Jonah and the Great Fish – Jonah 1-4

The Story in a Nutshell

Jonah was a prophet in the northern kingdom of Israel.  One day the Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh and announce his (God’s) judgment against the Ninevites.  Jonah didn’t want to do it, so he bought a ticket on a ship that was going in the opposite direction from Nineveh.  While on the voyage a terrible storm threatened to sink the ship.  The crew prayed to their gods for help then cast lots to see who the offending person was.  It was Jonah.  Jonah told the crew his story of running from God and he told them to throw him into the sea to stop the storm.   When they did  the storm stopped.  Jonah didn’t drown because the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow him.  He was inside the fish for three days and three nights.  From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord.  He confessed his turning from God, restored his relationship with the Lord, and committed to fulfill all his vows with the Lord.  Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit out Jonah onto a beach;  the fish did.  Now the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time and again told him to go to Nineveh; this time he did.  Jonah told the people that in 40 days the city would be destroyed.  At the sound of this, the people repented and turned from their wicked ways.  When God saw that the people had changed their ways he had mercy on them and didn’t destroy the city. God was pleased, but Jonah wasn’t.  Jonah was angry at the Lord’s mercy and that the city wasn’t destroyed.  So the Lord used a plant to show Jonah how much he valued the people of Nineveh and how sorry he felt for them.

Review Questions

What did God command Jonah to do?

What did Jonah do?

What happened during the voyage?

How was the storm stopped?

Why didn’t Jonah drown?

What did Jonah do in the belly of the fish?

What happened after three days and three nights?

What did Jonah do after landing on the beach?

What did God do after the Ninevites repented?

How did Jonah feel about what God did?

How did God show Jonah his love for the Ninevites?

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