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One day God spoke to Jonah,son of Amittai, commanding him

to go to the city of Nineveh.

Go to the great cityof Nineveh and preachagainst it, because its

wickedness has comeup before me.(Jonah 1:1)

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Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrianempire, one of Israel's fiercest enemies!

This order is

unbearable.Nineveh is

wicked and also

our enemy. Idont want to gothere.

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He went down to the seaport of Joppaand booked passage on a ship to Tarshish,

heading directly away from Nineveh.

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In response, God sent a violentstorm, which threatened to

break the ship to pieces. Theterrified crew cast lots,determining that Jonah was

responsible for the storm.

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Pleasethrow meoverboard,then youll

be safe.First they tried rowing to shore,but the waves got even higher.

Afraid of God, the sailors finallytossed Jonah into the sea, and

the water immediately grew calm.

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Instead of drowning, Jonah was swallowed by agreat fish, which God provided. In the belly ofthe whale for 3days and 3night, Jonah repentedand cried out to God.God in prayer.

Salvation comesfrom Lord.

(Jonah2:9)

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God commanded the whale, and it vomited thereluctant prophet(Jonah) onto dry land.

Thank you, lord.This time Ill obey

your word.

Then Jonah, went toNineveh in Gods

command.

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He walked through Nineveh proclaimingthat in forty days the city would be

destroyed.Surprisingly, theNinevites believed

Jonah's message andrepented, wearingsackcloth and

covering themselves

in ashes, God hadcompassion on themand did not destroy

them.

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Again Jonah questioned God, because Jonahwas angry that Israel's enemies had beenspared.

I cantunderstand

God. Theydid many

bad things.

But savedfrom God,

why?

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When Jonah stopped outside the city to rest,God provided a vine to shelter him from thehot sun. Jonah was happy with the vine.

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But the next day Godprovided a worm that atethe vine, making it wither.

Growing faint in the sun,Jonah complained again.

God scolded Jonah forbeing concerned about

a vine, but not aboutNineveh, which had120,000 lost people.

You have been concernedabout this vine, though youdid not tend it or make it

grow. It sprang upovernight and died

overnight. But Nineveh hasmore than a hundred and

twenty thousand people.Should I not be concerned

about that great city?

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Jonah thought he knew better than God. But inthe end he learned a valuable lesson aboutthe Lord's mercy and forgiveness, whichextends beyond Jonah and Israel to all peoplewho repent and believe.

Is there some area ofyour life in which you

are defying God, andrationalizing it?

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God isLove!

Remember that Godwants you to be open

and honest with him. It'salways wise to obey theOne who loves you most.

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God commands everything in his Creation, fromthe weather to a whale, to carry out his plan.God is in control.