I think Jonah is an easy story to misread. Maybe part of that is due to the way I (and undoubtedly many other people) have always heard it taught. Jonah is one of those stories that you usually learn when you’re really young. For example, we have a collection of little Bible story books for Kayla and one of them is on Jonah. Here’s how the book reads…

Come and listen to my fearful tale Of the ocean blue, How a man got swallowed by a whale-Yes, I know it's true! Chorus: Jonah, Jonah, Did not obey God immediately- Jonah, Jonah, Down in the depths of the deep blue sea! Then a great big fish that God had made Swallowed Jonah whole, But the Lord heard Jonah when he prayed. Eb Bb F C G Ab Bbm E Db Cm Chords for 'Jonah, Jonah' and 'Wiggle Worm' by Ron Hamilton as Patch the Pirate with capo transposer, play along with guitar, piano, ukulele & mandolin.

“One day, God told Jonah to go to Nineveh. He wanted Jonah to preach about God so the people in Nineveh would stop being wicked. But Jonah was afraid. He ran away on a sailing ship. When God saw what Jonah had done, He sent a terrible storm to toss the boat. Jonah knew the storm was a message from God, so he jumped overboard. Immendiately the storm went away. Jonah grew tired and knew he couldn’t swim much longer. Suddenly, a big fish scooped up Jonah in its mouth and swallowed him whole. It was smelly and cold inside the fish. Jonah prayed to God and asked forgiveness for not going to Nineveh. After three days, the fish spat Jonah onto a beach. Jonah thanked God for saving his life. Then he went to Nineveh and told the people all about God. They listened to Jonah, changed their ways, and began worshipping God. (The book also has little pictures and the last picture is of Jonah walking with his staff and bag by a sign that says “Nineveh” and Jonah has a big smile on his face).”

Another instrument of learning for me regarding the story of Jonah was Patch the Pirate. Now, for those of you who have never heard of Patch, he teaches wonderful spiritual lessons through humorous stories and songs for kids. Here’s Patch’s song about Jonah…

Patch The Pirate Jonah Lyrics

Come and listen to my fearful tale
Of the ocean blue
How a man got swallowed by a whale
Yes I know it’s true

(Chorus)
Jonah! Jonah! Did not obey God immediately
Jonah! Jonah! Down in the depths of the deep, blue sea

Jonah did not like what God had said
So he made a plan
Jonah sailed the ocea blue instead
Then a storm began

(Chorus)
Jonah! Jonah! Did not obey God immediately
Jonah! Jonah! Down in the depths of the deep, blue sea

If you try to run from God, BEWARE!
You’ll discover too
That the Lord above is everywhere
Watching all you do

Patch The Pirate Jonah Song

(Chorus)
Jonah! Jonah! Did not obey God immediately
Jonah! Jonah! Down in the depths of the deep, blue sea

So basically the gist of the Jonah story that most of us have in our minds is that Jonah disobeyed God and tried to run away from Him, but God punished Jonah by having him be swallowed by a fish. Jonah was so miserable that he changed his mind and did what God wanted him to do. (Moral of the story: don’t disobey and run from God or He’ll get you too!) In this version of the story that we learn Jonah is the main character in the story and the tale is all about him, but there’s a problem with that view – it’s called chapter four.

Jonah Song Patch The Pirate Lyrics

If the book of Jonah ended after chapter three (which is where the version of the story that most of us know ends) that would fit with what we know of the story – but that’s not where the book ends. There’s another chapter and it shatters everything we think we know about Jonah. So here I was left wondering, “What in the world is chapter four doing here? Shouldn’t there be another chapter? The story is just left hanging and it doesn’t leave Jonah in a very flattering light!”

Patch The Pirate Jonah Lyrics

And that’s what got me coming back to Jonah over and over and over. The presence of chapter four was like a splinter in my mind, driving me mad. I couldn’t get away from it and I couldn’t ignore it. There was more to the story of Jonah than what I thought I knew of it… there had to be.