Read Jonah 4:5-8
1. For what reason did Jonah leave the city?
If he had stayed in Nineveh, how might God have used him?
Jonah may have planned to stay at the east side of the city for a while. What might indicate this?
2. God is very present in these circumstances and continues to walk Jonah through situations that reveal Jonah’s heart. What did God prepare for Jonah in the following verses? How did Jonah respond in each situation?
a. Jonah 1:17
b. Jonah 4:6
c. Jonah 4:7-8
3. Does God prepare things and situations in the lives of people today, like He did in Jonah’s life? For what purpose does He do this?
a. What are some examples of this in your life or in the life of those you know?
b. How did you/they respond?
4. As Christians, God is molding us to look more and more like His Son. We call this process sanctification. What do we learn of sanctification from 1 Thess. 4:3a?
a. As God prepares different situations for us to walk through, He reveals our heart. What role does this play in our sanctification?
b. As our heart is revealed our response should be repentance and obedience. We have yet to see this in Jonah. What does this reveal about Jonah’s heart?
5. One way we might apply Jonah’s situation to our own lives is noted by Wiersbe: A simple test of character is to ask, “What makes me happy? What makes me sad? What makes me want to give up?” Jonah might be described as the double-minded man from James 1:8, who is unstable in all his ways. In what ways does this describe Jonah?
a. Paul gives a similar teaching in Rom. 7:15-20. What does the apostle Paul tell us happens even to him?
b. How does Gal. 5:17-23 add to our understanding?
c. The war between Spirit and flesh is real. But as Christians, we can always choose to walk in the Spirit. It may not always feel like it, but we can – always. What does Gal. 5:24-25 tell us?
Read Jonah 4:9-11
1. In verse 9 we again see the hardness of Jonah’s heart. If this interaction with His God wasn’t so sad, it would be comical. He is acting like a child, maybe a 2 or 3 year old! (Picture a stomping of feet, crossed arms, and a mad face!) Could this at times be you? What does your rebellion or disobedience look like?
2. (vs 10-11) Our everloving and longsuffering God reasons again with Jonah. What does He say?
a. God often chooses to reason with mankind. He has every right to use the phrase…”because I said so,” but He chooses to gently convince us that His ways are best for us. Write the loving invitation found in Is. 1:18.
b. Is God working to convince you of something?
In Conclusion
1. God will accomplish His will in spite of us. Jonah brought the whole city of Nineveh to repentance without any love at all for the people. But God loved the people and His will was accomplished. How much better to have God work through us rather than work in spite of us. Your thoughts?
2. One of two mentions of Jonah in the teachings of Jesus is found in both Matt 12:41 and Luke 11:32. It is a comparison between Jonah and Jesus. When Jonah preached repentance, the men of Nineveh responded. When Jesus preached repentance, so many turned a blind eye. And yet, as the gospel writers tell us, “a greater than Jonah is here.” Note just how much greater Jesus is by completing the following sentences:
a. Jonah’s ministry was to the great city of Nineveh, but the ministry of Jesus was to … (Jn 4:42, 1 Jn 4:14)
b. Though both Jonah and Jesus were Jewish prophets, but Jesus is … (Matt. 16:15-16)
c. Jonah preached a message of judgment, but Jesus preached a message of … (John 3:16-17)
d. Jonah almost died for his own sins, but Jesus willingly died for …
(1 Jn. 2:2)
e. Jonah’s message was not from the heart, but Jesus always did …
(Jn. 8:29)
f. Jonah didn’t love those he came to save, but Jesus proved His love … (Rom. 5:6-8)