{"id":7064777,"date":"2026-09-23T12:08:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T12:08:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/lessons-from-a-wayward-prophet-part-1\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T12:08:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T12:08:43","slug":"lessons-from-a-wayward-prophet-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7064777","title":{"rendered":"Lessons from a Wayward Prophet (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<div class=\"s-wIz\" id=\"viewer-qlj6m47\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"fniMV DmNTY\">\n<figure class=\"_6J7QR\" data-hook=\"figure-IMAGE\">\n<div data-hook=\"image-viewer\" class=\"Ld0xm\">\n<div class=\"pcSy1 KwVTQ wlrrs\" style=\"--dim-height:3083;--dim-width:2514;--ricos-image-default-border-color:unset\" data-hook=\"image-viewer-qlj6m47\">\n<div class=\"-xrHG\">\n<div style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;right:0;bottom:0\" id=\"qlj6m47\" class=\"WBn5Y\"><wow-image id=\"fe5e72_d37b9f37114a40b8a67e11ba02299ce9~mv2.jpg\" class=\"undefined _3qQpi\" data-image-info=\"{&quot;containerId&quot;:&quot;qlj6m47&quot;,&quot;alignType&quot;:&quot;center&quot;,&quot;displayMode&quot;:&quot;fill&quot;,&quot;isLQIP&quot;:true,&quot;isSEOBot&quot;:false,&quot;lqipTransition&quot;:&quot;blur&quot;,&quot;encoding&quot;:&quot;AVIF&quot;,&quot;imageData&quot;:{&quot;width&quot;:2514,&quot;height&quot;:3083,&quot;uri&quot;:&quot;fe5e72_d37b9f37114a40b8a67e11ba02299ce9~mv2.jpg&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;displayMode&quot;:&quot;fill&quot;}}\" data-motion-part=\"BG_IMG qlj6m47\" data-bg-effect-name=\"\" data-has-ssr-src=\"https:\/\/www.musingsofacommonman.com\/post\/true\" data-animate-blur=\"\" data-is-responsive=\"https:\/\/www.musingsofacommonman.com\/post\/true\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jonah the prophet\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%;max-width:100%;position:absolute;left:0;top:0\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musingsofacommonman.com\/post\/lessons-from-a-wayward-prophet-part-1\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/static.wixstatic.com\/media\/fe5e72_d37b9f37114a40b8a67e11ba02299ce9~mv2.jpg\/v1\/fill\/w_2514,h_3083,al_c,q_90\/fe5e72_d37b9f37114a40b8a67e11ba02299ce9~mv2.jpg\" draggable=\"false\"\/><\/wow-image><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"_5W4fs\" type=\"button\" data-hook=\"image-expand-button\" aria-label=\"Expand image\"><default:svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 19 19\" class=\"_0Qscf\"><default:path d=\"M15.071 8.371V4.585l-4.355 4.356a.2.2 0 0 1-.283 0l-.374-.374a.2.2 0 0 1 0-.283l4.356-4.355h-3.786a.2.2 0 0 1-.2-.2V3.2c0-.11.09-.2.2-.2H16v5.371a.2.2 0 0 1-.2.2h-.529a.2.2 0 0 1-.2-.2zm-6.5 6.9v.529a.2.2 0 0 1-.2.2H3v-5.371c0-.11.09-.2.2-.2h.529c.11 0 .2.09.2.2v3.786l4.355-4.356a.2.2 0 0 1 .283 0l.374.374a.2.2 0 0 1 0 .283L4.585 15.07h3.786c.11 0 .2.09.2.2z\" fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"\/><\/default:svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"to3ol74\" id=\"viewer-to3ol74\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span>Most people, even non-Christians, have heard Jonah&#8217;s story; perhaps the most intriguing element to the general population is the prophet&#8217;s encounter with a great fish. Besides Noah and the Flood, it is the first biblical account I remember from my childhood. But surface fascination with this event in biblical history fails to comprehend its full message. Hence, we must understand the book&#8217;s basic structure and how the prophet&#8217;s questionable behavior points to God&#8217;s soverienty in all things, including salvation.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"i0xs050\" id=\"viewer-i0xs050\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>The story of Jonah is sectioned into two halves, each beginning with the phrase, \u201cNow the word of the Yahweh came to Jonah&#8230;\u201d (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A1&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:1<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>;<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%203%3A1&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>3:1<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>). As a result, the basic literary structure is as follows: (1) The First Commission of Jonah (1,2) and (2) The Second Commission of Jonah (3,4). Yahweh\u2019s commands initiate a narrative in which the disobedient prophet inadvertently demonstrates Yahweh\u2019s mercy to all people beyond Israel. Thus, the goal of Jonah\u2019s mission to Nineveh is to (1) show Israel the future adoption of repentant heathens, and (2) show Israel the scope of divine compassion.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"71c9b8\" id=\"viewer-71c9b8\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>As the narrative begins in Chapter 1, God commands Jonah to deliver His message in Nineveh (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A2&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:2<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>), yet the prophet disobeys and flees to Joppa, where he boards a ship bound for Tarshish. Later, in Chapter 4, Jonah states exactly why he disobeyed the Lord&#8217;s command. I&#8217;ll leave that for part 2!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"ptxo83796\" id=\"viewer-ptxo83796\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>Unmistakably, Jonah&#8217;s behavior is quite shocking for a prophet of God. However, he quickly succumbs to the circumstances of his disobedience. The author\u2019s wordplay indicates Jonah&#8217;s downward spiral (geographically and theologically) through repeated use of the Hebrew word translated \u201cto go down.\u201d Essentially, Jonah \u201cgoes down\u201d to Joppa (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A3&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:3<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>), then \u201cgoes down\u201d into the ship (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A3&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:3<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>), and eventually \u201cgoes down\u201d below deck.[1]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"snf2w4286\" id=\"viewer-snf2w4286\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>Subsequently, God hurls a great wind against the ship (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A4&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:4<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>), and the men called upon their gods for fear of their deaths (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A5&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:5<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>). The captain awakens Jonah from his sleep and asks him to pray to his God (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A6&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:6<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>), and the crew questions him (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A8&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:8<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>). The prophet states, <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>\u201cI am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.\u201d (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A9&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:9<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"rjcoj49514\" id=\"viewer-rjcoj49514\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>Moving forward, the reader can begin to contrast Jonah\u2019s attitude with the attitudes of the Gentiles. After the sailors cast lots and discovered that Jonah had fled from the presence of the Lord, Jonah tells them to throw him into the sea so that it will calm (1:12). Remarkably, these heathen Gentiles wished to spare Jonah as they continued to row desperately to land and prayed to the Lord so that they could live and not take an innocent man\u2019s life (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A13-14&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:13-14)<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>. Ironically, they exhibited more faith than the prophet as they cried out to God. Ultimately, they did throw Jonah overboard once the sea worsened (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%201%3A15&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>1:15<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>). <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"99qw736\" id=\"viewer-99qw736\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>Only after Jonah is swallowed by a great fish appointed by God does he express submission to Yahweh. He acknowledges that his circumstances are a judgment from the Lord (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%202%3A3&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>2:3<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>). Suddenly, Jonah wants to live, vows to make a sacrifice to the Lord (<\/span><\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Jonah%202%3A9&amp;version=LSB\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"_1Dim4 tK1xI\" data-hook=\"web-link\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><u style=\"text-decoration:underline\"><span>2:9<\/span><\/u><\/span><\/a><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>), and then the fish vomits him out onto dry land. God\u2019s gracious act saves Jonah through the fish, which preserves his life. Jonah is spared from drowning in the sea, but as we will see in chapters 3-4, his declaration of thanksgiving to the Lord does not help him comprehend God\u2019s mercy for the undeserving as he has experienced it.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2 class=\"PVM3D nH6wM iLG9V Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-heading=\"krwc781\" id=\"viewer-krwc781\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span aria-hidden=\"https:\/\/www.musingsofacommonman.com\/post\/true\" id=\"application-krwc781\"\/><span class=\"Ji6Pu\"><strong style=\"font-weight:700\"><span>Application<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"u917038783\" id=\"viewer-u917038783\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span>Like Jonah, professing Christians can behave hypocritically. The prophet of God willfully disobeyed the Lord&#8217;s commands, yet he described his fear of the Lord when the crew approached him. It is certainly right to proclaim Yahweh as Lord, but we must remember that our proclamations should represent our lives. <\/span><strong style=\"font-weight:700\"><em style=\"font-style:italic\"><span>Are we wayward in heart?  Do our lives appear hypocritical to non-believers? Do we love the Lord? Do we really fear the Lord?<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"8vvsn65105\" id=\"viewer-8vvsn65105\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span>Ultimately, Jonah not only disobeyed the Lord, but he also exhibited spiritual apathy. It is more than ironic that he slept below deck while the men of the ship contemplated the raging storm. So we must ask ourselves: <\/span><strong style=\"font-weight:700\"><em style=\"font-style:italic\"><span>How does our apathy toward the Lord affect those around us? Does it prevent us from serving others or offering them compassion?  Does it prevent us from testifying of Christ&#8217;s love and sacrifice?<\/span><\/em><\/strong><span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"vroow116779\" id=\"viewer-vroow116779\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><span>No matter how we might run from God and His commands, we will always be captured by His soverienty. And within that soverienty, believers will find His discipline and His grace. The prophet Jonah can surely attest to this truth. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"iiabh17\" id=\"viewer-iiabh17\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><sup><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>     [1]<\/span><\/span><\/sup><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span> J. Daniel Hays, <\/span><\/span><em style=\"font-style:italic\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>The Message of the Prophets: A Survey of the Prophetic and Apocalyptic Books of the Old Testament,<\/span><\/span><\/em><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span> ed. Temper Longman III<\/span><\/span><em style=\"font-style:italic\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span> <\/span><\/span><\/em><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>(Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2010), 302.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"7nh1w112805\" id=\"viewer-7nh1w112805\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><strong style=\"font-weight:700\"><em style=\"font-style:italic\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>I know that You can do all things,<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"9i7lw114273\" id=\"viewer-9i7lw114273\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><strong style=\"font-weight:700\"><em style=\"font-style:italic\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"4j40w110793\" id=\"viewer-4j40w110793\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><strong style=\"font-weight:700\"><em style=\"font-style:italic\"><span>He makes His angels the winds, His ministers flaming fire.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"y7orx114556\" id=\"viewer-y7orx114556\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><strong style=\"font-weight:700\"><em style=\"font-style:italic\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>Many thoughts are in a man\u2019s heart,<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-breakout=\"normal\">\n<p class=\"_2wn-x MJ7Ib hmODY Ucyfy\" dir=\"auto\" data-ricos-paragraph=\"pdwjc116328\" id=\"viewer-pdwjc116328\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"TV-bB\"><strong style=\"font-weight:700\"><em style=\"font-style:italic\"><span style=\"color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration:inherit\"><span>But it is the counsel of Yahweh that will stand.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most people, even non-Christians, have heard Jonah&#8217;s story; perhaps the most intriguing element to the general population is the prophet&#8217;s encounter with a great fish. Besides Noah and the Flood, it is the first biblical account I remember from my childhood. But surface fascination with this event in biblical history fails to comprehend its full [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7064778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[112422,207026],"tags":[5200,3341,7710,4897],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7064777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gods-love","category-gods-instruction","tag-lessons","tag-part","tag-prophet","tag-wayward"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Lessons from a Wayward Prophet (Part 1) - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7064777\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lessons from a Wayward Prophet (Part 1) - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Most people, even non-Christians, have heard Jonah&#8217;s story; perhaps the most intriguing element to the general population is the prophet&#8217;s encounter with a great fish. 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