Running from God: Jonah’s Journey from Storm to Salvation (Jonah 1:1–2:10)
Have you ever tried to avoid something you knew you were supposed to do? That’s exactly what happened with Jonah. He was a prophet—someone God used to deliver messages. But when God gave him an assignment he didn’t like, Jonah ran. This is the story of how that went and what we can learn from it.
God Gives Jonah a Mission
One day, God told Jonah to go to a city called Nineveh. The people there were doing many wrong things, and God wanted Jonah to warn them. But Jonah didn’t want to go. Nineveh was a powerful city, and Jonah may have feared the people—or simply thought they didn’t deserve a second chance.
Jonah Runs the Other Way
Instead of going to Nineveh, Jonah ran in the opposite direction. He boarded a ship headed to Tarshish, far away from where God wanted him to go. Jonah was trying to hide from God and ignore what he’d been told to do.
But here’s the thing: you can’t hide from God.
A Storm at Sea
God sent a strong storm that shook the ship. The sailors were terrified. They started praying to their own gods and tossing cargo overboard to lighten the load. Meanwhile, Jonah was asleep deep inside the ship.
The captain woke him up and said, “Get up and pray to your God!” They were desperate for help.
Jonah Tells the Truth
The sailors wanted to find out who caused the storm. They cast lots—a way of choosing by chance—and it pointed to Jonah. He confessed that he was running from the one true God. He told them the only way to calm the storm was to throw him into the sea.
Into the Sea
At first, the sailors didn’t want to do it. They tried to row back to shore, but the storm got worse. Finally, they prayed for forgiveness, then threw Jonah into the water.
The moment Jonah hit the sea, the storm stopped. Amazed and in awe, the sailors began to worship God.
A Great Fish
God didn’t leave Jonah to drown. He sent a huge fish to swallow him. Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.
It was dark, scary, and probably smelly—but it was also a place of mercy.
A Prayer from the Deep
Inside the fish, Jonah prayed. He thanked God for saving him from drowning. He admitted his need for help and promised to obey. Even in that strange place, Jonah turned his heart back to God.
A Second Chance
God heard Jonah’s prayer. He told the fish to spit Jonah out, and it did—right onto dry land. Jonah got a fresh start and another chance to do what God had asked.
What We Can Learn
Jonah’s story shows us a lot about God and ourselves:
- We can’t run from God’s plan, no matter how far we try to go.
- God sometimes uses storms to get our attention and turn us back to Him.
- Even in our lowest moments, God is near and listens to our prayers.
- God is merciful and gives us second chances.
Final Thoughts
Jonah’s journey from running away to being rescued reminds us that God is patient and kind. He doesn’t give up on us, even when we make big mistakes. If you’ve ever run from something you were meant to do, take heart—God can still work with a willing heart, even if it took a storm to get there.
Jonah 1:1-2:10 (WEB)
1:1 Now the LORD’s word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.”3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship and he was laying down, and was fast asleep. 6 So the ship master came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will notice us, so that we won’t perish.”7 They all said to each other, “Come! Let’s cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they asked him, “Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is on us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? Of what people are you?”9 He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.”10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “What have you done?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?” For the sea grew more and more stormy.12 He said to them, “Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you.”13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them. 14 Therefore they cried to the LORD, and said, “We beg you, LORD, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, LORD, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they took up Jonah and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.17 The LORD prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD, his God, out of the fish’s belly. 2 He said,“I called because of my affliction to the LORD.He answered me.Out of the belly of Sheol I cried.You heard my voice.3 For you threw me into the depths,in the heart of the seas.The flood was all around me.All your waves and your billows passed over me.4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight;yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’5 The waters surrounded me,even to the soul.The deep was around me.The weeds were wrapped around my head.6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains.The earth barred me in forever;yet you have brought my life up from the pit, LORD my God.7 “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD.My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.8 Those who regard vain idols forsake their own mercy.9 But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving.I will pay that which I have vowed.Salvation belongs to the LORD.”10 Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land.