What is a “bank”? Is it the land beside a river? A financial institution? Yes, depending. It’s ambiguous until you know the context. In a similar (but more sophisticated) way, the author of Jonah play...
Bethany Verrett
When analyzing a story with about something as difficult to believe as Jonah being swallowed by a whale, it is important to remember that, while the Bible does have parables and metaphors in it, it is...
The man Jonah is indeed like us in a number of ways. Learning to identify with him is our key to the meaning of his story—and our big mistake if we fail to do so....
Mike Leake
There are invitations for us to put ourselves in that ditch of despair and realize the stupidity of our racism, the ignorance of our self-focus, the rebellious nature of our tribalism, and to call us ...
As shocking as it is to see the wickedness of Jonah’s heart, many of us are just like him. I call it the Jonah Syndrome, and in times past, it has affected me too. Let me explain exactly what I mean....
Michael Jakes
While the spotlight seems to be on Jonah and his response to the call of God and the eventual outcome, there are other things in this story that deserve our attention. When we look at all that takes p...
Hope Bolinger
Even though Jonah ran in the complete opposite direction of God's plan, God still brought others to know him, Jonah's shipmates....
The book of Jonah may be studied for many reasons, but a chief reason is for what it teaches about God's sovereignty. Sovereignty is a problem for some Christians in certain areas....
Hope Bolinger
We can easily laugh at Jonah, or roll our eyes at him. After all, why couldn't he allow God to save the people of Nineveh? But how often do we have someone we don't want to see redemption?...
Blair Parke
Who here likes change? Okay, who here really likes change that comes from being humbled? Hmmm, not as many hands up and cries of “Hallelujah”. Though everyone would say that they love change and tha...
Dr. Sandra Hamer Smith
Jesus refers to foreknowledge in John 1:47-48. When he saw Nathanael coming, he said, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.” ...
Molly Parker
If there’s one thing the Bible isn’t short on, it’s weird animal stories. Such tales include Noah’s Ark, Jonah and the whale, and Daniel in the lion’s den—well-known narratives that point to an incred...
The story of Jonah shows us that the gospel—the good news that God relentlessly pursues sinners in order to rescue them—is just as much for Christians as it is for non-Christians. ...
We are like Abraham. There is nothing in us to commend us to God. And yet God loves us. Just as He sought Abraham, He seeks to draw us into fellowship with Himself....
Tammy Kennington
What does the Bible say about mental illness? The Bible tells us that our God is big enough to overcome whatever we are facing. ...
Ruth Clemence
Life has a funny habit of continually moving forward whether we like it or not. Christian author and speaker Elisabeth Elliot once said, “the secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circu...
Clarence L. Haynes Jr.
Casting lots was a practice that was used in the ancient world to attempt to decipher what was the divine will in a particular matter. Because the outcome produced by casting lots was random, the resu...
Pamela Palmer
Prayer and Bible reading are not separate activities. The Bible is full of real, powerful prayers from faith warriors, and we can borrow their words in our own prayers. Let's take a look at what this ...
Bethany Verrett
As humans, we experience a wide range of emotions, sometimes all in one day. God gets this, and he understands those strong feelings. But when those strong feelings morph into things like hatred, bitt...