🐋 The
Story of Jonah — Running from God and Learning Mercy
Part One:
God Calls Jonah
God spoke to Jonah:
“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach
against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”
But Jonah did not want to go. He hated Nineveh
and feared showing mercy to its people.
Instead, he tried to run away, boarding a ship heading in the opposite
direction.
Part Two:
The Storm at Sea
God sent a violent storm to stop Jonah.
- The
sailors were terrified
- They
prayed to their gods, but nothing worked
- Jonah
admitted his disobedience and told them to throw him into the sea
When Jonah was thrown overboard, the storm
stopped.
God sent a great fish to swallow Jonah, and he stayed inside for three
days and nights.
Part Three:
Jonah Prays and Repents
Inside the fish, Jonah prayed to God:
“I called to You in my distress, and You
answered me. I will fulfill my vow and obey You.”
God heard Jonah’s prayer and commanded the
fish to spit him onto dry land.
Part Four:
Preaching to Nineveh
God called Jonah again:
“Go to Nineveh and deliver My message.”
This time, Jonah obeyed.
He warned the people:
“Forty more days and Nineveh will be
overthrown!”
The people repented immediately:
- They
fasted
- They
wore sackcloth
- They
turned from evil ways
Even the king humbled himself and called the
nation to repentance.
God saw their hearts and spared the city,
showing His mercy.
Part Five:
Jonah’s Lesson
Jonah was angry that God had shown mercy to
Nineveh.
God explained:
“Should I not have concern for this great
city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people, who
cannot tell right from wrong?”
Jonah learned that God’s love and
compassion extend beyond our personal feelings or prejudices.
Lessons
from Jonah
- God’s
plan cannot be escaped
- Obedience
to God brings life and blessing
- God’s
mercy is greater than human anger or prejudice
- God
cares deeply for all people, even those we may despise
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