Single lesson
Jonah: Responding to God's Call
Jonah 1:1–17
In Jonah 1:1-17, children hear how Jonah received Yahweh’s command, tried to flee by ship, and became the focus of a violent storm. They will trace the events carefully and describe what the passage says in order.
Before you teach
This passage begins with Yahweh telling Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against its wickedness. Jonah instead travels towards Tarshish. Yahweh sends a great wind on the sea, the sailors question Jonah, the sea becomes calm after Jonah is thrown overboard, and Yahweh prepares a huge fish to swallow him.
Students will be able to retell Jonah 1:1-17 in order by describing Jonah’s flight, the storm, the sailors’ actions, the calming of the sea, and Yahweh preparing a huge fish.
Welcome: Hear Jonah’s mission
5 minAsk children to listen for two place names and one command from God. Read Jonah 1:1-3 aloud slowly. Point out that Yahweh’s word came to Jonah, telling him to go to Nineveh and preach against it. Instead, Jonah went to Joppa, found a ship, paid the fare, and set off for Tarshish.
Jonah 1:1, Jonah 1:2, Jonah 1:3
Read and explain: Jonah runs, Yahweh sends a storm
7 minRead Jonah 1:4-6. Explain that the storm was not random in this story, because the passage says Yahweh sent a great wind. The sailors were afraid and threw cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. Jonah, however, was asleep below deck until the ship master told him to get up and call on his God.
Jonah 1:4, Jonah 1:5, Jonah 1:6
Discuss: The sailors learn who Jonah is
6 minRead Jonah 1:7-10. Help children notice how the sailors asked many questions after the lot fell on Jonah. Jonah answered that he was a Hebrew and that he feared Yahweh, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. The men became even more afraid when they heard he was fleeing from Yahweh.
Jonah 1:7, Jonah 1:8, Jonah 1:9, Jonah 1:10
Make and respond: Fish craft with event sequence
8 minChildren make a simple fish craft, then use it to retell the story in order. Read Jonah 1:11-17 as they work. Name the events: the sea grew stormier, Jonah told them what to do, the men rowed hard, prayed to Yahweh, threw Jonah into the sea, the sea ceased raging, and Yahweh prepared a huge fish.
Jonah 1:11, Jonah 1:12, Jonah 1:13, Jonah 1:14, Jonah 1:15, Jonah 1:17
Closing: Retell the story clearly
4 minInvite volunteers to place five story moments in order: God’s command, Jonah fleeing, the storm and questions, the sea becoming calm, and the huge fish. Finish by restating that Jonah tried to flee, the men feared Yahweh exceedingly after the sea ceased raging, and Yahweh prepared the huge fish.
Jonah 1:2, Jonah 1:3, Jonah 1:15, Jonah 1:16, Jonah 1:17
Questions to explore
What did Yahweh tell Jonah to do, and what did Jonah do instead?
Compare Yahweh’s command to go to Nineveh with Jonah’s choice to flee towards Tarshish by ship.
Jonah 1:2, Jonah 1:3
How did the sailors and ship master respond when the storm came?
Look for their fear, the cargo thrown into the sea, and the ship master telling Jonah to call on his God.
Jonah 1:5, Jonah 1:6
What happened after Jonah was thrown into the sea?
Notice that the sea ceased raging, the men feared Yahweh exceedingly, offered a sacrifice, made vows, and Yahweh prepared a huge fish to swallow Jonah.
Jonah 1:15, Jonah 1:16, Jonah 1:17
Make, think or respond
Big Fish Story Sequencer
What you’ll need
- coloured paper
- scissors
- glue
- markers
- small paper squares
Try it together
- Cut a large fish shape from coloured paper.
- Write or draw five story moments on small paper squares: God’s command, Jonah fleeing, the storm on the ship, the sea becoming calm and the sailors responding to Yahweh, and Jonah in the huge fish.
- Glue the squares onto the fish in the correct order.
- Ask the child to point to each square and retell that part of Jonah 1:1-17.
The fish craft helps children sequence the events of Jonah 1:1-17 accurately, including the sailors’ response to Yahweh and Yahweh preparing the huge fish.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, provide the five event prompts aloud and let them draw simple pictures instead of writing words.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to add Jonah’s words about Yahweh making the sea and the dry land next to the storm scene.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “Yahweh, thank you for your word. Please help us listen carefully to what this passage says and remember Jonah’s story in the right order.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Jonah 1
1 Now Yahweh’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 Yahweh. 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 Yahweh.
4 But Yahweh 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 Yahweh, 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 Yahweh, 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 Yahweh, and said, “We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, 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 Yahweh exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh and made vows.
17 Yahweh prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.
Source passages
Something to make together
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