A WHALE OF A TIME

Four studies in the book of Jonah for Holy Trinity Church, Redhill

¨ The Reluctant Missionary, Jonah chapter one

¨ Revival in Nineveh, Jonah chapter three

¨ Jonah’s painful lesson, Jonah chapter four

The Reluctant Missionary

Jonah Chapter One

THE STORY SO FAR

Jonah was an Israelite and a prophet of the Lord. The events of the book take place during the reign of Jeroboam II (793-753 BC). Jonah is sent by the Lord to Nineveh which is the capital city of the empire of Assyria, the sworn enemies of Israel.

NOW READ Jonah, Chapter one

SUMMARY OF THE TALK

¨ God wanted to do something about the wicked city of Nineveh and he wanted Jonah to go there as his spokesman to speak against its wickedness

¨ Jonah didn’t want to go. So he ran away from the Lord. (A ridiculous thing to attempt to do).

¨ God sent a terrible storm to engulf the ship by which Jonah is fleeing.

¨ Jonah is thrown overboard, still unrepentant, and is swallowed by a great fish (provided by the Lord).

¨ The stubbornness and sinfulness of Jonah are contrasted with the loving, persistent, faithfulness of God

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Can you see a bit of Jonah in you?

2. Have you ever run away from God or felt like running away from him? Explain what happened.

3. Why might someone want to run away from God? In what ways might someone do it without physically running away to another town as Jonah did?

4. Consider each of these verses in turn, what do they say about Jonah and about us?

Romans 11.29: For God does not change his mind about whom he chooses and blesses

John 15.16: Jesus said You did not choose me; I chose you

Psalm 139.7-9: Where could I go to escape from you ? Where could I get away from your presence? If I went up to heaven. you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there. If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west, you would be there to lead me, you would be there to help me

PRAYER POINTERS

¨ Thank God for his faithfulness and patience

¨ Pray about our own response to God’s call in obedience and trust

Jonah all at sea

Jonah Chapter Two

THE STORY SO FAR

God wanted to do something about the wickedness of Nineveh and he wanted Jonah to go there as his spokesman.

Jonah attempted to run away from the Lord. He flees by sea but God sends a terrible storm. Jonah is thrown overboard and is swallowed by a great fish provided by God.

NOW READ Jonah chapter two

SUMMARY OF THE TALK

THREE THINGS JONAH SAYS TO GOD during his three days in the belly of the great fish

1. You sent me here

2. You saved my life

3. You deserve my heartfelt praise

TWO THINGS JONAH’S STORY SAYS ABOUT GOD

1. God really loves Jonah

2. God really changes Jonah’s life

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

Concerning the Three Things Jonah says to God

1. What strikes you most about what Jonah says to God and why?

2. What can we learn from his prayer?

Concerning the Two things Jonah’s story says about God

3. What experiences in your life have really moulded you and changed you as a Christian?

4. Consider Hebrews 12.5b-6: How does God discipline Christians today? In what ways might discipline come?

5. How open are you to being changed by God?

PRAYER POINTERS

¨ Give thanks for your own experience of salvation and rescue by God

¨ Thank God for his love

¨ Pray for those going through hard times of testing in their Christian lives

¨ Pray about our own openness to being changed and corrected by God

Revival in Nineveh

Jonah Chapter Three

THE STORY SO FAR

God wanted to do something about the wickedness of Nineveh and he wanted Jonah to go there as his spokesman.

Jonah attempted to run away from the Lord. He fled by sea but God sent a terrible storm. When Jonah was thrown overboard, he was swallowed by a great fish. Deep in the belly of the fish, Jonah comes to his senses. Chastened, repentant and full of gratitude to God for rescuing him, Jonah is once again ready to be used in God’s service.

NOW READ Jonah, chapter three

SUMMARY OF THE TALK

¨ The Lord spoke to Jonah again

¨ This time in obedience Jonah goes to proclaim God’s message of impending judgment

¨ Jonah’s message is a solemn message of warning

¨ The Ninevites believe Jonah’s message and repent

¨ God relents and decides not to send judgment on the city after all

Messages for today from chapter 3

¨ judgment is real

¨ warnings of judgment should be proclaimed

¨ all people, including Christians, must take to heart God’s call to repent

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. How seriously do we take the reality of God’s judgment?

2. How prepared are we to proclaim the reality of God’s judgment?

3. What evidence is there from the text that the repentance in Nineveh was real? What is the difference between real repentance and merely saying sorry?

4. How accurate is it, do you think, to describe the events in Nineveh as a revival? What do you consider the hallmarks of revival to be

5. Finally, consider these verses from Matthew 12.38-41, what do the verses say to you about the meaning of the story of Jonah as Jesus taught it?

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you."

39 He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

PRAYER POINTERS

¨ Pray for the faithful proclamation of the Gospel

¨ Pray for boldness and courage for ourselves in sharing the Gospel

¨ Pray for a spirit of repentance amongst God’s people

¨ Pray for revival

Jonah’s Painful Lesson

Jonah Chapter Four

THE STORY SO FAR

God wanted to do something about the wickedness of Nineveh and he wanted Jonah to go there as his spokesman.

Chastened, repentant and full of gratitude to God for rescuing him, Jonah proceeded to Nineveh to proclaim God’s message, which led to a dramatic change of heart among the Ninevite people led by their king who calls for national repentance and reformation.

The Lord then decides not to bring upon the city the destruction he had threatened.

NOW READ, Jonah chapter four

SUMMARY OF THE TALK

Far from being delighted at the amazing effect of his preaching to the Ninevites, Jonah was furious.

He was angry they had repented. He was angry they were no longer going to be judged. He was angry that God had forgiven them. God was just too kind, too compassionate for Jonah’s taste.

God spoke to Jonah using a visual aid: the vine. One minute it was tall and strong, allowing Jonah to relax happy in its shade. The next minute it had withered to nothing, chewed by a worm. Meanwhile Jonah sweltered in the heat and simmered with fury.

‘But, Jonah,’ said God ‘you are more concerned with you own personal comfort than the eternal destiny of 120,000 souls.’

Jonah’s meanness is revealed but so is God’s MUNIFICENCE, his amazing kindness and love.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Did Jonah have any right to be angry (verse 4)? Does anyone have a right to be angry with God?

2. Jonah was offended by the grace of God. Can you understand his reaction?

3. Jonah’s obsession with his own well-being blinded him to the needs of others. How easy is it for us to fall into that trap?

4. To what extent do you think the selfishness of Christians hinders the work of the church in general, and the work of evangelism, in particular?

5. What does the chapter tell us about the heart of God? What implication does that have for us as a church?

PRAYER POINTERS

¨ Pray for those who are without Christ

¨ Pray that we may be motivated by God’s compassion for the world

¨ Pray that God may show us our own blind spots, as he showed Jonah his

ÓGary Jenkins 2001, Holy Trinity, Redhill, www.htredhill.com