The Story of Jonah

Part I

Paraphrased by ©Cindy Zumwalt

Used with permission by WWWMinistry.

There once was a man named Jonah and he was very smart because he knew that God was real.

God told Jonah to go to a place called Nineveh.  In Nineveh were really bad people.  They never shared any of their toys, they would hit and kick their friends and they never minded their mommies and daddies.  God told Jonah to go to that city and tell the people that God was going to give them a really big “time out” for a really long time because they were so bad. 

But, Jonah didn’t like Nineveh and he didn’t want to go there even though God told him to.  Jonah thought he could run from God and that’s really silly because no one can run from God.  God will always find you.  But, Jonah thought he could do it. 

Jonah went out on a big boat.  Have you ever seen the ferries in Seattle?  That’s probably what kind of boat it was because the Bible says he went downstairs to take a nap.  Now, during Jonah’s naptime, God was mad at Jonah for trying to run away from God (silly Jonah!).  So God, who can do anything, made a really big storm come up.  The wind blew really hard.  Have you ever looked out the window during a storm from inside your house or your car?  The wind blows the trees really hard, leaves fly all around and it rains really hard.  Well, this storm was even worse than that.  The wind blew so hard that all the sailors thought the wind and waves would break the ship apart.  They were very scared.  So, the Captain went down and woke up Jonah and asked Jonah to talk to God and ask God to stop the storm.  Well, Jonah had to tell the Captain and all the sailors that he tried to run away from God and that’s why the storm had come.  He told the sailors that if they threw him into the water the storm would stop.  The sailors didn’t want to be mean and throw Jonah into the water but they tried everything else and nothing worked.  So, they picked Jonah up and threw him in the water and the storm stopped!  Then all the sailors knew that it was God that made the storm and they all believed in God.  They did things that made God happy and tried to do what God wanted them to do.

Remember Jonah?  He was still in the water and so God made a really big fish come.  Have you ever seen the movie Free Willy or watched animal planet on T.V. and seen a really big Killer Whale?  Well, it was probably a big whale like Willy that God sent to Jonah.  God made the big fish swallow Jonah and he had to be in it’s tummy for three days.  God gave Jonah a “time out” that lasted three days!

It’s really silly to try and run from God because God can always find you.  God can do anything!  And, if God tells you to do something you should do it or bad things can happen.  I wouldn’t want to be put in "time out” for three days!

The Story of Jonah

Part II

Paraphrased by ©Cindy Zumwalt

Used with permission by WWWMinistry.

While Jonah was in the tummy of the whale, he realized he was wrong.  After being in “time out” for three days he was really sorry.  He felt very bad about disobeying God and trying to run from Him.  He knew that he couldn’t go anywhere and that God would always find him.  He prayed really hard.  (Remember, praying is just talking to God.)  He told God how sorry he was and that he would do just what God wanted.  Even way down in the tummy of a “Free Willy” whale, God heard Jonah praying.

If you talk to God, no matter where you are, He can always hear you.  You know, we don’t talk to God as much as we should.  God really wants to talk to us, He just can’t wait.  The minute we start praying (or talking to God), He’s listening!

Do you remember how you feel on Christmas morning?  You wake up early and you just know that there are a bunch of presents under the tree with your name on them.  You have a feeling of wanting to rush in and see.  When I was a kid, we always had a Christmas morning rule.  We couldn’t get out of bed until 7:30 in the morning.  I remember calling to my mommy and daddy’s bedroom and asking if it was 7:30 yet.  I remember how hard it was to wait.  I remember thinking, “OH NO!  I just can’t stand this anymore.  I want to go out and open those presents!”  I remember just at that moment, my daddy said, “Okay, it’s 7:30, you can get up now!”  Well, that’s what God feels like.  It’s like Christmas morning and that’s how badly God really wants to talk to us.  We’re like a Christmas present and God wants to open us up!  So, don’t forget to talk to God.  What if you didn’t get any presents for Christmas?  You would feel bad and that’s how God feels when we don’t talk to him.

That’s how God felt when Jonah ran away from Him instead of obeying Him.  Jonah did feel bad and when he prayed in the tummy of the “Free Willy” whale God made the whale throw up Jonah right onto the beach.  Jonah’s three day “time out” was finally over.

The Story of Jonah

Part III

Paraphrased by ©Cindy Zumwalt

Used with permission by WWWMinistry.

Jonah’s three day “time out” was finally over!  God talked to Jonah and told him to go to Nineveh; remember, where all the mean people were.  This time Jonah did what God told him to do.

When he got to the city, he told all the people that God was really mad at them and God was going to put them in “time out” forever!  That made the people feel so bad that they cried.  The powerful king of Nineveh cried too!  The king told them all to stop what they were doing and start obeying God.  He told them to stop all the bad things they did and start doing what God wanted them to do. 

So, all the people started being really good and did all the things the king said.  The king knew what things made God happy.  All the people were really sorry for all the bad things they did and they were very good.  And, since God knows everything, He knew they were being good and so He decided not to put the people in “time out” forever because He loved them soooo much!  Just like He loves you and me!  You know, God loves us more than anything else.  The Bible says God loves us even more than our mommies and daddies, and that’s a whole lot!

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(Copied from Life Application Bible - New International Version)

JONAH

served as a prophet to Israel

and Assyria from 793-753 B.C.

Climate of the times

Nineveh was the most important city in Assyria and would soon become the capital of the huge Assyrian empire.  But Nineveh was also a very wicked city.

Main Message

Jonah, who hated the powerful and wicked Assyrians, was called by God to warn the Assyrians that they would receive judgment if they did not repent.

Importance of Message

Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh, so he tried to run from God.  But God has ways of teaching us to obey and follow Him.  When Jonah preached, the city repented and God withheld His judgment.  Even the most wicked will be saved if they truly repent of their sins and turn to God.

The Story of Jonah

Part IV

Paraphrased by ©Cindy Zumwalt

Used with permission by WWWMinistry.

Remember what happened in Nineveh?  All the people were very sorry for what they did and they prayed and cried to God.  And they did all the things God wanted them to.  God always loved the people in Nineveh, even when they did bad things. 

God saw all the good things they were doing.  God knows everything and He knew they did all those things, just for Him.  So He decided to forgive them and not to put them in “time out” forever, because they wanted to please God. 

Well, you would think that would make Jonah happy.  But, he was so mad at God.  He said, “I knew this would happen!  That’s why I didn’t want to come here.  I knew You were such a loving, kind, gentle and good God, that You would forgive them.  I don’t want You to forgive them, God!!! I want You to punish them right now.”  And Jonah went into the corner to pout.  He was so mad.   

We should never ever try to tell God what to do.  It’s like when you’re playing with your toys and your Mommy says, “Pick up your toys.  Time for dinner.”  And your brother or sister stomps their foot and says, “No!  I’m not finished yet!  Don’t try to tell me what to do!  I’m not picking up my toys!” 

Then your Mommy would say, “Don’t talk to me that way.  If you don’t pick them up, I’m going to put you in ‘time out’.  And no McDonalds!” 

So then you pick up your toys right away, because you don’t want to be in ‘time out’, and you get to go to McDonalds.  But, your brother or sister keeps playing.  Then your Mommy says, “You didn’t pick that up.  So you’re in ‘time out’ and you don’t get to come to McDonalds.  Mommy and Daddy and sister are going but you have to stay home with the babysitter.”  Then Mommy leaves to go call the babysitter. 

You’re so excited, you get to go to McDonalds and you think about the hamburgers and the french fries and the playground.  Then you look over and your brother or sister has picked up all the toys, all by themselves.  Then Mommy comes back in, and your brother or sister is crying.  And says, “Mommy, I’m so sorry!!  I picked up all my toys.  I’m sorry I talked that way.  I’m sorry!”  And then they cry some more. 

Then what if your Mommy said, “Oh, that’s okay.  I forgive you.  No babysitter for you.  You get to come to McDonalds too.”  Would that make you a little mad?  Because they got to play longer and they talked that bad way.  And Mommy still forgave them and didn’t even give them a time out.  I’d say, “Hey! Not fair!” 

And that’s how Jonah felt and he was so mad.  God told Jonah that He loved all the people, just like He loves you and me.  God sometimes put people in ‘time out’ forever.  That’s called hell.  But if we decide to follow God and do the things God wants us to do, God won’t put us in ‘time out’ forever.  We get to go to heaven.  Which like the songs says, “…Is a wonderful place, filled with Glory and Grace…”  And I can’t wait to see my Savior’s face, which remember is Jesus.  Just thinking about Jesus, just saying His Name fills me with so much joy; joy is when you’re really, really happy.  When your whole body feels happy.  Way down into your toes.  That’s like a wonderful bonus that we get from Jesus, when we ask Jesus into our lives.  He comes in and forgives our sins and makes our hearts white as snow.  Then He fills us with love and joy.  It’s like Christmas in your heart.  That’s what Christmas is all about.  It’s God wanting to become our very best Friend.  It’s like God gets to come and spend the night at your house.  Isn’t that fun, when you get to have someone stay over at your house?  You know how you do everything with them and that’s such a “Special Time.”  That’s kind of what it’s like, when you ask Jesus in your heart, then the Holy Spirit comes and stays with you.  Then when you die you get to go where God and Jesus are and you get to stay with them forever.  Heaven is like CHRISTMAS FOREVER!!!!