Jonah and God's Love

© Jeannie St. John Taylor

God loved the people who lived in Nineveh even though they were very cruel. He wanted them to stop doing bad things so he wouldn’t have to punish them.

So he said to Jonah, “Come here. You can help save many lives by going to the city of Nineveh and warning them I don’t like the bad things they do. Tell them to ask me for forgiveness and stop being bad. If they do, I will not punish them.”

Jonah said, “No! He ran away from Nineveh and away from God. He climbed aboard a ship and took a nap in the bottom of the boat. He did not think God could see him in that dark place. But God could see him. God knew Jonah deserved to be punished, but God did not want to hurt him. God loved Jonah.

So God said, “Big fish, come here. Swallow Jonah.”

The fish waited while God whipped up a big storm. The wind blew. Waves crashed over Jonah’s ship. The ship started to sink. Jonah told the sailors,” You need to toss me overboard.” So they threw him into the sea.

Jonah sank deep into the water and the storm stopped.

The big fish saw Jonah wiggling around in the water and – Gulp! He obeyed God by gobbling up Jonah.  

Inside the belly of the fish, Jonah was scared. He confessed that running away from God was bad. He begged God to forgive him and save him. The fish spit him out onto dry land.

Jonah hurried to Nineveh and warned the people to confess the bad things they were doing and ask God to forgive them. They confessed and stopped being cruel. God did not punish them.

God’s love saved the people of Nineveh just as his love saved Jonah.