Jonah - Introduction Author No claims of authorship o
Autobiographical information points to Jonah Who was Jonah &
where did he come from? 2 Kings 14:25 - Gath-hepher is near
Nazareth in Galilee John 7:25 No prophet has arisen out of Galilee
said the Pharisees Unverifiable Jewish tradition says Jonah was the
son of the widow of Zarephath whom Elijah raised from the dead (1
Kings 17:824) 2 Kings 14:25 He restored the border of Israel from
Lebo- hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word
of the L ORD, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant
Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-
hepher.
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Jonah - Background Jeroboam II was King (ca. 793758 B.C.)
Israel enjoyed prosperity but religion was ritualistic &
increasingly idolatrous, & justice had become perverted
Nineveh, the capital of Assyria Founded by Nimrod, great-grandson
of Noah (Gen. 10:612) On Banks of Tigris River, 500 miles northeast
of Israel Possibly the largest city of its time (circumference of
60 miles) Destroyed 150 years after Jonahs visit (Nahum 1, 3) o
Nebuchadnezzar in 612 BC
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Jonah Overview Chapter 1 Running from God Disobedient Chapter 2
Running to God Discipline Chapter 3 Running with God Dynamic
Chapter 4 Running ahead of God Disappointment
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Jonah 1 Running From God What message was Jonah to have brought
to Nineveh? Why did Jonah try and run away? Is there a gap between
what Jonah knows and what he is living? Whats behind this gap? Have
you or do you know of someone who has tried to flee from or ignore
the direction in which they felt God pulling them? What happened in
the end? Jonah tried to get away from God's presence (verse 3). Is
this possible ? How can we as Christians keep away from God's
presence? 9 And he said to them, I am a Hebrew, and I fear the L
ORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. Compare
the 3 vs below Genesis 4:16 Job 1:12 Psalm 139:7 12 Psalm
51:11
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Jonah 1 Running From God How does God work through the elements
of his creation to redirect Jonahs path? Who did the sailors
initially look to for mercy? Where did the sailors find Jonah? How
can we as Christian "sleep spiritually" ? What changed their minds
about who they were praying too? Which is better obedience of
sacrifice? 1 Samuel 15:22 Romans 13: 11-14
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If obedience is better than sacrifice, what kind of an impact
does it have on your life in light of the study of James? In what
ways are you running from God? Can something in your life change
the minds of others? Challenges for week 1
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Sunday School Winter 2014 Chapter 2
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Does God celebrate holidays? Why do people think they can lie
to God and get away with it? What does it mean that God has no
beginning? Why did God make Earth if He could make us and we go
straight to heaven? Whats so bad about the plague with the frogs?
The questions kids ask.. Whats so bad about frogs? If God knows
what you pray before you pray it, then why do we pray? How old is
God? Do babies who die go to heaven? How do we know that the Bible
is true? Did Jonah really live inside a fish?
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Jonah 2 Running to God 1.Summarize Jonahs prayer. What did he
pray about? 2.Discuss the importance of prayer in Jonahs intimacy
with God. What did Jonah recognize? What is the relationship
between prayer and our growth in Christ? Why does it take dire
circumstances sometimes to get us to pray? When you run from God
the only direction you can go is down. Warren Wiersbe I Kings
8:38-39 Psalm 40:2-3 Psalms 103:1-5
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Jonah 2 Running to God 3.What do you forfeit when you cling to
idols? (v8) 4.Why was Jonah thankful? (v9) Do you see a link to
James 1? 5.What did Jonah understand about affliction and the Lords
discipline? 6.Where does Jonah say salvation comes from? 2 Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for
you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect
and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-3
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Jonah 2 Running to God 7. What did Jonah mean when he said: But
I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have
vowed I will pay. 8. How long was Jonah in the belly of the fish?
For how long was Jesus in the grave ? 9. What did Jonah do to make
God let Him out of the fish? Hebrews 4:1416 Hebrews 13:15-16 Acts
16: 2326 Matthew 12:39-40
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Digging Deeper Read Jonah 2:6, Psalm 40:23, and Psalm 103:1-5
Why was Jonah thankful? Read James 1:23 and Hebrews 12:7-11 What
did Jonah understand about affliction and the Lords discipline?
Read Jonah 2:7-10 Is there repentance in Jonahs prayer? Explain.
What is the meaning of verse 8? What does Jonah conclude and the
results?
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If God could do these two great miracles why do we find it hard
to trust Him for smaller things? Jonah understood God's loving
kindness and mercy. How can we as Christians obtain the mercy of
God ? Despite all that was happening to Jonah he still made a "
Sacrifice to God" with the voice of thanksgiving. What does the
sacrifice of praise mean to you as Christians ? There are times
when we must be made to go into the lowest depths that we may
regain a living faith. Prayers in those times of need should be
made with an attitude of thanksgiving as well as petition
Challenges 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known to God. Philippians 4:6
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Sunday School Winter 2014 Chapter 3
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Jonah Overview Chapter 1 Running from God Disobedient Chapter 2
Running to God Discipline Chapter 3 Running with God Dynamic
Chapter 4 Running ahead of God Disappointment
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Jonah 3:1-3 What do we learn about the character of God in His
message coming to Jonah a second time? How has this been evident in
your life? What might have God used to prepare the Ninevites
hearts? Jonah 3 Running With God Second Chances Luke 22:54-62 John
21:15-17
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Jonah 3 Running With God Jonah 3:4-10 Who did the people of
Nineveh believe? What do you learn from this? Did they repent? How
did they show it? Why were the animals mentioned? . For it is the
power of God for salvation to everyone who believes Rom 1:16
Because they repent, God does not destroy Nineveh. What message of
comfort can each of us find in that? What do you learn about the
nature of God in the story thus far? What do you find most
comforting and/or troubling?
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Jonah 3 Running With God What two things happened once they
believed God? Vs 5-6 -- Vs 7-9 -- 1.The Ninevites confession
radically changed their personal lives 2.The Ninevites confession
radically changed their public behavior What did the King of
Nineveh proclaim (call for)? What was Gods reaction? Isnt Gods way
unchanging? Joel 2:12-14 Numbers23:19
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Challenges Even Roberts was used by God to ignite the awakening
in Wales in the early 1900s. He challenged believers to change
their lifestyle in 4 areas: 1.First, confess all known sin;
2.Second, get rid of anything doubtful in your life; 3.Third, be
ready to obey the Holy Spirit instantly; 4.Fourth, confess Jesus
Christ publicly. Do you remain open to the work of Gods Grace? Are
you willing to eliminate worldly compromises? Who is beyond your
prayer list? Are you willing to confess Jesus publicly?
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Sunday School Winter 2014 Chapter 4
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Jonah 4:1-3 Why is Jonah so angry? What is at the root of
Jonahs anger? What does God try to teach Jonah about who God loves
and who God is willing to show mercy? How can we be the same way at
times? How did Jonahs view of God lead to despair? Jonah 4 Running
Ahead of God When Jonahs friends found out that he had been the
means of saving Nineveh from Gods wrath, they could have considered
him a traitor to official Jewish foreign policy. Warren
Wiersbe
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Jonah 4:4-5 The Lords reply How does God answer Jonahs prayer?
Is there a purpose in Gods response? How did Jonah respond to Gods
question? Jonah 4 Running Ahead of God Right Response Luke 19:41
Acts 17:16
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Jonah 4:6-9 The Lords second response How does God respond? How
do these verses illustrate Jonahs spiritual problem throughout the
book? How is the progression of Jonahs anger similar to our anger
at times? Jonah 4 Running Ahead of God
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Jonah 4:10-11 The Lords third response What does God point out
to Jonah in v10? In v11? Challenges What lessons is God teaching
Jonah and us? Do we spend more time tending to our lawn/yard than
doing Gods work Do we allow our own selfish anger to cloud our
relationship with god Jonah 4 Running Ahead of God
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Wrap up Jonah was a manJesus was the God-man (John 1) Jonah
preached a message of judgmentJesus preached a message of
repentance and salvation (John 3). Jonah almost died for his own
sinsJesus willingly died for the sins of the world (I John 2).
Jonahs ministry was to one cityJesus Christs message will circle
the globe (Rev 19). Jonahs obedience was not from the heartJesus
always did what pleased His Father (John 8). Jonah did not love the
people he came to rescue Jesus had compassion for the lost and came
to seek and to save them (Luke 19). Jonah waited outside the city,
hoping God would not forgive those who had hated the Jews Jesus
Christ was put on a cross outside the city, praying that His Father
would forgive those who hated Him (Luke 23) How is Jesus greater
than Jonah? Both were Jews & both were prophets.
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The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the
judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the
preaching of Jonah; and behold, [One] greater than Jonah is here.
Matthew 12:41