Jonah • More Than A Big Fish Story

October 27th, 2026

Hello friends!

Today, let’s talk about Jonah and I will share a few things about his life and his calling.

Do you know what you have been called to do in the the name of the Lord, God Almighty?

Jonah, his Hebrew name means “dove or pigeon.” It comes from the Hebrew word, “Yonah.” The spiritual meaning of the name Jonah is “dove,” which represents peace, divine grace, and spiritual renewal.

Jonah was the son of Amittai; he was a prophet in the 8th century and lived during the prosperous reign of King Jeroboam II in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

Younger me, when I heard this story, the big fish took center stage. As an adult, there’s way more to the story of Jonah than a single big fish!

You can read the Book of Jonah by clicking this link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%201&version=NIV

The story of Jonah starts with the Word of God coming to him. The Word of God instructed him to go to Nineveh and preach! Nineveh had turned away from God and was filled with wickedness.

We all have freedom of choice, [free will], we can say yes or we can say no. Jonah chose the later, he wanted nothing to do with the Ninevite’s. In his opinion, they did not deserve God’s grace or mercy for their sin and wickedness. So Jonah fled away from God and went in the opposite direction of Nineveh.

The problem with Jonah, is a common one most of us have dealt with or will deal with and that is…Jonah decided he knew better than God. God, the creator of all things and Jonah knows what’s best! Have you ever placed yourself in such a role (?), knowing what’s best for someone else. How did that turn out?

Shockingly, I have experienced this kind of stubbornness in my own life, (as if I know best)! The sinful nature we are born with and our pride of self can blind us to the truth. I am, we are all created beings and God chose each of us with purpose and a plan. God did not create humans because He needed us, He created us to be in relationship with Him. Father and children, family, traditions and wholeness. As the children of God, we are not in competition for God’s love, His love is unconditional. His love is sufficient. His love is enough for all! All we need to do is accept God as the creator of all things, the Father of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, three in one and yet individual, the Holy Trinity.

Meanwhile, let’s jump back in to our story of Jonah. The Ninevite’s had turned their backs on God, they were sinful and full of wickedness. Jonah was not going to go there to preach redemption and forgiveness. They had done nothing to deserve God’s love, mercy or grace.

Jonah finds a ship headed to Tarshish, he pays his fare and boards. Not long after setting sail, a terrible storm arises and many of the men on board were afraid and prayed to their gods. The storm was so violent that men began to throw cargo overboard to lighten the ship. The captain of the ship went down below and found Jonah sleeping. He cried out, “How can you be sleeping?” “Get up and pray to your god, maybe he will take notice and we will not perish!” Then, the grumbling started, the men wanted to know who or what caused the calamity and decided to cast lots, and they fell on Jonah. Jonah, explains to the men that he is a Hebrew and worships the Lord, the God of Heaven, who made the sea and dry land. Jonah, also confessed he was running away from God! The storm continued to rage against the ship, Jonah tells the men to throw him overboard but they are afraid of the consequences of taking Jonah’s life. Finally, when nothing could be done to calm to sea or outrun the storm, the men threw Jonah overboard. They cried out to God to save them and to not hold them accountable for Jonah’s life, then they made a sacrifice and vow to God. Then God calmed the seas.

“Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

—Jonah 1:17

The Prayer of Jonah 2:2-9

“In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,
    into the very heart of the seas,
    and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
    swept over me.
I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me,
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
    the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
    brought my life up from the pit.

“When my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
    to your holy temple.

“Those who cling to worthless idols
    turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
    will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

“And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”

—Jonah 2:10

What an amazing story! Many Christians have debated this story of Jonah as to its believability. I believe it happened but that’s not the important part of the story. The power of prayer and God’s forgiveness is the central elements of the story of Jonah. Jonah, knew he should not have ran away, he did the one thing we all can do…pray, talk with God. Humbly repent and ask for forgiveness. God still loved Jonah even though he disobeyed and was stubborn. Not only did the Ninevites need to be reminded of their actions, so did Jonah. I don’t believe the fish was ever going to kill or eat Jonah, it was more of a waiting room or a sanctuary where Jonah could think and search his own heart. One might even call it a time-out, or more accurately a time-in! Haha

You might think this is where the story ends, Jonah preaches, Ninevites repent and all is well…not exactly.

Jonah was still having issues with God’s generosity of grace, forgiveness and compassion.

The Lord our God, wants not one to perish. He wants all to come into salvation. Jonah’s anger was keeping him from seeing God’s compassion was extended to him. Jonah, could not recognize his own stubbornness. Jonah was blind to the blessings that God had given him, he only complained when the blessing was gone. In the final chapter, Jonah 4, Jonah points out to God, that he knew he would be gracious and compassionate and there was no need for him to leave his home and go to Nineveh. Jonah goes on to say take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live. God responds with, “Is it right for you to be angry?” In this last chapter, God causes a plant to grow and give shade to Jonah, but the next day, God provided a worm to chew on the plant and it died. Jonah was again angry and wanted to die. Jonah missed the blessing of the plant, Jonah did not have to plant or water it, yet it gave him shade. God cared for the plant, God cared for Jonah and God cared for Nineveh. None of us deserve grace, mercy or compassion yet, God is abounding in all of them.

Gratitude a Way of Life

Thanks be to God for roses rare,
For skies of blue and sunshine fair.
For every gift I raise a prayer,
Thanks be to God.

Thanks be to God for lovely night,
For mystic fields with stars bedight,
For hours of dream and deep delight,
Thanks be to God.

Thanks be to God for love divine,
The hopes that ’round my heart entwine,
For all the joy that now is mine,
Thanks be to God.

—Stanley Dickson

~Charlotte, Striving Towards Genuine Authentic Living As A Child Of God 💞