Jonah and the Big Fish

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Nineveh was the capital city of Israel’s enemy, Assyria. The Lord commanded Jonah to go and tell the people in Nineveh that their city would be destroyed if they did not repent of their wickedness. Jonah did not want to teach the people of Nineveh because he thought they would never change. He headed in the opposite direction – away from Nineveh – to try to hide from God. When the boat he boarded ran into a storm, Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a big fish. Jonah spent three days praying inside the fish, and then he was spit out. When Jonah finally went to Nineveh and preached, the wicked people repented and turned to God. The Book of Jonah ends with Jonah still resentful that these evil people received God’s mercy.

Bible verses used in this episode:
Jonah 1-4

Outline:

1. God calls Jonah but Jonah runs from God. (Jonah 1:1-16)
2. Jonah’s three days inside a fish. (Jonah 1:17-2:10)
3. Jonah goes to Ninevah. (Jonah chapter 3)
4. God’s mercy makes Jonah angry. (Jonah chapter 4)

Tips for teaching children:

• Guide children in drawing a fish. Once they have finished, they can add a stick figure inside the fish to represent Jonah.
• Make a boat from paper.
• Talk about the fact that all people deserve to hear about God. Make a collage or draw pictures of different kinds of people.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Read the book of Jonah during the class session. Choose an easy to read from a simple translation such as the English Standard Version or the International Children's Bible and select four people to read the four chapters.
• This story confronts us with our prejudices and smug privileges as God’s people. Make a list of people groups that would be very different (ethnically, socially, morally) from the group in the classroom. Pray for them for God to bless them.
• This story confronts the church, too. Is your church a welcoming church? How would the church respond if someone from the list you created in the previous question came into your assembly? As a class, brainstorm different ways to make your congregation more welcoming to outsiders? In other words, think about how you can communicate to visitors that you were expecting them and you are so glad they came.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:
Bible Lesson: Jonah and the Big Fish

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

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