Jonah in Whale for Kids

Jonah in Whale for Kids

Once there was a Prophet of God named Jonah. God told Jonah to go to a place called Nineveh, and tell the people there to stop doing bad things. Jonah didn't listen to God and he got on a ship, trying to run away from God. So God sent a strong wind into the sea. The wind tossed the ship around so much that it was almost broken to pieces. The people on the ship figured out that somehow, the reason for the stormy sea, had something to do with Jonah. He told them that he was trying to hide from God.

The people wondered what to do with Jonah. I know this is all my fault, Jonah said, Throw me into the sea, so the storm will stop. The people tried to row to land, but the wind and waves were too strong. They prayed that the Lord wouldn't be mad, and they threw Jonah into the sea. Suddenly the wind stopped and the sea was still. God sent a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights!

Jonah was very scared, and prayed, telling God he was sorry and that he would do what God told him to. So, God forgave Jonah and spoke to the fish. He told the fish to spit Jonah out onto dry land. God told Jonah again to go and tell the people of Nineveh that their country would be destroyed in forty days because they were so bad. The king of Nineveh told all the people to have faith in God and to do good. The people in Nineveh were sorry for being bad, so they did what the king said. God forgave them and decided not to destroy them.

Jonah was angry with the Lord. He knew that God would forgive the people of Nineveh and it made Jonah mad that he went through all of this trouble. That's why Jonah tried to run away from God in the first place. Jonah asked God to take his life, because he thought it would be better for him to die than to live. God asked Jonah if he thought it was right to be so angry, but God did not take his life.

Jonah built a little shack outside of the city where he could watch and see what would happen in Nineveh. It was very hot so God grew a big plant called a gourd, and it covered the shack and Jonah with shade. Jonah was very happy about the gourd.

But the next day, God sent a worm to eat up the gourd. Jonah felt sorry for the gourd, and he was angry again because he wished that it had lived. Then God sent a very hot dry wind. The sun was so hot that Jonah fainted and wished again that he would die. God told Jonah, You felt sorry for the gourd but you didn't give it life or help it grow. It grew in one day and died in one night. The people of Nineveh didn't know right from wrong. I gave them life and asked you to help them grow to be good. Shouldn't I feel sorry for them? Shouldn't I let them live?

Jonah had done wrong, not to listen to God and when Jonah was sorry, God forgave him and saved him from the big fish that swallowed him up. Nineveh had done wrong by doing bad things, and when they were sorry, God forgave them too and saved them from being destroyed.