One of the most beautiful stories in the Old Testament is found in the book of Jonah.

And, one of the most sobering, even frightening, stories in the Old Testament is found in the book of Jonah.

You probably know the story; after all, it’s one of the old standby stories for Sunday School.

Here’s the story in a nutshell, but I suggest that you take some time and read the entire book of Jonah. It’s short, and it won’t take you very long.

Jonah was called by God to go preach a message of destruction to the city of Nineveh. Jonah had plenty of reasons to hate Nineveh. It was the capital city of Assyria, who had been enemies of Israel for a very long time. In fact, God used Assyria to take captive the northern tribes.

Jonah decided to ignore God’s call, and run the other way. As a result, God sent a big fish that swallowed Jonah, holding him for three days before spitting him up on a beach. After that Jonah went to the city of Nineveh and preached God’s plan for destruction unless they repented.

The amazing thing is, they did! God diverted his wrath and held off on the destruction because the people turned away from their evil, for a time.

Take a few moments and read the story. There’s so much more packed into this short book than what I’ve highlighted here.

In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite passages from the book of Jonah:

Jonah’s Assurance In God – Jonah 1:12

As Jonah ran from God, the Lord sent a storm that pummeled the ship he was on. Jonah knew that his disobedience was the cause of this storm and told the sailors to throw him overboard in order to save their own lives. In spite of his disobedience, Jonah still was confident that God was in control of the situation. In spite of his disobedience, Jonah’s faith was sure.

“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.” – Jonah 1:12

Worthless Idols – Jonah 2:8-9

I’d read the book of Jonah dozens of times, never really noticing this verse. One day, as I was reading, this passage just jumped out at me, convicting me of my (and all of our) propensity towards idolatry. We try to fit everything we can into our lives, while only God is the one who can satisfy. All else is worthless. And our desperate desire to cling to something besides God causes us to forfeit the grace that could be ours.

“Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” – Jonah 2:8-9

Repentance And Compassion – Jonah 3:5-10

When Jonah finally makes it to the city of Nineveh and preaches his message from God, the people repent. In fact, the king issues a decree that states that everyone must fast and repent of their evil or face the consequences that God has planned. Revival sweeps the city, and repentance is everywhere. As a result, God has compassion and refrains from destroying the city as planned.

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. – Jonah 3:10

Jonah’s Lesson – Jonah 4:5-11

When Nineveh repented, Jonah became angry. He wanted to see their destruction, as most of the rest of the Israelites wanted. When this didn’t happen, he complained to God. As he sat above the city to watch the destruction he knew would come, God sent a vine to give him shade. Then he caused the vine to wither and die. Jonah was exposed to the heat. He complained about the vine. God’s point was that he had no control over the vine, just as he had no control over God’s treatment of the Ninevites. God’s intent was to rearrange Jonah’s priorities, to share his compassion for the lost.

But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” – Jonah 4:10-11

Question: What are your favorite stories from the book of Jonah? You can leave a comment by clicking here.