Bible Stories: Jonah (Part II)
Chapter 2:
The Lord then sent a mighty fish
That swallowed Jonah whole;
And in its belly dark, he stayed,
For three days and three nights.
And from the belly of the fish,
Jonah prayed to the Lord:
‘In distress great, I call You God:
I cry to You for help! ’
Into the heart of sea, You cast
Me forth and flood covered;
I thought I was forever lost;
Would I see your temple?
The swirling sea threatened my life;
Sea-weeds clung to my head;
I plunged into the sea-abyss;
You brought me from the pit!
A giant fish then gulped me whole,
My soul fainted in me;
I prayed to You for mercy, Lord,
You heard my plaintive voice.
I praised You, Lord with all my heart
And vowed to sacrifice;
Deliver me from fish, O God:
Jonah was spat ashore!
(4-25-2007)
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Bible Stories: Jonah (Part III)
Chapter 3:
The word of God to Jonah came,
A second time and said,
‘Set out to Nineveh, announce
The message, I give you! ’
So, Jonah went to Nineveh,
As per the Lord’s command;
It was a very large city;
It took him three full days!
And Jonah walked throughout the place,
And told what God bade him,
‘In forty days more, Nineveh
Shall be a destroyed town! ’
When people heard Jonah’s message,
Their faith in God improved;
Both great and small, they wore sack-cloth,
And fasted much and prayed!
The king too sat in ashes, dressed
In sack-cloth and much prayed;
He decreed that none should eat, drink-
No man or any beast!
They called to God in loud a voice,
And vowed to give up sin;
They hoped that God would forgive them,
And let them not perish.
The Lord was pleased by what they did;
He saw their change of heart;
His wrath was put under the lid,
As Jonah did his part!
(4-25-2007)
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Bible Stories: Jonah (Part I)
Chapter I:
To Jonah, came the word of God,
The son of Amittai,
“Go to city of Nineveh
And warn them that their wickedness
Has come before the Lord! ”
But Jonah tried to flee from God
And boarded fast a ship;
He paid the fare to reach Tarshish,
To escape from the Lord!
God raised a tempest on the sea
That tried to break the ship;
The mariners got frightened much,
‘Each one cried to his God! ’
They threw the cargo in the sea,
While Jonah lay asleep;
The captain rudely told Jonah,
‘Pray God, we mustn’t perish! ’
They cast lots to detect the one,
Who brought them misfortune;
Poor Jonah turned to be culprit!
They questioned his business.
Then Jonah told them, ’I’m Hebrew,
My God’s the Creator!
He is the God of Heaven, earth,
And made the land and sea.’
When Jonah told he fled the Lord,
The men were seized with fear;
The sea was turning turbulent;
At stake were their lives dear.
So, Jonah told them, ‘Pick me up;
Throw me into the sea;
The storm was on account of me;
Perhaps, it could calm be.
The men rowed hard but saw no land;
The sea grew furious;
They prayed to God to forgive them,
And hurled Jonah in sea!
To their surprise, the sea turned calm;
May be, they did right thing;
They offered sacrifice to God
For, they were struck by fear!
(4-25-2007)
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Sign of Jonah
In the tomb for three days, but, He’d rise to the Father’s praise,
For three days and three nights, in that dark tomb, out of sight,
The Son of God, sent to save, now lay dead down in the grave,
For indeed, Christ was dead, the hope of many turned to dread.
It was Jonah Christ pointed to, regarding all that God would do,
In the belly of a fish for a time, three days and nights for a sign,
After taken off that wicked tree, in the earth’s belly He would be,
Christ’s body in a tomb would lay, but, as He said, it didn’t stay.
Disciples scattered by the cross, now discouraged and felt lost,
It was truly a dark time for those, before The Lord had truly rose,
From the cross to that tomb, His followers now filled with doom,
What occurred caused much grief, filling all hearts with disbelief.
Their disbelief would take a turn, as all failing hearts would learn,
That Christ did just what He said, and Jesus was no longer dead,
Alive and here just like before, was Jesus Christ, The Risen Lord,
Back again, their Lord and friend, for that grave was not His end.
Just as the fish spit Jonah out; The Lord would have a turnabout,
Now risen by His own decree, was Christ, the Savior of humanity,
Now restored to God’s right hand, Lord and Savior of every land,
God’s Proven Hope to all nations, of His One and Only Salvation.
(Copyright ©04/2009)
Jonah
Jonah was God’s special prophet;
One stormy day a whale he met.
He had run far, far, far away,
From where he was to be that day.
He had went on a old tough ship
That was now by big waves whipped
But he was tired as the storm broke
And went and snuggled in his cloak
So down in the old ship he slept
While the others on the ship wept
Captain came down him to awake
Call on your god for your own sake
They would cast lots to see just why
The gods wanted them all to die
Up on the deck they cast the lot
Who’s fault was it for what they got?
Then on Jonah the lot did fall
And then and there he told them all
He told them why all was not well
He cried Throw me in the sea swell
So up and out they threw him in
And all at once the storm did dim
But in the sea Jonah did swim
And a fish came swallowing him
In a big fish three days and nights
So dark, slimy, and with no light
So deep down in there he did pray
That God would pardon his wrong way
That fish spat him on the dry land
Onto the soft, hot desert sand
To Nineveh he quickly went
To now do just as God had sent
poem by Joses Tirtabudi
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Today... 'Greater than Jonah
Jonah with Jesus could not remotely compare
for none like my Lord Jesus can be found anywhere.
Jonah in his disobedience ran away,
But Jesus in obedience determined to stay.
Into the depths of the sea Jonah was then sent
but into the depths of hell my Saviour went.
For three days under the sea Jonah had to stay
but Jesus in triumph tore the bars of death away.
Jonah cried out to God and from drowning was spared
But my Lord was forsaken and not a soul cared.
Jonah's message to Nineveh was restricted
but my Lords work saved the world as was predicted.
Jesus my Lord and God is far beyond compare
and His glory with another He will not share.
That is why the people on earth heard Him declare
That One much greater than Jonah was standing there.
(see also the additional information in the Poet's notes box)
Bible Stories: Jonah (Part V)
God chooses persons for missions,
Divine in nature, quite strangely;
The prophet Jonah tried to shirk
Away from warning Nineveh.
God taught Jonah, a lesson great;
A mammoth fish swallowed him whole;
When Jonah asked pardon from God,
His life was spared miraculously.
None dare to disobey the Lord;
God guides us do a perfect job;
We ought to live as per His Word;
No righteous souls can devils rob!
As king to subjects, repented,
God spared the city from His rod;
God’s kindness made Jonah bitter;
The ways of God are just and fair!
Our human minds can’t understand
The love of God and His mercy;
God holds His wrath if sinners change
Their hearts from sins to righteous ways!
God’s redemption’s for Jews, Gentiles;
His infinite mercy’s for all;
If Maker wants, He spares the rod;
To man, His acts look rather odd!
God is ready to forgive all
Of mankind’s sins, grievous or small;
His heart of mercy burns with love
To seek more souls for Heav’n above!
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Bible Stories: Jonah (Part IV)
Chapter 4:
What God had done, displeased Jonah;
In angry mood, he prayed,
‘I knew You’ll show clemency, Lord,
That’s why at first, I fled! ’
‘You’re a gracious, merciful God,
You’re slow to punish men;
And this is what I had said then;
You’re slow to anger, Lord! ’
‘Lord, take away my life from me,
’Tis better, I be dead! ’
God asked him, ‘Is your anger just? ’
Jonah had not replied.
He left the city to its east,
And built him small a hut;
And in its shade, waited to see,
What happened to men, beast!
God made a gourd plant grow over,
To give him more of shade;
Jonah was happy with cover,
His discomfort did fade!
Next day, God sent a worm to kill
The plant which withered fast;
The scorching sun then made him ill,
To faint, he turned almost.
The sun made Jonah angry more,
‘Better I die, ’ he said;
When God asked him, he thus replied,
‘The plant’s death made me sore! ’
And then the Lord explained Jonah,
‘You feel for gourd, not own.
You neither sowed the seed, nor raised,
The plant that lived one night! ’
‘Concerned are you, about a plant
For which you labored not;
And when it perished over-night,
You’re angry enough to die! ’
‘Oh, should I not show concern for
Great Nineveh city?
One twenty thousand men live there,
And beasts- what a pity? ’
Copyright by Dr John Celes 4-25-2007
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Signs Pointing To The Christ
As the snake was lifted on the pole, Christ was lifted up to behold.
Bitten by snakes and destined to die they were told to look on high.
As those who looked were healed, at the cross Salvation was revealed.
We too were destined for the dust, but Christ my friend, died for us.
It pleased The Lord God to offer Christ to the world as a sacrifice.
The Spotless Lamb upon the cross saving men who are eternally lost.
Although He died bearing our sin by God's Power He was raised again.
He couldn't be held in the grave and was raised so we could be saved.
Jonah followed his heart of sin so God prepared a great fish for him.
There was Jonah filled with fright in the belly 3 days and 3 nights.
Jonah was to be a sign for the coming Christ who had been prophesied.
So Jesus gave up all His rights to be in the earth 3 days and nights.
And Christ visited prisons deep within claiming His victory over sin.
Then God raised His body for all to see, affirming Christ's Victory.
And all believers are buried with Christ to be raised unto new life.
One day soon our mortal body will be gloriously raised for Eternity.
He who had no sin died in our place, for this was God's Saving Grace.
He rose again in the morning hour, and this was God's Saving Power.
He rose in victory over sin so that all could have new life in Him.
He's coming back one more time, to bring Home His blood bought Bride.
Jonah 180 Degrees Of Misdirection
Jonah an Old Testament prophet
from Galilee his fab story takes place
between years 780 B.C to 760 B.C.
Assyria was a powerful evil nation
Israel’s most dreaded enemy foreign.
The Lord spoke unto Jonah told him
go to Nineveh capital of Assyria
preach to warn sinful Ninevites.
Jonah 1: 2.
Jonah by God’s word commanded
told to warn the Ninevites to repent
or suffer judgement for wickedness.
But Jonah disobeys the will of God
Jonah plots swiftly high tales it out
180 degrees in opposite direction
Jonah boy child brought back to life
resurrected by Elijah the prophet
1 Kings 17: 17-24.
Jonah son of Amittai the son of truth
2 Kings 14: 25.
Jonah departed not to Nineveh but
to Tarshish with motives of what?
poem by Terence George Craddock
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Storm Still Rages Inside
The lightning flashes tension's high
Bringing light to darkened skies
Like Jonah in the belly of the beast
Inside the ark the sound desist
And so the ark was swept
upon the rising water...
Forty days and forty nights
There came a mighty flood upon the land
Where once were green pastures
teeming with life
Now were oceans deeper than abyss
"Out of depths of sorrow I cry
Before thee i lye
If this world shall inherit the mild
Hear your orphaned child..."
Lord pray tell save they child
the storm still rages inside
Lord guide them
Undo a dry land, Amen.
song performed by by Orphaned Land
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Jonah-Woman
Who are these white-capped jesters...and jackals
Who have placed me in the belly of a
White death-stinking fish?
Not this time, not Jonah-time fish.
Not walking out safe from Jonah's fish. No.
Not this time.
The jesters and tittering hyenas, with their night-lumin
Eyes, who tiptoe soft through the loud-hinged door...
And shut it quietly-quick behind them.
They are breathing to find me.
They safari hunt for me...beating the bush-room.
Mine. I am hiding in the pillow, in the chest of drawers,
In the air.
They can't find me with their needles and needle-quick
Pills.
The rancid, disinfected fish is down the hall, around the
Corner...on the ceilings.
I can sense death rattles...quick as goodbye from
Yesterday. The fish swallows the soft, noisy passage.
The fish is Hill House. The fish is the jackals' den.
The fish, with no fins, rummages the halls, airborne,
Hovering on moon-shadowed winds.
A scream, a gurgle, the fish forgets me for the moment.
The jesters still seek, seethe. They have other work now.
Something is wrong.
Something is amiss in Heaven.
They have placed me in a room with no art.
There is someone at the door...snuffling dog noises.
Who are you that you do not answer me?
The dog has gone. I think it has gone...but I do not think
It was a dog.
They have taken everything. Even the name of my Father...
Given it to the jackals. This, my scent.
They seethe out of their fish-den, carefully stepping over
It's teeth. Man-shark teeth. Death teeth.
They walk with needles balanced on a tray...rainbow pills
In teensy, little cups...watch me to make sure I've swallowed
The rainbow.
Something is my God wrong.
Something should not be happening.
I cannot walk out of this vile fish...like Jonah. I cannot go
Past it's teeth. I am afraid...more of a coward.
Even your God cannot help me now.
I fear the teeth will SNAP! shut when I'm half-way through the
Opening.
Will anyone care if the jackals laugh, lapping my blood...
While I walk away from a white death-fish?
Walking home.
Walking alone.
poem by Elysabeth Faslund
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That Poor Defencless Fish
that poor defenceless fish,
caught a haft hour ago.
they chopped off his head,
and cut through his guts.
just think for a minute,
just a uick minute.
how does that poor fish feel? how would you like it?
that poor defenceless fish,
his last thoughts,
lord, have mercy on my soul,
or just get it over with.
i feel bad for that fish,
that poor little fish.
and thats the story,
of the poor defenceless fish
poem by Tamera Swafford
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The Young Man And The Sea
One day I sailed,
my ship out to sea,
I went for the want,
to fish and be free.
And I baited my line,
with a shriveled old thing,
my heart was the bait,
I hoped soon it would sing.
And on that very day,
I'd gotten my wish,
for teasing my heart,
was the most beautiful fish.
But it only nibbled,
and I loved that fish,
until my heart fell,
and was lost to the abyss.
The fish lost it's interest,
and then swam away,
I lost love for all else,
on that fateful day.
I still love the thing,
with this hole in my chest,
for in all of the sea,
that fish was the best.
And I still look for the fish,
or the heart that it drowned,
but I know what was lost,
cannot be found.
And so there my heart lies,
on the floor of the sea,
lost to the waves,
of my agony.
poem by Enrico Orbita
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God Asked Noah
Before the world was drenched in shame
Ere Satan reigned in man
The Father Son and Holy Flame
Wrote down salvation’s plan
Then God told man to build a boat
In faith to walk inside
But only eight were kept afloat
All unbelievers died
“I thank You Lord for saving me
For I was drowning too
From certain death You’ve set me free
And gave me life anew
Allow me in Your boat to sail
I’ve heard my Saviour’s call
In Christ I know I’ll never fail
Nor from Your grace will fall
I long to be a lifeboat Lord
Returning to the sea
Calling Your fish to climb on board
As Jesus did for me
With Christ I’ll sail to far off shores
In truth from port to port
We’ll free the catch from Satan’s claws
We’ll fish till all are caught
The wind is right the course is set
My Lord is at the helm
Let’s hoist the sail cast wide the net
Let’s fish throughout Your realm
Let’s cast our nets in every land
Let’s sail in one accord
Let’s teach the fish to understand
How safe is life on board.
poem by Michael P. Johnson
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Psalm 25
To you oh Lord I lift up my soul
And of you I shall never be ashamed
And all the day long I shall wait on you
And all of my enemies shall be tamed
Forgive me oh Lord, in your mercy I plea
Its in your mercy I ask that you remeber me
Pardon my iniquity, cast my sins into the sea
And in your debt I shall forever be
Good and upright is my God
All your paths are mercy and truth
You are great and worthy to be praised
I have loved you from the days of my youth
Consider my enemies for they are many
And deliver me from their cruel hateful hand
Preserve me oh Lord in your righteousness
And forever on you I shall stand
poem by Frank McEleny
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Jonah’s Motives Were Destruction Of Nineveh
To Tarshish with motives of what?
Were Jonah’s motives fear revenge?
Assyrians had committed terrible
atrocities against the people of Israel
traveling into their midst was terrifying?
Jonah despised hated the Assyrians
desired in his heart for God to punish
Assyria? Jonah knew God’s nature.
Jonah knew if repentance he preached
to the Ninevites they would repent?
God would spare them punishment.
Jonah 4: 2.
Jonah disobeyed fled toward Tarshish.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Jonah Forced By God Warms Assyrian Nineveh
Jonah an Old Testament prophet
from Galilee his story takes place
between years 780 B.C to 760 B.C.
Assyria was a powerful evil nation
Israel's most dreaded enemy foreign.
The Lord spoke unto Jonah told him
to go to Nineveh capital of Assyria
to preach to warn sinful Ninevites. Jonah 1: 2.
Jonah by God's word commanded
told to warn the Ninevites to repent
or suffer judgement for wickedness.
But Jonah disobeys the will of God
Jonah plots swiftly high tales it out
180 degrees in opposite direction
Jonah boy child brought back to life
resurrected by Elijah the prophet 1 Kings 17: 17-24.
Jonah son of Amittai the son of truth 2 Kings 14: 25.
Jonah departed not to Nineveh but
to Tarshish with motives of what?
Were Jonah's motives fear revenge?
Assyrians had committed terrible
atrocities against the people of Israel
traveling into their midst was terrifying?
Jonah despised hated the Assyrians
desired in his heart for God to punish
Assyria? Jonah knew God's nature.
Jonah knew if repentance he preached
to the Ninevites they would repent?
God would spare them punishment. Jonah 4: 2.
Jonah disobeyed fled toward Tarshish
because he knew God to be gracious
merciful, slow to anger, and abundant
in loving-kindness, regretting calamity.
Jonah knew God would forgive regret
his decision to destroy Nineveh a city
of more than 120,000 men domestic
animals living in spiritual darkness;
not knowing the difference between
their right hand and their left between
good and evil. Jonah by God was forced
to voice God's forty day warning and thus Jonah 3: 1-4.
the king of Nineveh ordered a great fast.
All wore from greatest to the least
sackcloth, none ate nor drank not,
man nor domestic animal; all the men
called to God with strength repented
of bad ways violence of their hands.
God turned back from his burning anger
felt regret spared Nineveh did not perish. Jonah 3: 5-10.
What moral by Jonah's story is taught?
Jonah's story teaches obedience necessary,
without question, to obey the will of God;
taught a willingness of spirit, gratitude,
compassion God's grace patience mercy.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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31
A fish that drinks like a fish, that is a fish in excess
A fish that fishes in troubled waters, that is a fish taking advantage of another fish in trouble
A fish that fishes or cuts bait, well, to be or not to be, to retreat or to attack, that is the fishy question
A fish that is neither fish nor fowl, is a fish that is neither one nor the other, lacking some convictions
A fish out of water, is a fish feeling left out, no longer in his accustomed environment
Do you have other fish to fry for now?
Is there other matter requiring my attention?
Poor fish,
the lake is finally fished out from his fishy mind.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Some things that can happen with a fish
A fish that drinks like a fish, that is a fish in excess
A fish that fishes in troubled waters, that is a fish taking advantage of another fish in trouble
A fish that fishes or cuts bait, well, to be or not to be, to retreat or to attack, that is the fishy question
A fish that is neither fish nor fowl, is a fish that is neither one nor the other, lacking some convictions
A fish out of water, is a fish feeling left out, no longer in his accustomed environment
Do you have other fish to fry for now?
Is there other matter requiring my attention?
Poor fish,
the lake is finally fished out from his fishy mind.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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A Whale Of A Poem
Recently,
As stories go,
A tale was told,
About an old man,
And a fish,
He really wasn't a real fish!
He was a whale you know!
Anyways,
It seems that fish shallowed the man,
And inside the fish he did live,
Seven days and seven nights.
Oh what a fright,
That man did go through,
He inside of a fish,
Could have easily ended up his dish.
That story although a whopper,
I thought could not have been top,
Except in the second grade,
A student chimed in,
Oh great, now I know where my dad has been!
poem by Nadalia Bagratuni
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