Think Jonah, think whale. Or should we? Actually no. The whale, or great fish, merely appears among the list of supporting cast, along with the worm which appears later in the account. Instead, the book is about the character of God. It shows us something of his burning holiness, something of his powerful and detailed ordering of events, and something of his tender mercy.

In this easy-to-read guide, you will learn many things about how God controls nature, governs history, and shows remarkable grace to a city of people who hardly seem likely candidates for his mercy.

Although the Bible can seem incomprehensible, the Opening Up the Bible series is designed to provide a basic grounding and introduction to the individual books within it. These simple (but not simplistic) tools will help individuals and small groups understand God’s Word, no matter what background or knowledge they already have.

Each volume takes you section-by-section through the covered book, opening up God's word with wisdom, insight, and practical application. Additionally, the "For Further Study" points at the end of a section provide guidance to other areas of scripture that further illuminate the lesson, and the "To Think About and Discuss" section provides thought-provoking questions that can be used by both individuals and groups to gain understanding and apply the subject matter to life today.

Paul Mackrell grew up in Hampshire but now lives in West Sussex with his wife, Sue, who comes from Liverpool. They have three daughters, two sons and nine grandchildren.