Disobedient Jonah
Jonah is among the minor prophets in the Bible. Jonah was the son of Amittai. He received the word of the LORD saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me,"
Jonah assumed the LORD's message and decided to flee away from the presence of God. He went to Joppa and took a ship to Tarshish.
Storm at Sea
While on the journey, God sent a massive windstorm and the ship was about to wreck.
The mariners of the ship were so afraid and wondered what to do. They started to pray to their gods for assistance but it was all in vain.
They also tried to throw away some of the luggage into the sea to ease the situation but it didn't work out.
Jonah was deep in sleep when this terrifying situation was happening. He was sleeping on the lowest parts of the ship.
The captain of the ship decided to approach Jonah and ask him to pray to his God for things to calm down in the sea.
All the crew on the ship decided to cast lots to know who in any way had caused all this trouble in the ocean. Unfortunately, it fell on Jonah.
The crew was afraid of Jonah and started to interrogate him. They asked him, "What have you done to cause all this?" What is your occupation? Where do you come from? "Please tell us", they pleaded.
Jonah told them he was a Hebrew and a God-fearing man. He also told them he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD.
The sea was becoming more stormy and the crew members asked Jonah what they should do to him for the water to be calm.
Jonah knew he was the cause of all this trouble and he told them to throw him into the ocean.
Jonah Thrown Into Sea
The men were surprised by Jonah's words. They tried so hard to return to land but the sea became more aggressive. Therefore, they prayed to God for forgiveness and not to charge them guilty of the blood of an innocent man. So they picked Jonah and threw him into the sea.
Suddenly, the sea returned to normal. The men feared the LORD and offered a sacrifice.
The LORD had already prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah and he stayed in the fish's belly for three days and three nights.
While in the fish's belly, Jonah prayed to God and asked for forgiveness. So the LORD allowed fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land.
Jonah Preaches at Nineveh
The word of God came to Jonah for the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me,"
Jonah arose and went to Nineveh.
When Jonah entered the city he started preaching to people by telling them, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"
The people of Nineveh believed in God and decided to fast and wear rags from the rich to beggars.
Even the King of Nineveh put away his royal clothes, wore rugs and sat on ashes. The King ordered people to fast, put on rags and pray mightily to God. He also told them to change their evil ways and violence and pray for forgiveness.
Then God saw their doings and how they had turned away from evil and He held his fierce anger and decided to relent the disaster he had planned for them.
Conclusion
We can't hide from the LORD's presence. When lucky and chosen by God to do something, we should accomplish it wholeheartedly.
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