Jonah Chapters 1-4 (CSB)
This is a story about Jonah and God. God had instructed Jonah to give a message to Nineveh because the people’s evilness had come before Him. However, Jonah fled instead and took a ship to Tarshish where he was thrown off because of a great windstorm had threatened a possible shipwreck, the men on the boat were aware that Jonah was fleeing from God and figured that was why there was a terrible storm, they really wanted the storm to end. Jonah told them to throw him into the sea and the storm would stop. However, being thoughtful or reluctant to do such a drastic thing that might anger God they prayed to God not to let them perish because of Jonah, before throwing him overboard. Afterwards for fear of God they made a sacrificial offering and made vows. In the meantime the great fish had a divine appointment to swallow Jonah which he did, and Jonah was detained for three days and nights. Jonah finally cried out and prayed to God and God raised him from the pit. As God as done for many of His children. God gave the great fish the command to vomit Jonah on dry land. Jonah was called by God a second time, God instructed Jonah to preach the message He told him. This time he arose and went to Nineveh and preached the message God had given him and the people repented. So God saved them which angered Jonah because he figured that was God’s original intention that is why he didn’t want to deliver the message the first time. In addition he was angry because the message blessed them, now does that make sense?
Moral of Story: When God speaks and gives you a message to give, do not run lest you be swallowed up by a great fish, who knows what will happen after that.
Wind Gust 