(a) The people of Nineveh had sinned against God. Because of this, Jonah received a message from God to go to the city and preach to them. Jonah did not want to go. Instead, he boarded a ship going from Joppa to Tarshish in order to avoid the mission he was sent by God. God caused a great wind upon the sea which threatened to break up the ship. The crew men threw all their luggage away into the sea to lighten the ship and also offered prayers to their gods but to no avail. By this time, Jonah was fast asleep in the inner part of the ship. When he was discovered from where he was sleeping, they asked him to join his fellow passengers in prayer. They cast lots which revealed Jonah as being responsible for their problem. Jonah narrated his mission to them and told them to throw him into the sea as that was the only solution to the problem. The captain of the ship could not do otherwise. They threw him into the sea. When that was done, the storm stopped instantly and the sailors offered a sacrifice to God.

(b) Two Lessons to be learnt from the story of Jonah and the raging sea are:
(i) God created man and all other things and has authority over them. Therefore, He expects every of His creation to obey Him and do His will.
(ii) There is no way one can run away or hide from God without God fishing such a man out because He is Omnipresent (every where) and Omniscient (all knowing).