32 The Book of Jonah (Summarized)

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Storyline

	Jonah flees from God, gets eaten by a fish	1-2
	Jonah warns Nineveh and they repent	3
	God teaches Jonah a lesson	4

Jonah

1. BG | SAB | God told Jonah, son of Amittai, to go preach against the city of Nineveh. Jonah tried to flee, and boarded a boat headed in the opposite direction. God sent a violent storm which threatened the security of the boat. The sailors panicked and called to their gods, but Jonah went below deck and slept. The sailors woke up Jonah and begged him to pray to his god too. Through divination of lots, the sailors determined that Jonah was the reason for the storm, so they questioned Jonah's background. Jonah said that he was a Hebrew God-worshiper, and that he had already told them about his running away from God. Jonah told the sailors to throw him overboard to calm the sea. Instead, the sailors tried to row back unsuccessfully as the storm got worse. Finally, they relented and threw Jonah into the sea. The storm immediately calmed. The sailors then feared God; sacrificing and vowing to Him. God sent a big fish which swallowed Jonah for three days and three nights.

2. 
   BG | SAB | While in the fish, Jonah prayed to God, saying: God rescued me when I called to Him. I was banished, but sought God's Temple again. While I was deeply sinking, I prayed to God. Idol worshipers miss out on God's grace, but I will sacrifice to God. God provides salvation. Then, God commanded the fish to spit out Jonah on dry land.

3. BG | SAB | God again told Jonah to go to Nineveh. Nineveh was a big city. Jonah arrived and proclaimed God's judgement against the city; that it would be overturned in 40 days. The people believed God's message. Everyone in the city donned sack cloth. The king decreed for there to be a city-wide fasting for the people and the animals, and that everyone should repent of their evil and violence, in an attempt to gain God's mercy. Because of these actions, God decided not to destroy the city.

4. BG | SAB | Jonah was angry with God for showing mercy. Jonah had known that this would happen because God is gracious, compassionate, and slow to anger, and God relents causing calamities. Jonah asks God to kill him. Jonah made a shack east of Nineveh from which to watch the city. God made a vine grow over the shack for extra shade, and Jonah was happy about that. The next day God made a worm kill the vine, sent a hot wind, and made the day sunny and hot so that Jonah grew faint. Jonah wished he was dead. God asked Jonah if he has a right to be angry about the vine. Jonah told God that he does have that right, and he is very angry. God mocked Jonah for being concerned about the very temporary vine. Nineveh has over 120000 people who cannot tell right from wrong, and lots of cattle, so God is concerned about it.

Obadiah | Jonah | Micah