Jonah 1 - 4
Sunday’s Bible account in The Gospel Project®
for Kids is one that many kids have heard before, and we often lose
sight of the central message. The message isn’t so much about Jonah
being swallowed by a big fish, although that is certainly amazing.
Jonah’s account centers around the compassion of God, not only for the
people of Israel, but for people throughout the earth—even Israel’s
worst enemies!
Nineveh
was the capital of Assyria, and the rulers of Nineveh were notoriously
evil and cruel. Check out how the prophet Nahum described the city in
Nahum 3: “Woe to the city of blood, totally deceitful, full of plunder,
never without prey” (v. 1). No wonder Jonah ran the other way! God used a
storm and some time in the belly of a fish to get Jonah’s attention,
and Jonah went to Nineveh. For three days, Jonah walked around the city.
His message to the Ninevites was brief: “In 40 days Nineveh will be
demolished!”
The
people of Nineveh immediately repented, and God withheld His judgment.
That made Jonah furious. But God rebuked Jonah and prompted him to
examine his heart. God displayed His mercy and grace by forgiving the
people of Nineveh when they repented of their sin. God showed His love
to the rest of the world by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross.
God saves those who trust in Jesus and repent of their sin, and He
sends them out, like Jonah, with the good news of salvation.
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