Jonah and the whale Oh no, I won't go. Part One

Good Morning

We are up early with Breakfast already cooking. Pig is at the table and she has decided blueberry syrup instead of maple since I home made it.

Pig and I got up and started talking about the things we know we should do and

what we don't want to do.

The things we are talking about are more like little stuff like chores or fixing things or painting or planting things.

Not like GOD and HIS mission to rescue People from dying and going into eternal separation from GOD.

That was the case for the Prophet Jonah.

Jonah was a lover of GOD and his People of the Jewish Nation.

Jonah was a Prophet in the year about in 825 BC.

He was from the Northern part of Israel. As you can guess the Jewish Nation had many enemies and Jonah had seen a lot of wars and sad things done against his people.

He is considerd a Minor Prophet.

What does that mean? Pig asked.

The difference between a Minor Prophet and a Major Prophet is the size of the book written. There are 12 Minor Prophets in the Bible.

That doesn't mean it's less important Pig.

The book of

1. Hosea

2. Joel

3. Amos

4. Obadiah

5. Jonah

6. Micah

7. Nahum

8. Habakkuk

9. Zephaniah

10. Haggai

11. Zechaiah

12. Malachi

AMAZING BOOKS TO READ. Pig said, Lets read them all right now. I smiled and took a breath and said, How about a little at a time. Pig said Ok . One a night at bedtime.Pig requested. I responded, I could do that. Pig smiled.

As I was telling Pig about the story of Jonah and how it was like then to be alive in that time. I needed to say what it was really was like then.

The People of Nineveh were barbaric and had scary practices in what they would do to the Jewish People and torture all their enemys.

I know there are Bad and Good people in every Nation.

But these People in Nineveh, think about it for GOD to say by His Prophet Jonah.

HE was going to take them out.

If they didn't make some Big changes in their Nation this was going to be done.

It had to be pretty bad Pig.

She looked at me intensely and didnt move as she was trying to think about what I said out in her mind. You could tell that she listened to every word.

To make it even more scary and to understand the mindset of these people.

This is what you saw to enter into the city.

They would have had bones of the people long past dead on tall poles and a stack of heads in large mounds showing thier conquests of lives taken.

Big piles on the ground along the road as tropheys to the entrance. This was a Welcome or a Beware to Nineveh.

Like having an all the time constant Halloween Scene.

That's terrible Pig said. Scary , Scary, Scary.

Definely No Joy there.

Yep, I replied.

Why did you tell me that? Pig said.

I replied. Because you needed to understand why Jonah didn't want to go there.

Jonah would walk through fearless. He didn't have anything left inside him to itimidate him.

He had already been in a whales' stomach for three days and three nights.

That would be intimdation enough for any man or woman.

GOD was with him through it all.

GOD still does that for us today when we get off in our own mindset by not being where you need to be according to your Personal destiny. Or if you are not in HIS will you will feel it inside like pressure inside something is not quite right.

You will? Pig said.

Yes Pig.

What do you do then? Pig said.

Funny Pig.

What do you do?

You Stop.

Drop.

and

Pray.

Thats exactly true to have a little talk with JESUS will make it fine.

Pig said.

There is a Song title like that. I know Pig. I like that song.

However, back to the story, Jonah was GODs' Prophet the Son of Amittai.

Just know when GOD gives you more about GOD to know. He will hold you more accountable.

James 3:1

He was held to even a higher standard and to be in the obediance to GOD.

Because didn't listen to GOD and went in the opposite direction. That I will share in detail tomorrow.

Jonah needed to Repent. Being in the fish belly helped change his attitude as he crys out for help. And do you know what Pig?

What? GOD heard him.

What is Repent mean exactly? Pig asked.

Well, to say your sorry with the attitude to match it. Be Sincere to GOD who know your deepest thoughts. Then to turn in the right direction and to do what pleases GOD not yourself.

HE helped Jonah to live inside the belly of the fish and to be restored.

So after 3 days and 3 nights the fish vomited up what a sight to see, Pig said.

Yes, Pig. I can only imagine as some of the people saw the fish vomited him up and heard Jonah say his words that the runners would go before him to say what they heard and saw.

I know that is true because it came to the ears of the King.

Jonah was walking and saying what GOD told him to say.

Pig asked, what did he say?

FORTY DAYS MORE AND NINEVEH WILL BE OVERTHRONE.

JONAH 3:4

Pig asked, what does that mean?

It means you are going to die in 40 days. Jonah did't say repent or die.

Thats all Jonah, said.

Jonah was doing the very least to Preach. He would do as little as possible to

complete what he was sent to do.

Pig said, He didn't care about the people?

No Pig. They were really bad and no love for anyone but themselves there.

I love this part, But GOD saw the children that did not know thier left hand or their right. JONAH 4:11

120,0000 children. Which meant they didn't know about anything about anything they were so small.

GOD had Mercy to deliver them and the Parents and the the other family members to raise them in the ways of THE LORD GOD who Created them.

Jonah is on GOD's Mission not His. He didn't care about these horrible people that has been, So brutal to his People.

Jonah's secret hope was that GOD would change HIS mind.

Jonah hoped for the whole Nation to be destroyed.

However, Jonah knew that GOD was merciful that is why he was there to give them a chance to repent. Thats why he didn't want to go in the first place.

This would be in Jonah's mind as it would take Jonah 3 days to walk to the end of the city when he finally got there.

Pig asked, Can you tell me the story about the whale Part of the story? You said a whale swallowed him up?

Yes, Pig that happened.

First Pig the Bible says that GOD prepared a big fish to swallow up Jonah. JONAH 1:17

We as people tell the story as we understand it.

We pinned the name of Jonah and the Whale to the story and thats how we all reference

The Jonah and the whale story. GOD said, a big fish.

MODY DICKS WHALE a sperm whale likes diving deep as 3000 feet and holds its breath for about two hours.

Jonah described in the Book of JONAH 2:6

Going down deep into the water with sea weed wrapped around his head.

I looked it up and this whale does vomit as part of what they do.

Jonah said, he was vomitted up on the beach.

Pig said, that sounds discusting and stinky and scary.

Just think about Jonah being inside something like that.

I can't, Pig said thats to scary too.

Funny Pig.

Just think it's all how you think about it. What do you mean? Pig said.

To pretend you are inside a stomach of a whale and it is not only stinky and with acid juices for the stomach that would bleach your skin and the temperature of hot humidity worse than Texas or Florida or Hawaii.

At least in Hawaii you get a breeze and intermitted rain to make you feel better.

Jonah had no relief. So getting vomited out of that fish onto the beach.

He was so grateful and happy for that moment.

Yep, Pig even with the BIG stink on his body and his bleached out skin and sea weed wrapped on him he began the long walk in the of obediance of GOD through Nivea.

Today we think quietly to ourselves what are we doing to be obediant to GOD?

Pig quickly responded for me and you we Pray and make stories to share.

Yes, that is true.

But we are not always in the mind set of obediance.

Our way instead of GODs' way. We don't always listen. We both know that.

True Pig said. That is what is so wonderful about GOD.

HE gives second and third chances to do good and do things over in the right way.

Lets Pray.

Pig said. Because,

WE know JESUS as SAVIOR and LORD

We can Pray this Prayer.

IF you don't know GOD?

You can say ?

I Believe that JESUS is The SON of GOD who came from Heaven to Earth to be born to a Virgin.

The Angel told Mary, HIS Name would be Called JESUS.

as Gabriel the Angel said,

HE WOULD be THE MESSIAH that will take away ALL the Sins of all Mankind.

This is what Christmas is. Not Santa.

HE suffered and died on a Cross and rose up from the dead after three days and lives now and forevermore in heaven.

This is Easter. Not the bunny and candy.

Pray this:

I believe you are the Son of THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD THE LIVING GOD.

Come into my heart. Save me from my Sins. I accept you now to live in me.

I will live for you forever as you help me do it.

In

JESUS NAME

AMEN

If you said that Prayer you are now in what is called

The lambs book of life which means you get to go to heaven when you die because of what you did just now.

Welcome to the family of GOD.

Now come and Pray with us.

This is called the LORDS PRAYER

Our Father who Art in Heaven

Hallowed be thy Name

Thy Kingdom come

Thy will be Done

On Earth as it is in Heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And

Forgive us our Trespasses

as we Forgive those who Tresspass against us

and

lead us Not into Temptation

but Deliver us from Evil

For Thine is the Kingdom

and

The Power

and

The Glory

Forever and Ever

Amen

Pig and I said Amen.

Then Pig asked, Are you going to tell me how the fish ate JONAH?

Yes, Pig on Part two of this story.

There is so much to know.

It's just to long of a story for just one BIG bite by the fish, as the fish swallowed Jonah whole.

No bites on him Pig.

So don't worry.

Ok, she said I can hardly wait for tomorrow.

Me too, I said.

Our story for today.

rom Pig and me.

See ya Tomorrow, Part two.