Jonah

Jonah 1:1–3:10

Our true story comes from a part of the Bible called the Book of Jonah. Jonah loved God and wanted others to know God, too.

We begin with a man named Jonah. God had a special job for him. God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to tell the people who lived there to do what God says and love one another.


But Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh. Jonah had a choice to make. Should Jonah do what God says and go to Nineveh? Or should he run away and get on a boat? What do you think? Well, Jonah got on a boat!


Jonah ran away. Jonah didn’t do what God said. Oh, no, Jonah!


God loved Jonah and knew what was best for him and the people in Nineveh. 


So, God sent a big storm while Jonah was on the boat. It rained harder and harder. The boat moved this way and that way! Everyone on the boat was scared!


Jonah knew that God sent the storm for him, so he wanted to get off the boat to keep the other people safe. Jonah told the men to help him get in the water and the storm would stop.


While Jonah was in the water, God sent a big fish to swallow him!


Jonah was safe inside the fish’s big belly. But inside of a fish’s belly is NOT where Jonah wanted to be. Jonah chose to pray and talk to God.


Jonah told God he was sorry and that he would do what God said because God knows what’s best. Yay for Jonah!


Three days went by. Let’s count them: One day, two days, three! Then God made the fish spit Jonah out on the beach. WHOA!


Then God told Jonah again, “Go to Nineveh!” What do you think Jonah did? Did he go to Nineveh? Or did he stay on the beach? Jonah did what God said and went to Nineveh.


And it was amazing! The people in Nineveh believed in God, and they ALL chose to do what God said because God knows what’s best. God knew what was best for Jonah and the people in Nineveh, and God knows what’s best for us, too. Who knows what’s best for you? God knows what’s best for you.






Bible Paraphrase: God . . . knows everything. —1 John 3:20, NIV

Text Truth: God knows what is best for everyone.



Family Devotional

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
—Jonah 3:2

Our Bible story was about a man named Jonah. Was Jonah supposed to get on a boat? No! God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell the people to do what God said and love each other. What happened while Jonah was on the boat? Yes, a storm came, and Jonah ended up in the belly of a big fish! But Jonah prayed to God, and God gave Jonah another chance to do what God said. Jonah finally went to Nineveh and told all the people to do what God said and love each other. And they did!

God knew what was best for Jonah. God knew what was best for the people in Nineveh. And God knows what’s best for you and me because God knows everything!

God . . . knows everything. —1 John 3:20, NIV

Jonah told the people in Nineveh to do what God said and love each other. So, with your family, take a piece of paper and make a list of people you can tell about God, too! Have each family member write down the name of a person. And remember to print the name of each family member next to the name of the person they write.

Pray with your family. Allow any family members to pray if they wish. In your own words, say, “Dear God, You know everything. That means You know what’s best for me and (name each family member). Help us tell (read the list of names your family made) that You love them and they should do what You say because You know what’s best for everyone! You’re the best, God! In Jesus’ name, amen.”

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Story illustrations are the copyright of Sweet Publishing and licensed by FreeBibleimages (http://freebibleimages.org) for free download under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 3.0 unported licence.
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