raphael, Tobit and his family didn’t have the right to know his true identity–but in the end, he reveals it to them to “declare the works of God with due honor” (Tobit 12:11).The irony in the story of Tobit is that when St. Raphael first enters Tobit’s house and greets him, he tells him: “Take courage! God’s healing is near; so take courage” (Tobit 5:10). What does the name Raphael mean? “God’s healing” (or “God heals”)!

 

 

Book of Tobit provides template for the geography of Job-Tobias

 

 

 

by

 Damien F. Mackey

  

However, apart from the seeming advantages – but also the difficulties,

e.g. the “midway” factor – the Book of Tobit gives no indication whatsoever that Tobias had dwelt anywhere other than Nineveh, for the duration of his long life, except that he had headed to Ecbatana in Media after the death of his parents,

where he had lived out the remainder of his life (Tobit 14:12-15).

  

 

1.     Born in the land of Naphtali

 

If Tobit 1 is following a strict chronological sequence, then young Tobias was born in Naphtali shortly prior to the tribe’s captivity by Shalmaneser ‘the Great’ (who is my Tiglath-pileser, cf. 2 Kings 15:29). Thus Tobit tells in his Autobiography (1:9-10): “When I became a man I married Anna, a member of our family, and by her I became the father of Tobias. Now when I was carried away captive to Nineveh …”.

 

Tobias, who is my Job, may have been too young to have recalled much of this. 

 

2.    He travels to Media

 

Tobias, now a young man, and of marriageable age, will embark upon a journey to Ecbatana in Media, in obedience to his recently blinded father, and despite his apparent nervousness (5:2): ‘…. I don’t know how to get to Media’.

 

The Book of Tobit will not only determine the geography of the prophet Job (presuming that I am right in identifying Job as Tobias), but it also radically corrects the conventional geography.

For Ecbatana in Media, far from being to the east of Nineveh, as we all have thought, is actually to be found to be westwards of Nineveh, with Charan (Haran) said to be “in the midway” (Tobit 11:1) between Nineveh and Ecbatana.

 

This has prompted me, after much trial and error, to re-locate Ecbatana in Media to Adana (Adanya) in Cilicia, perfectly situated with Haran “midway” between Adana/ Adanya and Nineveh (see map).

 

And Richard Erickson has demonstrated, quite independently of all of this, that Elam and Media were, indeed, situated in Anatolia:

 

A PROBLEM IN CHALDAEAN AND ELAMITE GEOGRAPHY

 

(8) A PROBLEM IN CHALDAEAN AND ELAMITE GEOGRAPHY

 

3.    Job’s land of Uz

 

A BIG correction now needed:

 

I, in order, to ‘save’ the western movement of the travelling party: from Nineveh to the Tigris River to Haran to Ecbatana in Media, had eagerly latched on to the Heb. Londinii version of the Book of Tobit according to which the party’s destination was, in fact, “Bathania” in “Midian”. For a long time I was happy with this as being the resolution to the apparent difficulty of a journey to Media (supposedly east) of Nineveh, actually heading westwards.

This had a further seeming advantage of enabling Tobias, as Job, eventually to dwell in Bathania (Bashan), in the fertile Hauran region – {adjacent to the original home of Naphtali} - thought to be Ausitis, that is, Uz, where very strong traditions locate the home of Job.

 

However, apart from the seeming advantages – but also the difficulties, e.g. geographically, the “midway” factor – the Book of Tobit gives no indication whatsoever that Tobias had dwelt anywhere other than Nineveh, for the duration of his long life, except that he had headed to Ecbatana in Media after the death of his parents, where he lived out the remainder of his life (Tobit 14:12-15, GNB):

 

Then Tobias and his wife moved to Ecbatana in Media, where they lived with Raguel, Tobias' father-in-law. Tobias took care of Edna and Raguel in their old age and showed them great respect. When at last they died, he buried them at Ecbatana. Tobias inherited Raguel's estate, as he had inherited the estate of his father Tobit. At the ripe old age of 117, Tobias died, having lived long enough to hear about the destruction of Nineveh and to see King Cyaxares of Media take the people away as captives. Tobias praised God for the way that he had punished the people of Nineveh and Assyria. As long as he lived he gave thanks for what God had done to Nineveh.

 

{There appears to be some confusion concerning the actual age of the prophet, Tobias,

at death, 117 years given here, with other versions of Tobit differing from that

(e.g. 127 years), and with 140 years given in the Book of Job (42:16)}.

 

The Tobit narrative, in one fell swoop, renders entirely irrelevant the identification of Bashan/Hauran (Ausitis), as Job’s “the land of Uz … of the East”, which region has figured most prominently in previous Jobian reconstructions of mine.

 

It also seems to put paid to those traditions, albeit strong (e.g. The Testament of Job) that the prophet had ruled as a king (governor) of Egypt.

 

It would now seem inevitable that Job’s “land of Uz”, his East, was much further away from Israel (than Transjordanian Bashan), in Assyria, and that that is where his trials must have occurred. That “Uz”, in this case, could not refer to the traditional Uz, say, of Jeremiah (Lamentations 4:21), “… daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz”, suggesting a possible connection or proximity to Edom, south of Israel.

South is not East.

 

Can Uz be an actual outlying ‘suburb’ of Nineveh, say Alquš?

UZ = [Alq]-UŠ.

 

            Nahum and the Alquš (Alqosh) factor

 

A complicating geographical factor for me, when writing my article:

 

A north and south geography for the major prophet Isaiah

 

(8) A north and south geography for the major prophet Isaiah

 

had been the prophet Nahum’s home (Nahum 1:1): “A prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite”. 

 

Nahum, I had identified with Jonah, following the Book of Tobit’s (14:4) interchanging “Nahum” (GNT) and “Jonah” (WEB). But Nahum was also the great prophet Isaiah. This, however, was leading me into geographical complications, e.g. with Nahum being connected to Elkosh (“the Elcesite”).

 

It has long been suggested that this Elkosh was, in fact, Alqosh in Assyria.

 

Alqosh

Town 40 km. north of Mosul in Iraq. Seat of a Chald. bishopric. It now numbers around 5,000 inhabitants. Many families and individuals migrated from Alqosh to larger Iraqi cities (Mosul, Baghdad, etc.) or abroad, especially to the USA and UK. The town’s economy is based on agriculture (wheat, barley, chickpeas, lentils, beans, cucumbers, gourds, melons, grapes, and figs) and animal husbandry (sheep and goats). Traditional trades included weaving and dying cloth. Alqosh is a major spiritual center. Jews used to go on pilgrimage to the tomb believed to be that of the prophet Nahum, who, according to an interpretation of Nah 1.1, may have come from Alqosh.

Two important E.-Syr. monasteries lie close to Alqosh: the Monastery of Rabban Hormizd, founded in the 7th   cent., used to be one of the patriarchal residences of the Ch. of E., later moved to Mosul, then Baghdad, and the more recent Monastery of the Virgin, also known as ‘the Lower Monastery’ or ‘of Our Lady of the Seeds’. From the 16th cent. the cultural life of the village flourished thanks to the so-called School of Alqosh. Alqosh was pillaged several times, by Murād Bey (Bar Yak) in 1508, the Pasha of ʿAmadiyya in 1740, the Persians in 1743. People sought refuge on the mountain, in the Monastery of Rabban Hormizd, but there were rapes and casualties. Around the mid-16th cent. some of the population supported Yoḥannan Sullaqa, the first Chald. patr. elected with official approval of Rome. In 1767, around 100 of the 500 families were Catholic. Literary sources and annotations made by European travelers record recurrent cases of pestilence and famine, caused by draught or locusts, which devastated the region during the 19th cent. In 1832 and 1842 the village was attacked and pillaged by Kurds.

 

Obviously, Nahum in his various guises (Isaiah, Jonah) could not have originated from the Assyrian Alqosh. But he could have, as the prophet Jonah, dwelt there for a period of time during his Nineveh campaign, perhaps writing his book there, and thus being known for that period of time as an “Elcesite” (Alqoshite).

 

It would have been fitting for Jonah to have spent some time with his beloved Israelite people, exiled in Nineveh.

Obviously Tobit knew of him, having made reference to Jonah/Nahum in 14:4.

And it would not be surprising if Jonah had dwelt with, or close to, this Tobit family, presumably in Uz/Alquš.

 

I had this well in mind when I wrote towards the end of my article, “A north and south geography for the major prophet Isaiah”:

 

However, in a future article, perhaps, I may entertain the possibility that Elkosh was actually the Alqosh in Assyria, near Nineveh, and that that is where Isaiah, as Jonah-Nahum, would sojourn for a time during his mission to Nineveh. 

 

There may be a further clue.

When young Tobias (Job) was returning with his new wife, Sarah, the angel Raphael (and the dog), from Ecbatana (to Haran) to Nineveh, an unknown place called Kaserin is mentioned in close proximity to Nineveh (Tobit 11:1): “As they neared Kaserin, which is close to Nineveh …”.

 

This, I now suggest, was the family’s actual place of abode at Nineveh, nearby Kaserin, Alqoš (Kas- Qosh). It may be the much sought after Jobian “land of Uz”.

 

            Comparisons of Uz and Alqosh

 

While much work can now be done on drawing comparisons between Assyrian Alqosh and Job’s “land of Uz”, I can immediately see, at least, a few obvious similarities.

 

Firstly, no one could doubt that it was to the east of the Holy Land.

 

And the above description of the town’s economy fits well with the livelihood of Job and his family:

 

The town’s economy is based on agriculture (wheat, barley, chickpeas, lentils, beans, cucumbers, gourds, melons, grapes, and figs) and animal husbandry (sheep and goats).

 

It also appears to have an abundance of caves, a feature, too, of the Book of Job (30:6).

 

 

Feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

and the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

12-13th^th June, 2026

 

 

 

Plant that gave Jonah shade

 

“Over the years scholars have tried to identify the plant and worm.

While a good candidate for Jonah’s plant has been proposed,

the identity of the worm has proved elusive”.

Kevin Tuck

  

Jonah’s worm · Creation.com

 

Jonah’s worm

By Kevin Tuck

Published 24 Jun, 2024

 

The plant that sheltered Jonah, and the worm that destroyed the plant, might no longer be a mystery. After 2,500 years, scientists may have discovered their identity.

 

The biblical account of Jonah gives us wonderful examples of God’s mercy. First, mercy is given to a recalcitrant prophet, and then to the undeserving city of Nineveh.

 

Jonah had to learn obedience the hard way. The account tells us that Jonah was called to preach to Nineveh, but instead he decided to flee across the ocean to a distant land.

 

However, God’s calling could not be evaded. Events led to Jonah being thrown overboard, where he was swallowed by a great fish prepared by God. His life was spared, and he then went to Nineveh to preach.

Jonah was disappointed that the people repented, and so God showed Jonah his further wrong attitude through the object lesson of a plant and a ‘worm’:

 

Fig. 1. Jonah’s ‘vine’ Ricinus communis

 

Now the Lord God appointed a plant [qiqayon], and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm [tola] that attacked the plant, so that it withered (Jonah 4:6–7).

Olepa ricini

 

Over the years, scholars have tried to identify the plant and worm. While a good candidate for Jonah’s plant has been proposed, the identity of the worm has proved elusive. Now, after more than 2,500 years, it seems scientists may have discovered this.

 

Jonah’s plant

 

Over the years scholars have tried to identify the plant and worm. While a good candidate for Jonah’s plant has been proposed, the identity of the worm has proved elusive.

 

The Hebrew word qiqayon for the plant has been variously rendered as vine, ivy, or gourd in English translations. None of these is accurate. But there is now general agreement that qiqayon refers to the castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, which gains support from Church and Hebrew tradition.¹ In AD 404, the Church Father Jerome suggested the plant was then known to the Syriac people. It was fast-growing and could stand without support, being neither a gourd nor ivy.²

 

The identification of Jonah’s ‘vine’ as the castor oil plant Ricinus is of interest to Bible scholars and entomologists because it is highly toxic. The leaves and seeds are poisonous, and the leaf extract makes a potent insecticide—therefore very few insects can feed on the plant. It is also toxic to people and animals, and ricin has even been used as a chemical weapon! (But castor oil, made from the seeds, is safe. First, because ricin hardly dissolves in oil, and more importantly, the oil is heated to 80 °C (176 °F) which denatures ricin.) So, how could a worm (tola) feed on Jonah’s plant if it is so poisonous?

 

Fig. 2. Leaf of Ricinus communis

 

‘New’ moth species described in Israel

 

Despite this toxicity, in recent years a beautiful species of tiger moth has been discovered in Israel, which in its caterpillar stage can feed upon Ricinus without harm. The moth was at first thought to be new to science and described under the name Olepa schleini.³ However, it has since been found to be the same species as Olepa ricini, which is known in Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.⁴ The caterpillars can cope with the toxins because they have very high activity of a detoxifying enzyme called glutathione S-transferase (GST).⁵

 

The habits of the caterpillars of O. ricini match the account given in the book of Jonah. They normally feed at night, and they can quickly destroy a Ricinus plant. (They also feed on useful plants such as cotton, maize, sweet potato, and banana.)

 

The caterpillars usually leave the plant before sunrise, and hide from the heat among dry leaves nearby.

 

Fig. 3. Larvae of Olepa ricini feeding on Ricinus communis (castor oil plant),

September 2017, Glilot, Israel.

 

Supernatural supplementing the natural

 

Jonah 4:10 says that the plant “came into being in a night and perished in a night”. Supernatural action is obviously involved with several aspects of the Jonah account, but in such a way that much of it still happens ‘naturally’:

 

Bible believers should not be surprised that the text of Scripture once again correlates with an aspect of observational science.

 

• Jonah could not naturally survive unharmed for three days inside the belly of any ocean creature. But it may well be natural for one of the marine monsters in creation’s catalogue to swallow such a mammalian morsel.
• A Ricinus plant would not normally reach a size large enough to shade a man within a night—but it is rather fast-growing. Similarly:
• The plant may well have succumbed faster than usual—but the natural destruction this caterpillar wreaks can be very rapid (fig. 3). And its attacks do take place at night, as the verse suggests.

 

It may appear surprising that an insect so destructive to Ricinus should have gone undocumented in the Middle East for so long, but the insect appears to be quite scarce there. While there are fears it may be on the verge of extinction, it has managed to survive for 2,500 years without anyone reporting on its behaviour.⁶

 

Summary and conclusion

 

This caterpillar’s feeding behaviour on Ricinus and its occurrence in the Middle East make it an extremely likely candidate for Jonah’s ‘worm’.¹ Bible believers should not be surprised that the text of Scripture once again correlates with an aspect of observational science.

….