God Called Jonah
Scripture: Jonah 1:1–2 (KJV)
God spoke to a prophet named Jonah. He told him to go to the great city of Nineveh and warn its people, because their wickedness had come before Him. God saw the wrong they were doing. He sent Jonah with a message that would call them to turn from their sinful ways.
Remember This: God sees our lives, and His words matter.
Jonah Ran the Other Way
Scripture: Jonah 1:3 (KJV)
Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. Instead, he went down to Joppa and found a ship sailing to Tarshish. He paid for the journey and climbed aboard, trying to run away from the LORD. But travelling far away could not hide Jonah from God. God knew exactly where he was.
Remember This: We cannot hide from God. The right response to His Word is obedience.
A Great Storm
Scripture: Jonah 1:4–10 (KJV)
The LORD sent a great wind over the sea, and a powerful storm threatened to break the ship apart. The frightened sailors threw cargo into the water to make the ship lighter. Jonah had been sleeping below deck, and the captain woke him. When the sailors questioned Jonah, he told them that he worshipped the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. They were afraid when they learned that he was running away from God.
Remember This: Our disobedience can affect others, but God is still in control.
God Prepared a Great Fish
Scripture: Jonah 1:11–17 (KJV)
Jonah told the sailors to throw him into the sea, because he knew the storm had come because of him. They tried hard to row back to land, but they could not. At last, they called on the LORD and put Jonah into the water. Immediately, the sea became calm. The sailors feared the LORD and worshipped Him. God had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah remained inside it for three days and three nights.
Remember This: Even in Jonah's trouble, God had made a way to keep him alive.
Jonah Prayed
Scripture: Jonah 2:1–9 (KJV)
Inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. He remembered how helpless he had been in the deep water and thanked God for bringing his life up from the pit. Jonah could not rescue himself, but God had heard his cry. He promised to offer thanksgiving and keep his vows. His prayer ended with these wonderful words: “Salvation is of the LORD.”
Remember This: We can call on God in our trouble. Salvation comes from Him.
Back on Dry Land
Scripture: Jonah 2:10–3:4 (KJV)
The LORD spoke to the fish, and it released Jonah onto dry land. Then God's word came to Jonah a second time. He was to go to Nineveh and deliver the message God gave him. This time Jonah went. As he entered the city, he warned the people that Nineveh would be overthrown in forty days. God had shown Jonah mercy and given him another opportunity to obey.
Remember This: When God corrects us, we should turn back to Him and obey.
Nineveh Turned to God
Scripture: Jonah 3:5–10 (KJV)
The people of Nineveh believed God. They fasted and wore sackcloth to show their sorrow for sin. Even the king stepped down from his throne, removed his royal robe, and humbled himself. He urged everyone to cry out to God and turn away from their evil ways and violence. God saw that they turned from their wickedness, and He did not bring the destruction He had warned about.
Remember This: Repentance means turning away from sin, not only saying we are sorry.
God Taught Jonah About Mercy
Scripture: Jonah 4:1–11 (KJV)
Jonah was angry that God had spared Nineveh. He knew that God was gracious, merciful, and slow to anger, but he did not want mercy shown to these people. Outside the city, God provided a plant to shade Jonah, and Jonah was glad. Then God sent a worm that damaged the plant, and it withered. Jonah became upset about losing its shade. God used this to question him: Jonah cared about a plant he had not grown, so should God not care about the many people and animals in Nineveh? The book ends with God's question, inviting us to think about His compassion.
Remember This: God's mercy is greater than ours. Ask Him to help you care about others.
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