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.  He found a ship that was going the opposite way to Tarshish and hope that he could escape from God.

It's wrong to disobey God and your Mommy and Daddy, 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 away, than the Lord sent a terrible storm.  The wind howled and the waves beat against the ship almost causing it to sink.  The sailors and the captain were afraid, and so the captain begged Jonah to pray to his God so that they could all be saved.

The sailors decided to cast lots to see whose fault it was that the terrible storm had come.  And so they cast lots to find out who had cause the storm, and the lot fell to Jonah.  "It's you!" they shouted, "It's your fault that this storm is going to drown all of us!"

"Sorry," admitted a shameful Jonah, "I'm running away from doing what God asked me to do.  Throw me into into the sea and then the storm will stop and you will all be safe!"

Although they didn't want to hurt him, the sailors prayed to the Lord, and then 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 ceased its raging and the waves died down, and all became calm and peaceful!

But God did not want Jonah to drown and die, so He caused a great fish (we think it was a whale) to appear just as Jonah was being 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!  It was just as if he was just a little fish!"

And Jonah 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, "Please forgive me!"  And the Lord heard Jonah's cry and spoke to the great fish and it spat Jonah out onto dry land.

Then 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 God, and went to Ninevah just as the Lord asked him to.  And the people of Nineveh believed Jonah when he said that unless they turned from their wicked ways, the city would be destroyed in forty days.  The people fasted and prayed.  When God saw how they turned from their wicked ways, He forgave them and didn't 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 today who have never heard of Jesus and that He loves them.   We can tell them about Jesus and how he died so that they can go to Heaven one day and live there forever.   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.  Let's say a pray right now for your friends and people you know.

God bless!