Bible Story Lessons

Jonah was a prophet in Israel and one day the Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell the people to turn away from their wicked ways.   But, Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh and shouted, "No, I won't go!"  And so he ran away to the seaport of Joppa and found a ship that was going the opposite way to Tarshish and hoped that he could escape from God.

It's wrong to disobey God, isn't it?  Jonah didn't care, so he just laid down and went to sleep in that ship.  But, no sooner had it sailed, than the Lord sent a terrible storm.  The wind howled and the waves beat against the ship almost causing it to sink.  The sailors were afraid and so the captain begged Jonah to pray to his God that they would all be saved.

The sailors cast lots to see who had caused the terrible storm to come.  The lot fell to Jonah and they shouted, "It's your fault this that storm is going to drown all of us!"  A shame-faced Jonah admitted, "I'm running away from doing what God asked me to do.  Throw me into into the sea and the storm will stop and you will all be safe!"

Although they didn't want to hurt him, the sailors did as Jonah had said.  They picked him up and threw him over the side of the ship into the sea.  They could hardly believe it when the storm stopped raging and the waves died down, and all became calm and peaceful!

But God didn't want Jonah to drown and die, so He caused a great fish (we think it was a whale) to appear just as Jonah was thrown overboard.  "Look," they gasped in horror, "That great fish has opened its enormous mouth and is swallowing poor Jonah.  Oh no, he's gone and that's the end of him!"

But, it was not the end of Jonah and he stayed in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.  "Oh no!" he cried as wave after wave of seaweed and stinking stomach juices splashed over him.   "Please God," he cried, "Save me!"  And the Lord heard Jonah's cry and the great fish spat Jonah out onto dry land.

God spoke to Jonah a second time, "Go to Nineveh and warn the people that I am going to destroy them!"  This time Jonah listened and obeyed, and went to Ninevah just as the Lord told him to.  And the people of Nineveh believed Jonah when he said, "Turn from your wicked ways, or your city will be destroyed in forty days."  The people prayed and when God saw that they turned from their wicked ways, He forgave them and did not destroy them.

Jonah was angry with the Lord for not destroying the people of Nineveh as he felt they should have been punished for their evil ways.  But, the Lord spoke again to Jonah, and taught him to pray for the people and care for them.  Just as Jonah had cared for a little plant that had sheltered him from the sun.

There are many children who have never heard of Jesus.  We need to tell them about Jesus and that He loves them, so that they can go to Heaven one day and live there forever.  And perhaps like the people of Ninevah, they will listen and ask Jesus be their Best Friend.

We need to pray for these children and care for them.  So let's say a pray right now for your friends and people you know.

God bless!