260816 - Jonah 1:1-3 - How Big is your God

Jonah 1:1-3

Observation of the Text

1. What three commands did God give Jonah in verse 2?

2. What reason did God give for sending Jonah to Nineveh, and what does the word “arise” suggest about the urgency of Jonah’s assignment?

3. What specific actions did Jonah take to carry out his disobedience?

4. How many times does verse 3 communicate that Jonah was attempting to flee “from the presence of the LORD”?

5. Why might this repetition be important?

Historical Background

Read 2 Kings 14:23–25 before answering the following questions.

6. What additional information does this passage provide about Jonah?

7. How does this passage help establish Jonah as an actual prophet who lived and ministered within Israel’s history?

Read Matthew 12:38–41.

8. How did Jesus refer to Jonah’s experience?

9. What comparison did Jesus make between Jonah and Himself?

10. How did Jesus describe the response of the people of Nineveh to Jonah’s preaching?

11. What does Jesus’ reference to Jonah and the Ninevites contribute to our understanding of the account as a historical event?

Understanding Nineveh

Nineveh was a prominent city of Assyria, located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River near modern Mosul in northern Iraq. The Assyrians were known for military power, violence and cruelty. To an Israelite such as Jonah, Nineveh represented a dangerous foreign city belonging to a threatening nation.

12. Why might an Israelite prophet have been reluctant to carry God’s message to an Assyrian city?

13. In addition to fear, what other attitudes could cause someone to resist taking God’s message to an enemy?

14. What does it reveal about God that He sent a warning before bringing judgment?

15. How does Nineveh’s reputation help us understand the difficulty of Jonah’s assignment without excusing his disobedience?

Understanding Jonah’s Route

God commanded Jonah to travel northeast toward Nineveh. Jonah instead went southwest to the Mediterranean port of Joppa and boarded a ship bound for Tarshish, a destination associated with the far west.

16. What does the direction of Jonah’s travel reveal about the intentional nature of his response?

17. What expenses, planning and effort were involved in Jonah’s disobedience?

18. Could Jonah actually leave the presence of the LORD?

Read Psalm 139:7–10 and explain your answer.

The Character of God

To look deeper into each of these character traits of God, look up and take notes on the passages provided.

19. What does God’s direct command to Jonah reveal about His authority over His servants?

Deuteronomy 6:4–5

1 Samuel 15:22

Psalm 24:1

Isaiah 6:8–10

Luke 6:46

John 14:15

20. What does His decision to confront Nineveh’s wickedness reveal about His holiness and justice?

Leviticus 19:2

Deuteronomy 32:4

Psalm 89:14

Habakkuk 1:13

Romans 1:18

Revelation 20:11–15

21. How was sending a prophet to warn Nineveh an expression of mercy?

Ezekiel 18:23, 30–32

Ezekiel 33:11

Joel 2:12–13

Romans 2:4

2 Peter 3:9

22. What does this passage teach us about God’s right to give His servants difficult or uncomfortable assignments?

Exodus 3:10–12

Jeremiah 1:4–10

Matthew 28:18–20

Luke 9:23–24

Acts 9:15–16

2 Timothy 3:12

Discussion and application

23. What fears commonly keep Christians from obeying God?

24. How might busyness, relocation, entertainment or even religious activity be used to avoid something God has clearly commanded?

25. Is there an area in which you know what God’s Word requires but are moving in the opposite direction?

26. What would immediate obedience look like in this situation?