God calls Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against the city for its evil. However, Jonah refuses and runs away, boarding a ship to Tarshish. God sends a storm and Jonah is thrown overboard, being swallowed by a great fish. Jonah prays and is spit out on dry land, where he receives the call again. This time he goes to Nineveh and preaches repentance. Surprisingly, the entire city repents of their evil ways, disappointing Jonah. The story of Jonah teaches us that when God calls us to spread his message, we must obey and not run away, even from those we consider enemies.
2. “Arise, go to Nineveh, that
great city, and call out
against it, for their evil has
come up before me.”
Jonah 1:2, CB OT p. 1478
3.
4. Assyrian Empire
Kanish
Early Empire c. 825 B.C.
Later Empire c. 650 B.C.
L Y D I A
Cyprus
Tanis
Nile
River
Great
Zab
River
Lake
Urmia
Haran
Nineveh
Arbela
Aleppo Habor Nimrud
River
Ebla
Ashur
Ecbatana
A S SY R I A
Hamath
Diala
Tadmor
Mari
River
Damascus
Jerusalem
Memphis
Lake
Van
Carchemish
Ugarit
Great Sea
(Mediterranean)
Urartu
Jordan
River
Euphrates
River A k k a d
Tigris
Babylon River
Sumer
Erech
Judah
Sinai
Ezion-geber
PERSIA
Susa
Elam
Ur
Dumah
Persian
Gulf
N
D e s e r t
W
E
5.
6. Assyrian Empire
Kanish
Early Empire c. 825 B.C.
Later Empire c. 650 B.C.
L Y D I A
Great Sea
(Mediterranean)
Cyprus
Jerusalem
Tanis
Nile
River
Great
Zab
River
Lake
Urmia
Haran
Nineveh
Arbela
Aleppo Habor Nimrud
River
Ebla
Ashur
Ecbatana
A S SY R I A
Hamath
Diala
Tadmor
Mari
River
Damascus
Joppa
Memphis
Lake
Van
Carchemish
Ugarit
Tarsh
ish
Urartu
Jordan
River
Euphrates
River A k k a d
Tigris
Babylon River
Sumer
Erech
Judah
Sinai
Ezion-geber
PERSIA
Susa
Elam
Ur
Dumah
Persian
Gulf
N
D e s e r t
W
E
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. “Arise, go to Nineveh, that
great city, and call out
against it the message
that I tell you.”
Jonah 3:2, CB OT p. 1480