Jonah and the Big Fish

God told the prophet Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and warn the people to turn from their wickedness. But Jonah did not want to go — he was afraid, and honestly, he did not want God to be merciful to those people. So he boarded a ship going in the opposite direction, toward Tarshish.

God sent a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. The sailors were terrified and threw cargo overboard. Jonah confessed to them that the storm was because of him and told them to throw him into the sea. They reluctantly did — and the storm stopped immediately. A great fish swallowed Jonah whole. In the belly of the fish, Jonah prayed for three days and three nights, and God heard him. The fish spat him out onto dry land.

God told Jonah again to go to Nineveh. This time, Jonah went. He preached, and the entire city — from the king to the poorest person — fasted and repented. God spared them. Jonah was angry that God showed mercy, but God taught him a beautiful lesson: His compassion extends to everyone. Jesus later compared His own death and resurrection to Jonah's three days in the fish.