Jonah

With a new plan and a firm resolve, Jonah sets off for Nineveh.

Now here is a very famous, but curious story of a reluctant prophet. Not everyone had the jam to be a spokesman of God, being ridiculed and persecuted, chased out of town and thrown in prison. So, when Jonah was called, he simply ran away to board a ship going in the opposite direction of where he was sent, and when a storm at sea was perceived to be his fault, his ship mates threw him overboard where he is promptly swallowed by a rather large fish.  Then when the waves suddenly became quiet, the sailors repented, greatly fearing God and offered him sacrifices. This was Jonah's first big success.

After being belched and beached, he travels to Nineveh, his appointed mission field. As he walks through the city, he calls out for repentance, and amazingly, everyone within earshot repents. News travels to the king and he too repents. Jonah, instead of being ecstatic, goes into a depression and parks himself on a hill overlooking the city and awaits the Lord's judgement, which does not come.

Impressions: When God calls us to do a task, we should not be reluctant. His plan will be worked out despite our fear or reluctance. Jesus refers to this story in Matt.12: 40-41 where he says he will be buried for three days as Jonah was. (In the whale's belly) He also makes reference to the fact that he came to preach repentance, like Jonah did, to the people of Nineveh, but to all people. This is a great story of a very successful missions trip with a bit of a mysterious ending and a lot of foreshadowing.

Readability: 5 stars

Considering his predicament, why did it take Jonah so long to apologise for running from God?