Jonah and the big fish

This lesson is taken from Jonah 1-2 and it is in the form of a play.  I hope you enjoy it.

Teacher:  God gave Jonah a message

God:  Jonah get up and go to the great city of Nineveh!  Tell the people there about my judgment against the city, for I have seen how evil the people are.

Teacher:  But, Jonah got up and went in the opposite way from what God had told him to go, for he was trying to run away from God.  Jonah went to the town of Joppa, which was on the seacoast.  In Joppa Jonah found a ship that was leaving for Tarshish.  He bought a ticket and got on board the ship.  As the ship was sailing along the sea, suddenly God caused a powerful wind to come up over the sea.  This wind caused a violent storm that threatened to send the ship to the bottom of the sea.  Fearing for their lives the sailors was very afraid.  The sailors shouted out to the gods that they worshiped for help.  The sailors even threw the cargo of the ship overboard into the sea, trying to lighten the ship, trying to keep the ship from going to the bottom of the sea.  All this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold of the ship.  The captain went down to get Jonah.

Captain:  How can you sleep at a time like this?  Get up and pray to your god!  Maybe he will have mercy on us and save our lives.

Teacher:  The sailors casted lots to see which of them had done something that the gods didn’t like.  For they figured that the gods got mad and that caused the terrible storm.  When they casted lots Jonah lost the toss.  Then they asked Jonah.

Sailors:  What have you done to bring this awful storm down on us?  Who are you?  What kind of work do you do?  What country are you from?

Jonah:  I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of Heaven, who made the sea and the land.  I am running away from the Lord.

Teacher:  The sailors were terrified when they heard this, and the storm was getting worse all the time.

Sailors:  Oh, why did you do it?  What are we to do to stop this storm?

Jonah:  Throw me into the sea, and it will become calm again.  For I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.

Teacher:  Instead of doing that the sailor tried even harder to row the ship to shore.  But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it.  So they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God.

Sailors:  O, Lord, don’t make us die for this man’s sin.  And don’t hold us responsible for his death, because it isn’t our fault.  O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own reasons.

Teacher:  Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once.  The sailors were greatly surprised at the great power Jonah’s Lord had, so they offered God a sacrifice and said they would serve God.  As for Jonah, God had a great fish to swallow Jonah.  And Jonah was inside the fish for 3 days and 3 nights.  Then Jonah prayed to God inside the fish.

Jonah:  I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble.  I called to the Lord from the world of the dead, and you heard me.  You threw me into the ocean deep, and I went down to the heart of the sea.  I was buried under your wild and stormy waves.  O Lord, you have driven me from your presence.  How will I ever see your Holy Temple again?  I went down, down under the waves, and death was very near.  The waters closed in around me, and seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I went down under the water to the very bottom of the mountains.  I was locked out of life and was imprisoned in the land of the dead.  But you, O Lord my God, you snatched me from the jaws of death!  When I lost all hope, I turned my thinking once more to the Lord.  And my prayers went out to you in your Holy Temple.  For whoever worship false gods are turning their backs on all of God’s mercy.  But I will offer songs of praise as a sacrifice to you, and I will fulfill all of my vows.  For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.

Teacher:  After Jonah had finished talking to God, the Lord ordered the great fish to spit up Jonah onto the beach, and the fish did what God told him.

Questions:

Who was Jonah?	a.  he boarded a ship
Where did God tell Jonah to go?	b.  They feared the Lord
What did Jonah do instead of obeying God?	c.  3 days and 3 nights
Why did the sailors throw Jonah overboard into the sea?	d.  he prayed
What did the sailors do when the sea became calmed?	e.  A prophet God called
What did Jonah do inside the fish?	f.  the fish spit him up onto the beach
How long was Jonah inside the fish?	g. Nineveh
How did Jonah get out of the fish?	h.  to calm the sea

Unscramble the words

Jhnoa   Gdo droabover Saliros Pihswor Tosrmy Nevineh Mentgduj Hips Treag   hisf amcl

Calm Great Fish Sailors Ship Overboard Judgment stormy Nineveh Worship God Jonah

Answers to  Jonah and the great fish

Who was Jonah?  E	a.  he boarded a ship
Where did God tell Jonah to go?  G	b. They feared the Lord
What did Jonah do instead of obeying God?  A	c.  3 days and 3 nights
Why did the sailors throw Jonah overboard into the sea?  H	d.   he prayed
What did the sailors do when the sea became calmed?  B	e.  A prophet God called
What did Jonah do inside the fish?  D	f.  the fish spit him up onto the beach
How long was Jonah inside the fish?    C	g.  Nineveh
How did Jonah get out of the fish?  F	h. to calm the sea

Answers to  Unscramble the words

Jhnoa   --- Jonah Gdo     ---God Droabover  -- overboard Saliros  --  sailors Pihswor  -- worship Tosrmy --  stormy Nevineh -- Nineveh Mentgduj --  judgment Hips  --  ship Treag   hisf  --  Great Fish Amcl  --  calm

Calm Great Fish Sailors Ship Overboard Judgment stormy Nineveh Worship God Jonah