Jonah

Jonah (790-770 B.C.) "yonah" (dove)

Sent to warn the inhabitants of Ninevah (Capital of Assyria) of God's Judgement. Jonah fled his call because it was the Assyrians who were destroying the Jews. As he was escaping on a ship bound for Tarshish a great storm arose. The sailors concluded that this tempest came on account of Jonah so they threw him overboard. He was immediately swallowed by a great sea monster prepared by God. Jonah repented in the bowels of the creature and was released the third morning. He came to Nineveh and said:

Jonah 3:4

Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"

As a result of his preaching the people changed their ways and God spared the city. Jonah was very upset at Gods mercy toward gentiles (non-Jews) and by the lesson of a plant, God

taught Jonah about His love for all mankind and not just Israel.