When Jonah was instructed by God to go to Nineveh to preach, he decided to go in the alternative direction and found everything in his favor at first. There had been a ship getting ready to leave for Tarshish and he had the price for the fare. It was not that long before he was fast asleep, knowing nothing of the terrifying events that would soon occur.
Not far into the excursion there arose a violent storm that whipped up the waves and promised to engulf the boat. The seasoned mariners who had frequently crossed this stretch of water were terrified and wondered about what had occurred. Being gullible they sought instantly to identify the individual that was accountable for enraging the gods and eventually they discovered Jonah fast asleep in the midst of grave danger. At first they did not suspect him but they cast lots and Jonah was singled out as the culprit. They enquired as to what he had done to displease his God and Jonah had to confess that he was fleeing from God in insubordination.
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They asked Jonah what the solution was and he answered that the only way they may be delivered was by throwing him into the angry waves. They could not believe their ears and were unwilling to go along with his suggestion. They went and did everything they could think of to avoid casting him into the water but nothing worked. They threw away some of the wares, and rowed as they had never rowed before to bring the ship to land but their best endeavours were all vainly.
Realising that they had no option but to throw Jonah overboard, they dropped him over the side of the ship and studied his body splash into the turbulent waves. Unknown to them God had prepared a large fish, possibly a whale, to pass just at that moment and it swallowed up Jonah. It dived down to the depths of the sea and from its belly Jonah cried to God for deliverance. Some days later as the whale was passing close to land it vomited Jonah onto the dry land.
Grateful to be alive, Jonah agreed to go to Nineveh the second time that God commanded him to preach there and the Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonah and judgment was averted. Jonah had learned by bitter experience that although it is costly to obey God, it is way more expensive to disobey.
Not far into the excursion there arose a violent storm that whipped up the waves and promised to engulf the boat. The seasoned mariners who had frequently crossed this stretch of water were terrified and wondered about what had occurred. Being gullible they sought instantly to identify the individual that was accountable for enraging the gods and eventually they discovered Jonah fast asleep in the midst of grave danger. At first they did not suspect him but they cast lots and Jonah was singled out as the culprit. They enquired as to what he had done to displease his God and Jonah had to confess that he was fleeing from God in insubordination.
Order the Jonah and the Whale story today!
They asked Jonah what the solution was and he answered that the only way they may be delivered was by throwing him into the angry waves. They could not believe their ears and were unwilling to go along with his suggestion. They went and did everything they could think of to avoid casting him into the water but nothing worked. They threw away some of the wares, and rowed as they had never rowed before to bring the ship to land but their best endeavours were all vainly.
Realising that they had no option but to throw Jonah overboard, they dropped him over the side of the ship and studied his body splash into the turbulent waves. Unknown to them God had prepared a large fish, possibly a whale, to pass just at that moment and it swallowed up Jonah. It dived down to the depths of the sea and from its belly Jonah cried to God for deliverance. Some days later as the whale was passing close to land it vomited Jonah onto the dry land.
Grateful to be alive, Jonah agreed to go to Nineveh the second time that God commanded him to preach there and the Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonah and judgment was averted. Jonah had learned by bitter experience that although it is costly to obey God, it is way more expensive to disobey.
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