We read the story of Jonah on the afternoon of Yom Kippur. Jonah was a non-Jewish prophet who was commanded to go to the city of Ninveh and tell the people there to change their ways and repent. Jonah didn't like God's mission and he fled by boarding a ship going in the opposite direction. Eventually he did arrive at Ninveh and preached God's message of change and, surprise, the people listen. Watch this video of the Jonah story and follow with the words below. Then read the story of Jonah by clicking the PDF below and answer the questions below.
You can also check out these pages to learn more:
Take 1: How to Apologize
Take 2: Forgiveness
You can also check out these pages to learn more:
Take 1: How to Apologize
Take 2: Forgiveness
source_sheet_on_the_book_of_jonah.pdf | |
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Overboard! Jonah’s Song
Music and Lyrics by The Josh Nelson Project
God came to Jonah and said
Take a trip to Nineveh
And tell the people they must change their ways
But Jonah couldn’t agree
And so he left Galilee
On a boat heading off to Spain
But there’s no hiding from the One
Who caused an angry storm to come
And when Jonah came clean
The sailors threw him right into the sea…
Chorus
Oh Jonah, Oh Jonah
Can you hear the holy sound?
Oh Jonah, Oh Jonah
It’s not to late to come around…
So Jonah’s floating away
When he’s suddenly saved
Swallowed up by a big old fish
He makes the belly his home
Three nights he spends there alone
He repents
He cries out
He prays
When Jonah's anger was no more
The fish spit him out onto the shore
Without looking back Jonah took up the task
Headed off for Nineveh
Chorus
When Jonah shared God's message
People fell down on their knees
They would fast
They would plead
They would come to believe that God was full of mercy
And here's the message we're sent
It's more than how we repent
We can change
We can grow
We can be more than we know
This day we take to atone
Is not about us alone
For we all are in this together
Chorus
Copyright © 2010, G-dcast
Music and Lyrics by The Josh Nelson Project
God came to Jonah and said
Take a trip to Nineveh
And tell the people they must change their ways
But Jonah couldn’t agree
And so he left Galilee
On a boat heading off to Spain
But there’s no hiding from the One
Who caused an angry storm to come
And when Jonah came clean
The sailors threw him right into the sea…
Chorus
Oh Jonah, Oh Jonah
Can you hear the holy sound?
Oh Jonah, Oh Jonah
It’s not to late to come around…
So Jonah’s floating away
When he’s suddenly saved
Swallowed up by a big old fish
He makes the belly his home
Three nights he spends there alone
He repents
He cries out
He prays
When Jonah's anger was no more
The fish spit him out onto the shore
Without looking back Jonah took up the task
Headed off for Nineveh
Chorus
When Jonah shared God's message
People fell down on their knees
They would fast
They would plead
They would come to believe that God was full of mercy
And here's the message we're sent
It's more than how we repent
We can change
We can grow
We can be more than we know
This day we take to atone
Is not about us alone
For we all are in this together
Chorus
Copyright © 2010, G-dcast
Now that you know more about the prophet Jonah, discuss the two questions below with you family and write up a summary of your discussion to send in.
1). Do you think Jonah is a good prophet or not and why?
2). Why do you think we read the story of Jonah on Yom Kippur? What connections can you make?
1). Do you think Jonah is a good prophet or not and why?
2). Why do you think we read the story of Jonah on Yom Kippur? What connections can you make?