But it is a story of God’s mercy, and God’s ability to use anyone for his glory. Maybe he used Jonah because Jonah needed God’… Every once in a while, do something and give the instruction without saying “Teacher says” first. Do you think the people of Nineveh will listen to Jonah and start believing in God? Game: Listening to God Jonah listened to God this time and went to Nineveh. Instead of allowing God to be the judge, I’ve put myself in that position, handing out mercy and dishing out guilty sentences in my mind and heart without regard to what God might think. While the story of Jonah is told in just 48 verses, we can learn a great deal from his life. But Jonah disobeyed, taking a ship to Tarshish ­– a city in the exact opposite direction. Divide students into groups of two or three. But God is rich in mercy and will save all who call on him. And everyone on the boat was so afraid. God still used him to proclaim his truth. Most of these book were written to the people of Israel and Judah, but Jonah, Obadiah, and Nahum are more concerned with surrounding nations. Jonah only wanted God’s mercy for Israel, not its enemies. (No. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The sailors didn’t want to throw Jonah overboard because they thought he would drown, so they kept trying to row back to land. A city in the opposite direction of Nineveh. APPLY—The Israelites of Jonah’s day had taken the distinction of being God’s people and construed from that a mindset of superiority to the surrounding nations. The Bible tells us that when Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh, they all believed in God and started doing the right things. Once again, instead of giving Jonah what he deserves, God instead gives him an object lesson about his grace, mercy, and sovereignty. T he book of Jonah is an Old Testament story which tells about how the prophet Jonah refused to follow the Lord. When he confessed that he was running from the Lord, they tossed him overboard. But God made the storm even stronger, so the men had to throw Jonah into the sea. Jonah 1-2 Acknowledge our sin ; Jonah 2 Accept God’s Discipline ; Jonah 2 Repent ; Jonah 3 Act on God’s direction; Whenever we are in a situation where we have turned our back on God it’s important to follow these four steps. God forgives people who ask His forgiveness. God Calls — Jonah Disobeys. This is the only time in the OT where Israel is commanded to actively pursue the Gentiles. With that, the book of Jonah ends! You know the story! And that’s the story of Jonah. So, he boards a ship headed to Joppa. Everyone, blow as hard as you can to show what the wind was like. Then, God said, “Jonah, go preach to the people of Nineveh. What is the meaning of the story of Jonah and the whale? Gain insight into the Basilica through interviews, introductions, videos, and more. However, Jonah decides he will go in a different direction than God directed. Jonah now became … Discover the rich history of America’s Catholic Church — A Century in the Making. A Hebrew prophet living during the reign of Jeroboam II, Jonah was visited by the Lord, who asked him to go to Nineveh to warn them of God’s impending judgement upon them. Jonah was almost going to drown, but God sent a huge fish to come and swallow him, and God kept Jonah safe inside the fish’s belly for three days and three nights. God commanded Jonah to go to Ninevah and preach to them about their sinfulness and call them to repentance. Now, I’m happy that they believe in Me and I don’t have to destroy them.”. Psalm 145:8 says: The Lord is gracious and merciful, His word came in visions, oracles, dreams, parables, and the like. Welcome to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, America’s Catholic Church. They thought they were going to drown. Take a tour to learn more about the Basilica’s history, architecture, sacred art, and more. God always wants to forgive people instead of punishing them, and if people will believe in God and start doing the right things that He wants them to do, then God will forgive them. God has objectives we may not like. The Lord sent a plant to bring him shade, but then killed it the next day. Jonah knew that it was God who had sent the storm and he knew that it was because he was disobeying God. The point of the story is that God can provide a supernatural means of rescue when his people are in trouble. God always forgives us and gives us more chances to believe in Him and to obey Him. Do you think it’s nice for Jonah to be mad that God didn’t destroy the people of Nineveh? ), God said, “Jonah, you should not be mad. Jonah wanted God to send fire down from Heaven to destroy their city and burn them up. The Lord saved him from drowning, he protected him as he preached to those in Nineveh, and he grew a plant for him so he wouldn’t die of heatstroke. Jonah, of all people, gets mad that God would show kindness to these people. So, let’s start from the beginning. The Prophet Jonah seems almost comical in his relationship with God, except for one thing: The souls of over 100,000 people were at stake. Here are five lessons from Jonah on God’s mercy. Remind students about how Jonah disobeyed God and had to be thrown into the sea to make the storm stop. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Imagine what would have happened if Jonah would have just listened to God from the very beginning. The Story Of Jonah. Then, God had the big fish throw up Jonah onto the shores of Nineveh. A storm comes. We should be eager to share his Gospel with others, that they, too, may understand God’s power and mercy. 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