I know, most of you probably haven't even thought of the book of Jonah since you were a child. I'm not sure why we tend to focus on certain Biblical stories with children. Some of these Old Testament stories are actually very hard to teach to children.
I will not include the text of Jonah on this blog but I encourage you to read through it before Sunday. It will only take you a few minutes. If you are unable to locate your Bible you may find the text here.
Jonah is unlike the other prophetic books we find in the Old Testament. It does not contain the many prophesies that we find in books like Micah or Amos. Instead, it is a book can be thought of as a teaching tool for moral instruction.
But what morals can we learn from Jonah?
Jonah is so important to the Jewish faith that it is read at the end of the Yom Kippur (or Day of Atonement). It is much more than a story about a man being swallowed by a large fish.
In fact, there are many themes that run through the text of Jonah: God of second chances, repentance, forgiveness, listening to the call of God, and more.
After refreshing your mind about Jonah, think about what you envision as the central teaching. Is there really a moral lesson to be learned? Or is it just a strange story about a man who wants to complain and not listen to the call of God?
We hope to see you Sunday as we discuss this strange story and try to figure out what it might mean for us in our lives today.
Blessings,
Lisa