Slices
Prepare
As you read this familiar story, ask God to give you a deeper understanding of his grace.
Bible passage
Jonah flees from the Lord
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’
3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, ‘How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.’
7 Then the sailors said to each other, ‘Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.’ They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, ‘Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?’
9 He answered, ‘I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’
10 This terrified them and they asked, ‘What have you done?’ (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)
11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, ‘What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?’
12 ‘Pick me up and throw me into the sea,’ he replied, ‘and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.’
13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, ‘Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.’ 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.
Jonah’s prayer
17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Explore
God’s instructions to Jonah are straightforward, but unprecedented. He tells him to deliver a short message of warning to Israel’s worst enemies. Until this point, prophets have only been sent to God’s people, and only incidentally to Gentiles! And why does God want to reach out to such a cruel and violent nation anyway, who deserve everything that’s coming to them? Self-centred Jonah has other ideas! In verse 3 and again in verse 5, we read, ‘But Jonah…’ How can he possibly imagine that he can run away from God (Psalm 139:7– 10)?
But God, rather than giving up on his disobedient, runaway prophet, intervenes.
He sends a violent storm. As a result, the boat Jonah boarded at Joppa is in danger of sinking. Meanwhile, Jonah sleeps below deck, much to the captain’s annoyance! Eventually, Jonah is sacrificed to save the crew (v 12) and the sailors turn to God, whose timely, piscine provision means that Jonah doesn’t drown. In verses 15 and 17, see how God’s compassionate nature and power over creation overrule and everyone is saved. This event highlights God’s amazing grace!
Respond
Thank God for rescuing Jonah, and the sailors too! Pray about any seemingly hopeless situations known to you – perhaps those that seem beyond God’s grace. Ask God to have mercy and intervene in his mighty power, just as he did with Jonah.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 2 Samuel 1,2; Psalm 50
Pray for Scripture Union
Please pray for all in the Praise and Play playgroup, that all involved may discover the joy of knowing Jesus for themselves and have the opportunity and support they need to grow in faith.
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