The story of Jonah has multiple facets of interpretation and many lessons to glean. There are undeniable facts about Jonah. First, Jonah is a real historical character. Second, there are fish capable of swallowing a man. Third, Jonah's death and resurrection point to Jesus' future victory. One can find information regarding how the story of Jonah points to Jesus who, himself, calls it a sign. Two of His parables are stories with similar lessons as in Jonah. There are details regarding the character of God. He is gracious, merciful, patient, and kind. At a deeper spiritual level, the book of Jonah teaches the concepts of Kenosis, self-emptying, and Sinat Chinam, baseless hatred.

Jesus declared that Jonah would be a sign, meaning that, like Jesus, "(1) both Jonah and Jesus spent three days inside something (fish, earth), (2) Nineveh repented but Jesus' generation will not, and (3) Jesus is the greater Jonah." In addition to the sign that similar incidents happened to the two, there is the physical sign on Jonah's body that something happened to him. As stated earlier, his skin could be read, for it told its own tale. The very uniqueness of Jonah's account made his sign worthy of hearing. Magee says, "The gastric juices of the fish had reacted upon the individual as the fish had tried to digest him... When he stopped at a corner and a crowd gathered, they would say, 'Brother, where have you been?' Jonah told them, 'I am a man from the dead. A fish swallowed me because God had sent me to Nineveh but I tried to run away to Tarshish.' People didn't ridicule Jonah's story. They listened to him."

Thus, Jonah's signs were both worthy of consideration. They merited recognition because outwardly the signs spoke of a miracle. They were noteworthy because of the authority of Jesus who called them so. A.R. Fausset summarizes the case well when he writes, "Thus God, who brings good from evil, made Jonah, in his fall, punishment, and restoration, 'a sign' (an embodied lesson or living symbol) through which the Ninevites were roused to hear and repent, as they would not have been likely to do had he gone on the first commission, before his living entombment and resurrection." In a statement that adds an exclamation point to the subject of Jonah being a sign, Fausset retorts, "His history preached more powerfully than even his awfully monotonous dirge-like cry."

The book of Jonah does not only provide insight into history, miracles, and typology, but it also provides valuable documentation of the nature of God. In Jonah's own words he testifies that God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness. God subdues with His sovereign love as Charles Spurgeon explains, quoting John 6:37. "He does, not by any violation of the free agency of man, but by the power of His grace," Spurgeon details. Jonah's dislike of the Ninevites is put under a spotlight when Herbert Lockyer reveals, "Within the book, the selfish unbelief and vindictiveness of man is contrasted with the gracious patience and benevolence of God." God's aim is an open attitude toward the pagan world.

Together, the group learned that Jesus willingly emptied himself. The term is 'Kenosis, ' a self-emptying. Jesus took on the form of a servant as He submitted Himself to the will of His Father. Jesus emptied Himself of outward glory while keeping His divine nature and not giving up His Godship.

Enjoy immersing in this imaginative play exercise where Lottie and Friends study the book of Jonah in the tale, "Jonah's Worthy Sign." It is Marion's sincere desire that you and those reading with you will have an understanding of the goodness, grace, and mercy of our God.