Jonah and the fish (1) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah, … saying, arise, go to Nineveh, … but Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Jonah 1:1–3

Jonah and the fish (1)
The Book of Jonah is one of the shortest books in the Old Testament. In it, its author – Jonah himself – describes a short period of his life.

God instructs him to go eastward to announce judgment on the city of Nineveh. The sin of the people there prompts God’s response. But Jonah refuses to go, fleeing to the port city of Joppa and boarding a ship sailing westward – that is, in the opposite direction. The ship sets sail and a short time later is caught in a fierce storm. The sailors cast lots to find the guilty party. The lot falls on Jonah, who admits to wanting to run away from God. He asks them to throw him into the sea, knowing that the storm has come upon them all for his sake. At first the sailors refuse, but as the storm grows more violent they throw him overboard.

The gripping story doesn’t end there. God prepares a fish that swallows Jonah – and then spits him out again after three days. God sends Jonah out again, and this time he is obedient.

I invite you to invest perhaps fifteen minutes of your time and read the story of Jonah for yourself in the Bible! The book of Jonah shows us God’s omnipotence: God Himself “sent a great wind on the sea”, “prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah”, and then “spoke to the fish” to spit him out again (chs. 1:4; 2:1, 11). But the book also shows us God’s grace and love. God doesn’t simply let a disobedient prophet go, but goes after him, brings him back – and gives him a second chance. Today, God still goes after individuals to bring them back from paths that lead away from Him.

(to be concluded tomorrow)

Today’s reading: Isaiah 29:1-24 · Hebrews 1:7-14