Christian Resources

Jonah and the Whale

Free online resources based on the Biblical story of Jonah and the great fish, or Jonah and the whale. Jonah's story can be found in the Bible in the book of Jonah. See below for links to sermons, songs, stories and entertaining sites for this wonderful story about forgiveness. 

Jonah For Kids: Bible Stories - Children's Stories - Children's Activities - Children's Sermons - Music, Plays & Poetry - More Jonah Resources

Jonah For Teens & Adults: Devotions & Sermons - Educational Links - Potluck - Neat Jonah Related Sites

Updated 7/13/09

"As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, 'These are evil times, and this evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to me will be a sign that God has sent me, the Son of Man, to these people...

...The people of Nineveh, too, will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now someone greater than Jonah is here -- and you refuse to repent.' " -- Luke 11:29-30, 32 NLT

Jonah and the Great Fish Summary

God instructed Jonah to go to the evil city of Nineveh and preach. Instead of obeying God, Jonah fled on a ship in the opposite direction. During the voyage, a great storm almost destroyed the ship. Realizing his sin might lead to the destruction of the ship, Jonah instructed the sailors to throw him overboard. The storm ceased and the ship was saved. 

Jonah thought he would drown in the sea. But God wasn't through with him. He commanded a giant fish to swallow him. Inside the belly of the fish, Jonah asked God to forgive him. After three days, the fish spit Jonah onto dry land and he traveled to Nineveh as God had commanded. Satan was trying his best to destroy Jonah, but God loved Jonah and the people of Nineveh so much, He had another plan. 

People continually debate whether Jonah was swallowed by a fish or a whale, or whether the story really happened. Certainly God is capable of creating a special creature for such a purpose, and Jesus himself referred to Jonah during His time on earth. But debates aside, what is most important about this story is God's remarkable capacity to love and forgive everyone, even those that turn their back on Him.

Read Jonah's story in in five popular translations - AMP, KJV, HCSB, NIV, The Message:

Jonah and the Whale

Jonah 1:1-2 - God commands Jonah to preach to Nineveh.

Jonah 1:3-14 - Jonah runs away.

Jonah 1:15-17 - Jonah is swallowed by a fish.

Jonah 2:1-10 - Jonah repents inside the fish.

Jonah 3:1-10 - Jonah preaches in Nineveh.

Jonah 4:1-11 - Jonah complains that God spared Nineveh.

New Testament References to Jonah (The Sign of Jonah)
Jesus reminds the religious leaders that the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah's teaching, and now someone even greater than Jonah was with them and yet they still demanded a sign to prove God sent Him. He gave them the "sign of Jonah". Jesus gave His life and was buried, but on the third day He rose from the dead. But even with such a miraculous sign, many leaders would still not believe. 
Matthew 12:38-41  Luke 11:29-32 

Check out all the wonderful Christian content linked below and learn more about Jonah.

-- Jonah and the Whale Resources --

Bible Stories - Scriptures and Adaptations on Jonah and the Great Fish
Jonah and the Fish - The story of Jonah from the Authorized King James Version of 1611.

Children's Stories - Original Fiction Based on Jonah and the Whale
Humongous Hollis - This is the story of Hollis, the fish that swallowed Jonah. Includes a companion devotion and poem. See Children's Sermons & Lessons and Children's Poems & Songs below for the links.

Jonah and the Little Blue Fish - A rhyming story about Jonah meeting the prodigal fish in the belly of the whale.  

Jonah, The Runaway Prophet - A really big fish story

Children's Activities, Crafts & Coloring Pages for Jonah
Jonah and the Great Fish - Coloring page

Didn't Find What You Were Looking For? Search Google For More Jonah Resources. Suggested Search Terms: Book of Jonah, Jonah, Nineveh, whale, great fish, gourd, storm, Sign of Jonah, the Assyrian Empire

Jonah and the Great Fish - Several pages and puzzles

Jonah - Connect the dots

Jonah Preaches At Nineveh - Coloring activity

Jonah and the Whale - Find hidden objects puzzle

Jonah Swallowed By A Fish - Coloring page

Jonah and the Whale - Crossword puzzle

Jonah Spit Out By the Fish - Coloring page

Children's Sermons & Lessons on Jonah and the Whale
Humongous Hollis - An Animal Parable Bible lesson about knowing God's will for your life based on the children's story Humongous Hollis 

 
Jonah and the Whale - Crafts, Memory verse, games and coloring pages
 
Jonah and the Whale Bible Lesson - Preschool Sunday school ideas for classroom use
 
Jonah and the Whale Story - Coloring pages, audio and teaching ideas
 

Children's Music, Plays & Poetry for Jonah and the Great Fish
Humongous Hollis - A poem based on the children's story Humongous Hollis

The Deadliest Catch - Five very short skits to introduce a series of sermons on Jonah.

Additional Resources & Links on Jonah and the Whale
Jonah and the Whale - Games, activities, coloring pages
 

Jonah and the Whale - Additional links for children

Jonah and the Whale - Additional links for children

-- Jonah Stuff For Teens and Adults --

Devotions, Discussions & Sermons About Jonah and the Great Fish

Jonah Lesson - A short lesson on Jonah  

 
Jonah – it’s not about the fish - Why Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh?

Jonah's Crusade - A sermon by David Fagan of TNT Ministries Connersville, Indiana
 

Commentary On Jonah - Lengthy discussion on the Book of Jonah

Educational - Archaeology, History & Theology Concerning Jonah
What Swallowed Jonah? - Study of translations pertaining to what swallowed Jonah. 
 

Potluck - Neat Stuff That Doesn't Fit Anywhere Else on Jonah and the Great Fish
Jonah Online Game - Help Jonah avoid the whales.
 

Ancient Nineveh - Secular overview of the city of Ninevah
 
Ancient Assyria - Secular overview of the Assyrian Empire
 
Jonah - Jonah in popular culture and other religions

OLD TESTAMENT: Creation  Daniel  Daniel In the Lions' Den  David and Goliath  Elijah  Esther  Jehoshaphat  Jonah  Joseph  Ruth  Samson  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego  Walls of Jericho

NEW TESTAMENT: Christmas  Easter  Good Samaritan  Nativity  Palm Sunday  Parable of the Sower  Prodigal Son  Wise Men

MIRACLES OF JESUS: Centurion's Servant  Coin Carrying Fish  Feeding 5,000  Miraculous Catch of Fish  Water Into Wine

 

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