Study Desk

"I am a Hebrew," replied Jonah. "I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land."

From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God,

To the roots of the mountains I descended; the earth beneath me barred me in forever! But You raised my life from the pit, O LORD my God!

And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least.

Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands.

Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish."

When God saw their actions-that they had turned from their evil ways-He relented from the disaster He had threatened to bring upon them.

So he prayed to the LORD, saying, "O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion-One who relents from sending disaster.

So the LORD God appointed a vine, and it grew up to provide shade over Jonah's head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant.

When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered.

As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he grew faint and wished to die, saying, "It is better for me to die than to live."

Then God asked Jonah, "Have you any right to be angry about the plant?" "I do," he replied. "I am angry enough to die!"

Hear, O peoples, all of you; listen, O earth, and everyone in it! The Lord GOD will witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple.

Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.

And many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Though each of the peoples may walk in the name of his god, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD His God. And they will dwell securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth.

With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?

He has shown you, O mankind, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.