“ Go into Nineveh,” (Bible Study, 2011)
But off he went to Tarshish
To hide from the Lord
He who sees the all the corners
The clear and the dark
Great is the Lord Almighty
The wisest and the most complete
That he knew Jonah’s thought
A strong wind he sent, to ravage the ship
And stop Jonah from fleeing
From the comfort of slumber
Jonah was cast into the sea
For those aboard to survive
And into the belly he went
The whale became his house
Three days inside the belly
A miracle in Jonah’s life
The almighty had done it again
Saved him from death
The rough see so no his blood
Jonah made a prayer
A petition to seek forgiveness
He had wronged the God of gods
Whose abiding mercy saved him
He was meant for a purpose
“ Go to Nineveh” he was sent again (Bible Study, 2011)
Jonah was obedient this time
An experience had taught him
That he went through Nineveh
Fulfilling his purpose; preaching
He proclaimed the message
And they listened and believed
For he was sent by the Almighty
The voice that shakes the world
He saved Nineveh and Ninevites.
He preached doom but God brought peace
He preached an overthrown government
But God was compassionate
For like plants that grow and die overnight
Humanity may not be aware of the Lord yet.
God is merciful, companionate, loving
Jonah is sent by God to go and change the people of Nineveh for they have turned to the ways of the evil one. Instead of doing so, Jonah tries to deceive the Almighty God and changes his destination to Tarshish, where he thought God could not find him. However, there comes a raging storm upon the sea that the ship cannot move swiftly. It is Jonah who had caused this problem as God who sent him is angry. To save the lives of others, Jonah asks those aboard to throw him into the water, probably thinking that he would not die and not set his foot in Nineveh. To his surprise, God provided him a place to live, inside the belly of a whale. Jonah lived in the stomach of the whale for days before it brought him to the shore. This action by God shows that everyone in the world has a purpose to fulfill and those chosen by God cannot escape their duties. It also shows that God is merciful for he does not punish Jonah but sends him again for the same task.
In Nineveh, Jonah proclaims the message of the Lord. He is sent to proclaim doom upon the government and the people of Nineveh as they have turned away from their God. They had fallen into the tricks of the evil one and God is not happy with them. He wants to warn them before pouring His wrath upon the whole city and the people who live therein. Jonah does his work and waits for the punishment of God upon the city. However, the punishment was not forthcoming for the people had heeded the message of the Lord and turned against the ways of evil. They listened to Jonah and believed his message, returned to the ways of the Lord and as a result, they find favor in His eyes. He chooses to forgive them and preserve their lives because He saw a change in their ways of life.
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Jonah’s story shows that the Almighty God choses people for a purpose which they have to accomplish and there is no way the chosen can run away from their duties. It also shows that God is not quick at punishing but provides a way out of sinful ways of life. He does not punish Jonah for trying to evade to Tarshish and quit the work of the Lord and He does he punish Nineveh before sending them His servant to warn them against the ways of evil. He preserves their lives because many of them are not aware that what they were doing angers the Lord. The Ninevites also choose to turn about in their ways of life and worship the Lord.
Reference
Bible Study. (2011). Book of Jonah. The New International Version Bible. Retrieved January 27, 2017 from: http://www.biblestudytools.com/jonah/
