Thanks for your patience — I’m trying to find the best way to do Paige that is helpful to you! For this reason, just answer the questions that are helpful to you, skip the others, and feel free to comment on things I missed.
My favorite part from Paige last week was about conjunctions. I had to look up School House Rock! Here is what she sang:
BUT in our in-person group, a young mother questioned Paige’s statement that Jonah didn’t cry out to God for three days and three nights. THEREFORE, that made me look to see what the conjunction was connecting the end of chapter 1 to Jonah’s prayer. In some translations “then” is there, in others, it isn’t. (I need a Hebrew scholar!) But the prayer itself seems to show Jonah was crying out before the fish swallowed him, for the waves and breakers were sweeping over him and seaweed was wrapped around his head. I’ll give you a chance today to share your thoughts.
Also, another brought out that the prayer seems to be one of remembrance. It seems to show more maturity than Jonah ever displays throughout his experience. In Tim Keller’s 3rd time through the book of Jonah, he said that only Jonah could have written this book, for only Jonah knew what really happened. Keller believed that Jonah finally did mature as he was willing to truly share this most embarrassing account about himself with the world. It reminds me of the book of Ecclesiastes and Solomon’s account of his blindness in only seeing life from the perspective of “under the sun,” chasing earthly things to try to fill up the emptiness in his soul.
If you have just come on, refresh this page, as I tweaked it on Thursday morning.
Wednesday: Ice-Breakers
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain.
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning?
Thursday: Introduction and Text
Listen through when Paige reads through Jonah 3.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why?
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
A. It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.”
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
A. What strikes you and why?
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer?
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today?
Friday: God Calls and Jonah Responds
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point?
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
A. Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Ninevah? If not, why is He doing it?
B. The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson)
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.)
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey?
10. Tim Keller: God’s love is a spiritual tornado. He never sucks you in that He doesn’t send you out. Comment? (How do you see this in Jonah or in your own life?)
Saturday: Jonah Calls and Ninevah Responds (Specificity, Simplicity, and Surprise)
Listen up to the story she tells about the professor asking the woman: “What are you going to do about your guilt?
Listen for about 10 minutes up to Jonah Calls and Ninevah Responds
11. Comment (if you like) on her story of her friend on the phone in Starbucks not wanting her sister to bring a rogue casserole to Thanksgiving. Point?
12. What stands out to you from Jonah’s sermon in verse 4? Why so short, do you think? Yet he was the most successful prophet ever. Why, do you think?
13. What reason does Paige think God gave them forty more days to repent?
14. What is surprising about Ninevah’s response? (v. 5 through 9) Share everything you can.
15. Comment if you like:
A. What was her point with her story of meeting with a smart girl at Vanderbilt? Parallel with Ninevites? Have you ever had an experience evangelistically like this?
B. Her point about Zach’s sermon at Asbury last April?
C. What is your response time to the clear word of God? (She said she usually plans to make a response later.)
D. What was the scope of their repentance? (verse 5)
16. In this passage, How do you see sincerity in the people and the king? How do you see leveling?
17. How do you try to let people know who you are when you walk into a room? Do you care? Be as genuine as you can be.
Sunday:
18. Share a God Hunt from the week or church today.
Monday: Sincerity and Surrender
Listen up to Ninevah Calls and God Responds
19. She tells about a young woman who was questioning the professor and he asked her, “What are you going to do about your guilt?” How was this related to Jonah? Have you experienced this? If so, share.
20. Comment if you like: Story about Mrs. Aster and the Titanic — her point?
21. There is repentance in minds and in hearts but must also be in our lives. Where have you truly repented and your life shows it?
22. Read Isaiah 58:5-10 Point?
23. What are your evil ways that are prominent that you don’t want to give up?
24. How is Zaccheus an example of true surrender?
25. What evidence is there in the text that Ninevites truly surrendered?
26. How does Jesus hold up Ninevites to the Pharisees?
27. Are we saved by repentance?
28. What pattern does she show about calling out to God? Point?
Tuesday: Ninevah Calls and God Responds
Listen to the end.
29. What stood out to you from her statement that God is not obligated to respond to her repentance? (verse 7)
30. Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred. What does she mean when she says “God does not forgive sin, but rather, forgives sinners.”
31. 800 years later Jesus came running to take their judgment. (See Jonah 1:2) Why can He look with compassion on Ninevah when we know God cannot look upon sin?
32. She tells a story about Tom who was with the KKK and his transformation. Why did her two friends choke on grace for two different reasons?
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain. I like the lady’s insight, but also think it depends on translation I read. Then Jonah prayed is in some translations It does say He heard my cry which is past tense. So I don’t know.
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning? I can remember as an early Christian pointing things out or making comments to more mature Christians without having the full knowledge and understanding of the passage.
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain. It looks to me like he cried out before being swallowed by the fish, but then didn’t pray again for 3 days and 3 night when he then recounts his drowning experience and how he cried out while he was drowning. But it’s hard to imagine being in his position for 3 days and not having any prayer with God. 2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning? One thing would be my attitude about some of the choices of what my kids could or couldn’t see, do or participate in. Not that the choices were bad or that I would change them, but it was when I saw other parents allowing their kids to do stuff that I thought was not right for a Christian family. A part of me was waiting to watch the train wreck that their family was going to become or when something unfortunate did happen in their family, thinking to myself that the same thing won’t happen to us because we are doing things right. I had a big problem with thinking that my choices were going to decide the course that my family’s life would take, when it all is in the hands of God.
That’s interesting, Dawn. I just finished listening to Jill Dugger and her husband’s book Count the Cost. One of the teachings of Bill Gothard was that right choices ensure you will be successful. I think there is part of that false thinking in all of us. Thanks for sharing.
Wednesday: Ice-Breakers
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain.
—I’m not sure. As I read Verse 17 that says “Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.” I feel like it could just be statement of the fact. Some how it would seem to me for Jonah to experience the drowning and sinking into the waves and water of a violent sea and seaweed wrapping itself around you and then to have a huge fish swooping you into its mouth would have been terrifying. Then to realize you were actually alive I just can’t imagine at that point Jonah was still in a stubborn frame of mind. It would have been a place of absolute darkness so he was experiencing true death in some measure because death is separation from God and his light. I wonder how he even would have known time and day and night. What happened as Jonah describes it in his prayer he was certainly confessing his sin and the need of a Savior by looking to the Temple in his prayer for forgiveness in the belly of the fish. That was the purpose of looking to the Temple of God was for forgiveness. Unless he was just mentally out of it I feel like he had to have been praying and coming to terms with God over his situation early on.
But verse 1 of chapter 2 says “then Jonah prayed….” so I would like you Dee wonder about the Hebrew structure of sentences and use of the conjunction and question is the placement of the conjunction then relative to the timing meaning he prayed after 3 days and nights. I don’t know if that is concrete evidence or not.
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning?
—As I consider this question I feel a pattern in my past would be similar to Jonah in that I would tend to write off people who were offensive by their overt sinfulness or people who had hurt me. I frankly didn’t want any association with them. But sometimes these people are in your boat. One for me would be a very difficult brother-in-law. My embarrassment comes from being committed follower of Jesus and having a hardness of heart against him which is a poor testimony of practicing the love of Christ. But God in the recent years has convicted my heart to see him differently and to see him in his deep spiritual need. Early on he didn’t like me and was jealous of my relationship to my sister with whom I am very close. In these later years I am able to be around him and have grown in compassion (by God’s grace) to pray for him and see him for why he is the way he is. And to believe God is dealing with him appropriately but I have a responsibility to practice love toward him regardless of his ways.
That’s a very hard thing to overcome especially in families, Bev. Every time that I thought that I had gotten past it with a difficult sister-in-law (who is a believer) something would happen and all of those old issues would get dredged back up.
Bev, I hadn’t thought about the fact that Jonah wanted to flee from the presence of God but didn’t know that would end him up in total darkness for 3 days and nights. God is the essence of Light itself, and to flee Him must only end in the darkest of night. Brings tears to my eyes just now to think of the never ending pursuing love of God Who brought Jonah from the pit of darkness to the Light of His presence once again. Thank you for bringing this out for me.
Wednesday: Ice-Breakers
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain.
I was re-reading the prayer of Jonah and it sounded to me that he was calling out to God before being swallowed because he was talking in Chapter 2 about the “currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I have been banished from your site; the engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me…when my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, O Lord…” Perhaps, Chapter 2 is a verbal outpouring of the recollection of his thoughts while he was in the waters. I think journaling does that for me.
During dire circumstances, I couldn’t necessarily put my thoughts on paper but just cry out. Then when an opportunity comes, I sit down and recall my experience and add what the Lord was teaching me. Rabbit trailing…
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning?
I have had quite a few and trying to decide which one to share. I remember as a 10-11 year-old, disobeying my parents and paying with physical marks that I still have on my body like a long barely visible mark on my leg as I fell from a tree when I was supposed to be taking care of my younger brother. The other incident was being with my brother, too. I did not care who was in the boat with me and got not only myself but my brother in trouble.
In nursing school, I led my class in some negative activism and was class president then. That was really foolish of me and I actually got called to the counselor’s office and was talked to gently about my behavior. Again, I did not see who was in the boat with me.
I look back at these incidents and realize how much of a risk-taker I was then and for a time as an adult. And now I can’t help but be thankful for the mercy and grace of God.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why? God’s scandalous mercy. God’s running after people who are running away from Him. It’s easy for me to forget some days how good God is and it’s good for me to be reminded of His mercy to me and that it’s He who chased me down.
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
A. It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book. I think there is some truth to that in the OT we can read of a lot about God’s wrath (the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, in Jeremiah, Isaiah, and the Israelites are told to destroy an entire town they conquer) The NT tells us the rest of story.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.” Will his actions show he is repenting or just a temporary turnaround to get out of the fish.
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
A. What strikes you and why?That the people or animals couldn’t drink anything. Pretty extreme. Thinking children and animals wouldn’t understand and wouldn’t be happy.
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer? Not sure
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today? I already listened. Maybe because I’m grouchy and need to repent
I’m glad that I read through the questions before I listened to Paige. I will answer this first. 6. Read Jonah 3 out loud. A. What strikes you and why? The immediate response of the Ninevites to Jonah’s warning. Most people would wait until something started happening before repenting. B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer? Did the people of Nineveh become worshippers of the one true God alone or did they just do what they thought would appease this god and continue in their polytheism? My guess is that they didn’t truly turn to God alone and that they’re being saved from disaster was an object lesson for Jonah (and us). But I would like to think that some did. C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today? To show me that it’s ok to be that one voice that speaks the truth even when surrounded by unbelievers because you can never underestimate God’s power to save. I have a tendency to keep quiet among unbelievers.
My first impression of you in person, Dawn, was how very quiet you were. But I have gotten to know you through your answers and think what riches you have to share if you speak up!
Thursday: Introduction and Text
Listen through when Paige reads through Jonah 3.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why?
—Her quote that “It takes a whole Bible to make a whole Christian.”
That is such a good truth and important to understanding the need to read, know and study the Bible as a whole and not just selected books or parts of it. Seeing the Word of God in its complete context emphasizes its truth and can keep a Christian from error if correctly applied to life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
A. It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.”
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific.
—I loved this reminder of God’s scandalous mercy. Because of my acceptance of Jesus as a child I don’t identity with a life before salvation but in my adult life as a believer I have shared before that I was a long time coming to understand God’s scandalous mercy and particularly His scandalous grace toward me. But when I did come to know it and how deeply loved I have felt and experienced it from Him. That has had a profound effect on how I view the unsaved now and the power of the Gospel toward those who don’t know or are running from God.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
A. What strikes you and why?
—Verse 5 stands out to me. “And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.”
Specifically “the people of Nineveh believed God”. It doesn’t say they believed Jonah. In the message he brought to them they understood it was God speaking and they believed, responded and acted out their repentance. And status in life didn’t matter. It reached all the way to the King of Ninevah. It speaks to the power of the Word of God applied by the Holy Spirit to any life who will listen.
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer?
—I wonder how they knew and identified that God had a fierce anger toward them and recognized their need to stop their extremely evil and violent ways.
I read some Warren Wiersbe commentary that said “there were nearly a million people in and around Nineveh, and the city itself had great walls and towers. It was the center of the rising empire of Assyria. But it was a sinful city (read Nahum 3) because the Assyrians were a ruthless,cruel people who had no pity for their enemies. “Violence” was their chief sin (v. 8)…..,History tells us that the Assyrians were a cruel and heartless people who thought nothing of burying their enemies alive, skinning them alive, or impaling them on sharp poles under the hot sun. ”
—I assume it had to be an overwhelming conviction coming directly from God’s Holy Spirit.
Wiersbe said “This was undoubtedly one of the greatest evangelistic harvests in history.”
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today?
—My friend and neighbor Christy has started a friendship with a man who really needs Jesus. His life now at 70 years old is pretty much a failure and I think God is running after him. He has a small measure of notoriety among the Cowboy culture and horse people in our area. And they have all written him off. But I believe God is running after him. Christy has shared how Jesus has changed her life and he is listening to her. This study has helped me set aside the very negative voices about him and believe it is in God’s power to convict him and save him.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why? This is kind of off topic, but really what stood out to me was when she said that people will comment, what about this or why didn’t you talk about this. It seems strange to me that people would comment that when every single chapter of the bible can be approached from various directions and have sermons of different themes preached about them or areas to study more in depth. That’s what make the bible worth reading repeatedly. You can never gain all of the knowledge and wisdom that it has no matter how much you study it. 4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following: A. It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book. This is so true. Not only do you have to read it all, but you have to compare scripture to scripture as it explains itself. B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.” I’m sure he thought that he meant it at the time. 5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific. Although there are many examples in my life, the most pivotal would have to be when I was first married. Growing up, my mom sporadically took us to Catholic church until we made our first communion, then no more. A few years, later a neighbor picked us up in a Baptist church bus and took us to church for a couple of years, so by the time I got married I believed in God, but really didn’t think about Him much. I would pray occasionally when something was going really wrong in my life, but it never crossed my mind to go to church or read the bible. I did what I felt like doing drinking, swearing, gossiping, lying, etc. and I was enjoying my life. But God brought a fellow Army wife into my life. I had to live with her for the first 2 weeks after I was married as my housing wasn’t ready and both of our husbands were away for training. She kept inviting me to church and played contemporary Christian songs all the time (which I didn’t even know existed before then). After a month or so of declining to go, she practically begged me to go just once, so I reluctantly went. After that Sunday I never quit going to church and it has changed my life and my family’s life. There was no reason at all for God to pursue me, just his scandalous mercy!
Dawn I too loved hearing your testimony of the friend who pursued you. She is an example of God’s grace pursuing you through her. And then wonderfully that you saw your need and came to Christ. You have a strong testimony of the change God brought to you life.
I left out the part about how the Baptist church is where I met my future husband. Even though I left that church when I was 12 and he was 14, he had my phone # and address from being friends back then with my brother. One day out of the blue when I was 17 and he was in the Army he started writing to me.
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain.
I think he cried out while he was in the fish. So, not before OR after the three days, but during the three days.
“Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”
Jonah 1:17 NLT
“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!”
Jonah 2:1-2 NLT
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning?
When I was trying to control everything and everyone in my realm, when my kids were teens, there were a couple of embarrassing things I did out of frustration. One was screaming at a social worker and asking him if he had even been educated in his career. Ugh. I should have prayed and asked God to take over for me!
Thursday: Introduction and Text
Listen through when Paige reads through Jonah 3.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why? God is running after people who are running away from him. Oh, what manner of love the Father has indeed given to us! We undeserving people have a God who would not let go. As Sally Lloyd Jones said, “the never-stopping, never-ending love of God”.
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
A. It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book.
66 books pointing to HIStory. That is all.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.”
Do I walk the talk? This comes to mind. The Christian life is not a sprint; it is a marathon. But we are admonished to run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific.
Just when I see that I am about to give up on God, I see Him running after me. He does not leave me where I am at. I did not realize that all the running after the things of the world is running away from God. But He never gave up on me.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
A. What strikes you and why?
The city must be big for it to be a three-day walk. It struck me that the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. Jonah already knew what God wanted him to do. Perhaps, God knew that Jonah needed to be reassured that He was commissioning him to go in spite of what Jonah did the first time.
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer?
Why was he only one day into the city of Nineveh and the people and the king responded right away? How did the word get to the rest of the city? They must have “criers” who rode horses.
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today?
God responds to true repentance. He is merciful to the nth degree. I should not give up on people if I think they look like hopeless people.
My son and I discussed this very thing tonight about not giving up on people who seem hopeless because there is always hope when we take God into account. I’m still sitting in absolute astonishment that God rescued my dear son when I thought his situation was so hopeless. I don’t think I will ever get over the wonder of it.
Missy, what a beautiful, wonderful story of God never giving up on your son! Yes. Tell us more about it! That gives me hope for my daughter, indeed! Thank you for sharing.
I’m so very thankful, Dee, that you have done the study with us on Jonah with Paige! I just can’t tell you how meaningful it has been in my life. Just because I’m not on here much these days, don’t think for one minute my heart isn’t here and I’m not listening and taking notes in the background. This very night, I discussed with my son about how we never know how Jonah turned out. He seemed a disappointment to God to the very end of the book. I’m so glad you brought out what Tim Keller said that Jonah must’ve matured because only he could’ve written this book about his life and included the embarrassing parts. The whole little book is an embarrassment, but oh how much I’m learning . I was telling a co-worker yesterday about how I’m learning so much from this study on Jonah and how I’m seeing it in a different light than I had previously. He asked me to explain. So I told him that I previously thought of the book of Jonah as an example to us to not be disobedient to God or else we would face grave consequences. Of course that is part of it, but how different my outlook is becoming! This book is about the love and mercy and grace of God Who continually pursues His wayward servant. If I were God, I might’ve let Jonah drown in that deep sea for that is what he deserved to dare to disobey God. But instead, God prepares a storm, then prepares a fish at just the precise moment to swallow Jonah and spare his life and give him another chance, even knowing that he would then obey but not from his heart. He would continue with his bad attitude to the end of the book. I thought about how many times God has prepared a fish for me, that I might get to the end of myself and have to look up so He could deliver me from myself. Oh, the long suffering grace and mercy and love of our lovely Lord Jesus. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it! Prone to leave the God I love! Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.
Miriam, It is so good to have you weigh in here with us. I too feel like this study on Jonah is so incredibly good and I have learned so much and have a completely different perspective on it’s meaning. And so blessed to hear about your son. Praying God will continue to do a good work in his life.
Miriam — I can’t tell you how much your post means to me. Truly.
Want to hear more about your son. And I too have loved the paradigm changer about Jonah being like the Run-A-Way bunny book. And your son being an illustration.
And I see such value in the women in the blog it helps me. I just finished listening to Jill Dugger’s book about the cult her family was in and her escape. At one point she told a story of a man who confronted her dad about his statement that he was doing more than Jill and her husband when they were missionaries in El Salvador because he had this huge television audience. The man’s point is we go where God sends us, whether it is to one or a million.
Friday: God Calls and Jonah Responds
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point?
—Verse 3:1 is Take 2 of 1:1 in that it adds “the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time…”
I thought it interesting that She makes the point Jonah was unique in that he is the only prophet that God gave a second chance to obey Him and it demonstrates God’s grace to Jonah and all who are involved in this story of God’s active grace toward them.
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
A. Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Ninevah? If not, why is He doing it?
—She said only God would have been willing to use Jonah after what had transpired.
I find that encouraging that God never gives up on us.
—The easy way to have a 4 year old birthday party is don’t include the 4 year olds.
An easier way for God to have brought his message to Ninevah would have been without Jonah.
The petulant, pouty little prophet. This made me smile 😊
—She said God’s grace is just continuing to be at work where Jonah was concerned.
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.)
—Her statement on this stood out to me.
“He will change us but He will not change His will. “
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey?
—Being in the same church family over the long term I find there are a number of people who have come and gone through the years. It has been good to see some go and sad to see others leave but there are some who stay and are difficult to live with. They are hard to love. But over time God has not let me off the hook. Knowing that He loves them with equal depth in how he loves me has been a reminder of my responsibility to love them too. He has had to change me because it is his will that I love them. And in some cases I am still being challenged to obey because they are not going away and there is no evidence that he will take me down a different path. And this teaching is a reminder I’m the Jonah at times who needs God to chase after me and change me.
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point? The words a second time are in 3:1 God s call to Jonah didn’t change He didn’t find someone else. His plan was to have Jonah go to Nineveh.
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
A. Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Ninevah? If not, why is He doing it? No God didn’t need Jonah.
B. The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson) what a beautiful thought. He never gives up on us and for us to do the good works He’s prepared in advance.
From Judy:
The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson) what a beautiful thought. He never gives up on us and for us to do the good works He’s prepared in advance.
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.) yes Peter changed and helped evangelize the known world.
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey? Waiting for people to call me back to schedule appointments He is saying be patient, trust Me Don’t try to read anything into the delays.
10. Tim Keller: God’s love is a spiritual tornado. He never sucks you in that He doesn’t send you out. Comment? (How do you see this in Jonah or in your own life?). Our turning to God is just the launching pad. He has plans bigger and deeper than the starting point. His grace will be included and involved.
11. Comment (if you like) on her story of her friend on the phone in Starbucks not wanting her sister to bring a rogue casserole to Thanksgiving. Point? The friend had it planned and that is the way she wanted it, no flexibility or substitutions.
12. What stands out to you from Jonah’s sermon in verse 4? Why so short, do you think? Yet he was the most successful prophet ever. Why, do you think? No misunderstanding of the message. No room for Jonah’s input or inadvertent word change. He spoke and they took God seriously, put on sackcloth and repented.
13. What reason does Paige think God gave them forty more days to repent? Biblically significant period of time, God’s fullness of time.
14. What is surprising about Ninevah’s response? (v. 5 through 9) Share everything you can. They believed God. Fast proclaimed for everyone. Wore sackcloth. The king humbled himself took off royal robes, wore sackcloth and sat down in dust. King made a proclamation no one including animals could eat or drink or taste anything, wear sackcloth and call urgently in God. They were told to give up their evil ways and violence.
15. Comment if you like:
A. What was her point with her story of meeting with a smart girl at Vanderbilt? Parallel with Ninevites? Have you ever had an experience evangelistically like this? The girl was ready right then to give her commitment to Jesus . The Ninevites were ready to change their ways. Not quite like hers but I and another woman had a young woman admit fairly quickly she wanted to accept Jesus as Lord.
B. Her point about Zach’s sermon at Asbury last April? It was just an ordinary chapel morning and Holy Spirit changed things and lit things up so incredibly that people didn’t want to leave and others came.
C. What is your response time to the clear word of God? (She said she usually plans to make a response later.) I try to act on it but I know other times I miss the mark and kind of ignore.
D. What was the scope of their repentance? (verse 5) They believed God, declared a fast for all and put on sackcloth. They cried urgently to Gid
16. In this passage, How do you see sincerity in the people and the king? How do you see leveling? From top to bottom all the people including the king put on sackcloth and fasted and cried out to God. It wasn’t just the workers and farmers the royal court fasted.
17. How do you try to let people know who you are when you walk into a room? Do you care? Be as genuine as you can be. I kind of like to stay around the edges and maybe seek out another person I know or who looks like they wish they were somewhere else. No I don’t think I care.
Love this from Judy:
I kind of like to stay around the edges and maybe seek out another person I know or who looks like they wish they were somewhere else. No I don’t think I care.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why?
I have not thought of Jonah as a book of mercy before, from God’s perspective, rather, a book of the human not following God and what happens to him. There is so much here and she even says there is more!
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book.
The entire Bible is one of the message of salvation through Christ. BUT, I have learned that Jonah was running and God was pursuing, not only Jonah but anyone else in the way! So that represents the story of salvation, right? And, it’s just one book 🤷🏻♀️.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.”
I do think he means his prayer because he is desperate. His prayer sounds like a Psalm to me. David was desperate in the Psalms.
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific.
I don’t know that I knew He was running after me in college; I made so many mistakes and was not connected to Him at all. I do believe that He left a piece of Himself, that we long for, inside of each of us, no matter how lost we are in our lives. That piece, reminds us at times what we should be doing, not what we are doing. For example, the looters in Philadelphia (I’m guessing) have all had a moment when they thought, is this right? Or, should we be doing this? Or even, (if raised in church) what would Jesus/God/mom/gma/gfa/, etc. think? We may know this as our conscious, but I prefer to think of it as the piece that He left to remind us of who we actually are; His.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
What strikes you and why?
I’m interested in why the pagans of Nineveh cared enough to listen to Jonah. I don’t get the feeling they knew him, so why would they bother?
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer?
My question is above. My best guess is he scared them.
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today?
It might be good for me to listen to God, even though he is sometimes hard to hear and understand. He sends messages from unlikely sources. This happened to me recently with respect to the bad habit I have kicked. I kept getting messages in strange ways that all had to do with the same idea. Finally, I listened! I am looking forward to experiencing whatever He has planned for me because I have listened.
Friday
God calls and Jonah responds
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point?
Both started with a call from God, but the second verse has an additional clause, which is “the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time”.
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
A. Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Ninevah? If not, why is He doing it?
Only God wants to use Jonah again at this point. God does not need Jonah to go to Nineveh. He is calling Jonah again because He wants to use him as He intended to use him the first time around.
B. The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson)
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.)
Yes, Peter has changed. It is interesting to note that Peter denied Jesus at a campfire and Jesus restored Peter at a campfire. I could just imagine Peter having flashbacks to that night when he denied Jesus 3x.
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey?
Loving the unlovable. The classroom is such a place where my love has often been tested. Some days are harder than others. often remember God’s grace to me and this helps me be loving if at times I don’t really feel inclined to do so.
17. How do you try to let people know who you are when you walk into a room? Do you care? Be as genuine as you can be.
—This whole teaching on the humility aspect of the Ninevites and the leveling God brought about is powerful to say the least.
She basically said the gospel comes in with its call to repentance and truly levels everybody. And if we truly get it, it makes us give up those things which make us look different than anyone else and the things which make us feel better or above others. It gives us a longing to be in solidarity with anyone else who knows their need of Jesus. She asked and answered. “Do you know who I am? I’m somebody who needs Jesus and so are you.”
I am guilty of walking into the room too often concerned with how I look and what makes me acceptable to others. Making my family look shiny. Hoping my image lets me fits in. Interestingly though I find my self very put off by shallow or pretentious people. I really don’t want to be one of them not because I am deeply humble but because they are annoying. And to be frankly honest they usually steal the limelight in a room. I have been attempting in recent years to be aware of my need to look at people through the lens of grace. Trying to step out of presenting myself in a favorable light and trying to listen to the hearts of those I am in the room with and see them for who they are in their own need. This teaching encourages me to meet people at ground level. But I confess it is hard. Old habits of insecurity and posturing die hard.
Bev, I get this- But I confess it is hard. Old habits of insecurity and posturing die hard. The world is such that I find myself trying to connect with people who have clout, so to say, to further what I often think is what God wants me to pursue for the good of those who are not listened to. I need to continually check my motivations. It is such a fine line. But I also have been encouraged by Esther’s story: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 and Nehemiah as cupbearer to the king; Daniel. But then I look at Jesus. His life was all of humility fully trusting God to bring about His will in His life. Philippians 2 The natural man is so present still in my life.
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point? The word of the Lord came to Jonah, but in 3:1 it says that it came a second time which means that it was the same command from the Lord. His instructions to Jonah didn’t change based on Jonah’s reaction.
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
A. Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Nineveh? If not, why is He doing it? No one would use Jonah after this. God does not need Jonah to go to Nineveh in order to accomplish His will. It would have been easier for God to just leave Jonah out of the whole thing. It’s because of His grace toward Jonah that He allows him a second chance to be the voice of God to the Ninevites. B. The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson) It never ceases to amaze me that God hasn’t given up on me and continues to pursue me.
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.) Sometimes we run from God and when we finally stop running and return to Him, we are hoping for a situation different (better) than what we ran from. 9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey? With difficult work situations. I changed jobs 2 years ago. I had 30 years of history at my former work place and things that happened 10 or 20 years ago were still being brought up by some people, it was a really toxic environment and it was time for a fresh start. I decided that this time I wasn’t going to get caught up in the drama, complain about anyone to anyone else (even if it seemed justified and I REALLY wanted to) and would just do my job to the best of my ability regardless of what anyone else was doing. While I still like it tenfold over where I was working before, I am still being challenged to not focus on what others are gossiping or complaining about, how some people aren’t doing their fair share of the workload and how some of the less pleasant parts of the job are being avoided by others so I end up doing them. I have to see it as an opportunity to show that I can do my job for His glory alone and that means changing the way I think about what is going on around me. It’s still a work in progress, but I was pleased to hear at my annual review how impressed my manager was that I just focus on my job and never get flustered or complain and that I stay out of the drama.
In 1:1, he is addressed as the “son of Amittai.” Well, maybe it’s more formal the first time, and the second could be less formal due to his behavior?
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Ninevah? If not, why is He doing it?
No one would use Jonah! Only God.
There must be an easier way than to use him! God doesn’t need him really. It’s not the most effective way to get the job done. It was God’s amazing grace continuing.
God is determined to use Jonah!
B. The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson)
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.)
We have a choice to change, or not. God is not going to change His requests or His standard. We will need to conform.
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey?
Sunday:
18. Share a God Hunt from the week or church today.
—We were grateful that our granddaughter Aerilyn turned a definite corner health wise last week and God answered many prayers for her. She truly is her old self again which is pretty spunky and engaging. We continue to learn more about her special needs with spina bifida. As she grows in size with having a brain shunt and an incontinent bowel and bladder there are nerve issues that come into play and how they affect her. We thank God for providing a very competent and caring Christian doctor locally to help the kids walk through diagnosing and making decisions for her care since her specialists at Children’s Hospital are all in Omaha 4 hours drive away.
Aerilyn turned 10 on last Tuesday and she was able to celebrate her birthday and enjoy herself. I took her for her first manicure which she said she was delighted to have done by a “professional”
And even though she has no development in her ankles and no feeling in her feet she loved having gold sparkle polish on her toes.
We went to lunch where she wanted and did some shopping for yarn for knitting that she is just starting to try. It was a delightful day and a God hunt after her being sick for almost 3 weeks.
Sunday:
18. Share a God Hunt from the week or church today.
A lesson I took from Jonah is not to run away from what God is asking me to do even when it is not convenient and when I think the person is taking advantage of me.
It was my “Me day” and I was looking forward to doing what I felt would be a refreshment to my body and soul. And I was to meet a couple of friends to check out the new business in town later in the afternoon!
But then I got a phone call from a lady who goes to our church wanting to visit. Ugh! And she called too early in the morning. I was complaining to God about it but a nudge from God helped me tell her that I could meet with her later in the afternoon at our church. I would help my husband with a few chores there and meet up with another friend who was decorating the sanctuary. I mentioned a time to which she replied she would try. Then I got a text from my husband telling me that the lady was already there half an hour before our appointed time to meet! Ugh! I kept telling myself, it was God who ordained the “interruption” to my “Me Day” but I was like Jonah, “pouty”.
When we finally sat down, God spoke to my heart about how tender He has been with me during times of anxiety and confusion. I felt my body relaxed and let God move me toward what purpose He had for both of us. We talked and I prayed with her. She came in looking troubled but left with a little bit more of a smile on her face.
Although my day’s schedule wasn’t what I hoped for, I believe God was the faithful One who orchestrated my day. And in an unexpected way, my body and soul were refreshed. God gave me a better “Me Day”!
19. She tells about a young woman who was questioning the professor and he asked her, “What are you going to do about your guilt?” How was this related to Jonah? Have you experienced this? If so, share. Jonah’s second call to go to Nineveh rearranged everything he planned
20. Comment if you like: Story about Mrs. Aster and the Titanic — her point? Monumental news about us or loved ones, instantly changes our priorities. On the Titanic instead of being concerned about her expensive jewelry, Mrs. Astor grabbed 2 oranges. What was once significant to her was pushed into the background by the impending doom.
21. There is repentance in minds and in hearts but must also be in our lives. Where have you truly repented and your life shows it?
22. Read Isaiah 58:5-10 Point? That I surrender myself and love others regardless if they can do something for me. Those in chains, treated unjustly, hungry, naked or just in need.
23. What are your evil ways that are prominent that you don’t want to give up? I’d like to get rid of selfishness and pride, but I haven’t done that yest.
24. How is Zaccheus an example of true surrender? He changed his ways. Gave half of what he had to the poor and anyone he defrauded he restored four fold.
25. What evidence is there in the text that Ninevites truly surrendered? God saw it.
26. How does Jesus hold up Ninevites to the Pharisees? Jesus told them that One was there greater than Jonah, but they wouldn’t give up their way of life.
27. Are we saved by repentance? No, saved by God. True repentance runs to the Lord in complete surrender. Everything changes when you call out to God.
28. What pattern does she show about calling out to God? Point? Nineveh could have starved, u put on sackcloth and sat in ashes and nothing would have changed if they had not called out to God. Everything changed when the sailors called out to God. Everything changed for Jonah when he called out to God.
—These are challenging and hard personal questions.
19. She tells about a young woman who was questioning the professor and he asked her, “What are you going to do about your guilt?” How was this related to Jonah? Have you experienced this? If so, share.
—This part of the teaching on the Ninevites and their guilt but how they demonstrated genuine humility was a whole new perspective for me concerning the repentance of the Ninevites. It was helpful to see her explanation of the fact that they saw their guilt and it put them all on an equal level of status. All external indicators were removed. She noted that even the king 1. Left his throne. 2. Took off his robe. 3. Put on sackcloth. 4. He sat in ashes. In recognition of their guilt there was a complete overthrowing of status. She said:
“The gospel comes in with its call to repentance and truly levels everybody. And if we truly get it, it makes us give up those things which make us look different than anyone else and makes us feel better or above others. It gives us a longing to be in solidarity with anyone else who knows their need of Jesus.”
“The Ninevites saw their guilt. And it superseded everything else in their lives immediately. “
I am not sure when I truly understood my guilt as a sinner for it has been a few years ago and there wasn’t a crises to precipitate it. But there was a point for me that through reading and study or someone’s teaching I got it. God clarified in my mind exactly what Jesus had done for me. I truly understood that the ground at the foot of the Cross is level. Now to live it out continues to be somewhat of a struggle because of the flesh but spiritually I desire to set aside the externals and not be like Jonah. It takes the consistent input of the Word and prayer to make a difference in my life.
21. There is repentance in minds and in hearts but must also be in our lives. Where have you truly repented and your life shows it?
—Like I said these are hard questions. I struggle to identify a change or changes in my direction in life where a definite “turn” happened. Accepting Christ into my life as a very young child I didn’t experience a clear life before Jesus and after Jesus. The sanctifying work of the Gospel by the Holy Spirit has been been a long slow process over the course of my life. I do realize I have had to repent of heart attitudes that were wrong and Jesus is still working on me in my thought processes to have his mind and put His grace into practice.
22. Read Isaiah 58:5-10 Point?
—Isaiah was calling out the Israelites for fasting and practicing rituals attempting to please God but not having a true heart change where they changed their lives and practiced godliness toward others in genuineness.
23. What are your evil ways that are prominent that you don’t want to give up?
—She listed a few possible prominent sins When she asked
What are your prominent sins? We are told to “Give up your evil ways”. So I have to ask What is my way of life? Bigoted? Materialistic? Unloving self righteousness? Self promoting?
Honestly though I do want to give up prominent sins. I’ve learned that God’s way is far better than my old sinful ways.
—This question is hard because evil is a word I tend to reserve for people who have evil hearts and as a result commit horrendous acts of sin. When I think of evil I think of Satan and his minions. I’ve always viewed it as a malicious character quality.
In my mind I just don’t put myself in the evil category. For me it just isn’t a generic word. So I have to back up here and ask what it means and define sin. If all sin is in the category of evil then I have to confess to being evil. I don’t question the fact that I am capable of sinning to a much deeper depth than I have ever experienced and I know I need to make confession and repentance a regular part of my life in order to have as clean of walk and testimony as possible until my flesh is resurrected. I still stumble in sin but I couldn’t be more grateful for the scriptural promise from 1 John 1:9.
But I must always remember 1:9 is sandwiched between the truths of verses 8 & 10.
8. If we claim we have no sin, we
are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.”
25. What evidence is there in the text that Ninevites truly surrendered?
—Verse 10 “When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.”
They put a stop to their evil ways.
27. Are we saved by repentance?
—Paige made it perfectly clear the answer is No!
She said “We are saved by God.
True repentance runs to the Lord.
To collapse and surrender your whole self. Not asking God to take just my sin but asking God to take me as his own. “
28. What pattern does she show about calling out to God? Point?
—She pointed out that
In Chapter 1
Everything changed for the sailors when they called out to God.
In Chapter 2
Everything changed for Jonah when he called out to God.
In Chapter 3
Everything changed for Ninevah when they called out to God.
Therefore we have to call out to God and come to Jesus to be changed.
29. What stood out to you from her statement that God is not obligated to respond to her repentance? (verse 7) God is only fulfilling His promises when people respond to Him. He made His promises according to His own nature and He keeps His promises. (Jer 18 mentioned) There is no sin so great that can bring damnation on a sinner who repents. This compassion cost God everything.
30. Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred. What does she mean when she says “God does not forgive sin, but rather, forgives sinners.” God is just and sin still needs to be paid for. God relented from disaster on Nineveh. Jesus took the punishment for my sin and their sin.
31. 800 years later Jesus came running to take their judgment. (See Jonah 1:2) Why can He look with compassion on Ninevah when we know God cannot look upon sin? Because Jesus took the punishment and destruction for their sin. God looks with compassion on Ninenvah because God’s face turned away from Jesus.
32. She tells a story about Tom who was with the KKK and his transformation. Why did her two friends choke on grace for two different reasons? 1. They took advantage of Tom while he was in prison to manipulate for Jesus for religion. You think he has to have Jesus. 2. Your dad told him he could be forgiven. He gets to have Jesus?
33. What is your take-a-way and why? God manifests His sovereignty not in stubbornness or judgement but in grace. His good pleasure from His love. When I have thought about Jonah what remember is Jonah’s disobedience and the 3 days in a big fish until he is willing to obey. The story I have learned is not about that. It’s about God’s grace saving the sailors relenting on Ninevah’s punishment and saving Jonah. God’s sovereignty manifests in grace.
I’m sorry that I don’t have time to read and respond to others comments here. But I am learning a lot from Paige’s study – some very sobering thoughts about why Jesus had to come to pay for our sins.
33. What is your take-a-way and why?
Paige said, “Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred.” This is a very good point. God cannot just make the penalty for sin go away. Someone has to pay it. That someone is either us or Jesus. It makes me cringe to think of all the evil things that people have done through the centuries that Jesus had to die for on the cross. We are so wicked! Jesus died so that we don’t have to pay the penalty for our sin, but we have to repent and turn to Him. I had never really thought of it that way. It makes the crucifixion all the more real. Thank you, Jesus, for taking my sin on yourself.
Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.
29. What stood out to you from her statement that God is not obligated to respond to her repentance? (verse 7)
—Because it was not about her repentance and not about what they had or had not done. God did not owe it to them. She said they had a mature understanding that they were asking for mercy and even in that they knew He did not owe it to them. As pagans they lived by the thinking that you did your rituals and practices to favor your gods and they would pay you back favorably. But God is sovereign. He is completely free to act according to his own pleasure. The sailors and the king of Nineveh understood it was totally God’s prerogative to answer.
These comments stood out to me:
“Why do we repent and call out to God?
Because He is God!
There is no other place to go.
We get in line with reality when we bow our lives before Him.
Repentance is not a tool, it is not a weapon. It is a grace. It is a gift.
The miracle is that God answers them.”
30. Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred. What does she mean when she says “God does not forgive sin, but rather, forgives sinners.”
—Because the sin has to be paid for.
31. 800 years later Jesus came running to take their judgment. (See Jonah 1:2) Why can He look with compassion on Nineveh when we know God cannot look upon sin?
—It’s all because of Jesus. I loved her comment that 800 years later the Son of God came running with the same heart of God.
She said of Jesus. He took their disaster, he took their destruction, he took their judgement, he took their penalty. He took my disaster, he took my destruction, he took my judgement, he took my penalty. All sin was transferred on to Jesus.
32. She tells a story about Tom who was with the KKK and his transformation. Why did her two friends choke on grace for two different reasons?
—The liberal girl thought Tom was used and taken advantage of to accept the Gospel. The other self righteous girl thought Tom didn’t even deserve the Gospel. Neither understood true grace.
33. What is your take-a-way and why?
—Oh my! So many. It’s the culmination of her teaching this week is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is outrageous.
She said “God manifests his sovereignty not in stubbornness, not in even in judgement. He manifest it in grace. Out of his own heart. God is for deliverance not destruction.
Nineveh was overthrown. 😊
Turned completely upside down.
He (Jesus) responded and he came in perfect love and perfect submission and in perfect sacrifice to call me and you. The only question left is “Will we respond?” We will be over thrown and we will be leveled.”
—This teaching left me in awe of the scope of the Gospel and how it reaches over the ages. Jesus died for the people of Nineveh as well as for me living today thousands of years later.
Listen up to the story she tells about the professor asking the woman: “What are you going to do about your guilt?
Listen for about 10 minutes up to Jonah Calls and Ninevah Responds
11. Comment (if you like) on her story of her friend on the phone in Starbucks not wanting her sister to bring a rogue casserole to Thanksgiving. Point?
There is no Rogue message with God. he says what he means and means what He says. His work is great. The power is in the message not the messenger.
12. What stands out to you from Jonah’s sermon in verse 4?
It is one sentence!!
Why so short, do you think?
It must have been exactly what God wanted to say.
Yet he was the most successful prophet ever. Why, do you think?
Again, God wanted it. He wanted the people to repent and live.
13. What reason does Paige think God gave them forty more days to repent?
It’s biblically significant. It’s probably like God is giving them a spiritual time to come to your senses.
14. What is surprising about Ninevah’s response? (v. 5 through 9) Share everything you can.
The timing (Jonah is just walking the streets, he does not go to the king), and who is involved (no one is excluded, including the animals) is surprising.
They don sackcloths.
They king takes off his robe. He dons sackcloth and sits on a pile of ashes.
No one ate or drank anything.
They turned to God and repented.
They anticipated their punishment.
15. Comment if you like:
What was her point with her story of meeting with a smart girl at Vanderbilt?
Paige thought a very smart woman who wanted to speak to her was kind of intimidating so she went home and studied up on her defense of Christianity. When they finally meet, the woman asked her how to know Jesus. We do not really know people, do we?
Parallel with Ninevites? Have you ever had an experience evangelistically like this?
I guess it’s kind of like them 🤷🏻♀️. Jonah judged them by their reputation. He never thought they would care about God.
Her point about Zach’s sermon at Asbury last April?
It was a “normal” sermon. Nothing “special.” God wanted the blossoming that came out of the sermon.
What is your response time to the clear word of God? (She said she usually plans to make a response later.)
It takes a long time for me to understand exactly what God wants me to do.
What was the scope of their repentance? (verse 5)
They listened!
16. In this passage, How do you see sincerity in the people and the king? How do you see leveling?
There is a sincerity of the people. There is a genuine humility. They (all) visibly lower themselves.
17. How do you try to let people know who you are when you walk into a room? Do you care? Be as genuine as you can be.
I have, in the past, really cared about my appearance. As I get older I don’t care as much. I do like to talk, so I do 🤷🏻♀️
This was a little much for me this week so I have to make myself content with listening to Paige and reading your comments here. Paige can say a lot in an hour or so and I find myself slowing down to process things and can’t think quick enough to write my thoughts on paper! She often hits me in the guts!
And for some reason, this study has given me such a different perspective on how to read the Word of God. Every time I read the Bible, I write more things in my journal and I know I have read those verses before but obviously, they are more radioactive to me these days. Haggai, Nahum, and Zephaniah have taken on much more life lately. Sorry for the rabbit trail.
My takeaway is the same as Diane: “Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred.” And this too: “God does not forgive sins, He forgives sinners.” These 2 quotes are like a light bulb to me. I have a deep, deep awareness of the magnitude of what Jesus has done for me. What judgment I deserved, He took for me. What good I have received and continue to receive, He imputed on me.
I am no diferentthan the Ninevites. I have my evil ways-pride, selfishness, and idols of comfort and approval. I need to call on God and be confident He will answer according to His nature.
Thank you, Dee, for this study.
19. She tells about a young woman who was questioning the professor and he asked her, “What are you going to do about your guilt?” How was this related to Jonah? Have you experienced this? If so, share.
I don’t understand this 🤷🏻♀️.
20. Comment if you like: Story about Mrs. Aster and the Titanic — her point?
I guess you’ve take the most important thing…she might need to eat? Her perspective changes?
21. There is repentance in minds and in hearts but must also be in our lives. Where have you truly repented and your life shows it?
I think I have repented for leaving God while I was a teen and into college. I now could never live without Him.
22. Read Isaiah 58:5-10 Point?
We go through the motions of being sorry for our sins. But do we do it for Him or for ourselves? Your life must actually change.
23. What are your evil ways that are prominent that you don’t want to give up?
I think I am not generous enough. 24. How is Zaccheus an example of true surrender?
He gave away his wealth.
25. What evidence is there in the text that Ninevites truly surrendered?
They turned.
26. How does Jesus hold up Ninevites to the Pharisees?
As a model of repentance for us (and them).
27. Are we saved by repentance?
No. We are saved by God.
28. What pattern does she show about calling out to God? Point?
God responds when we call out to Him. When we need help we should call out to God. We also know we don’t deserve help.
This reminds me of what a woman told Kathy Troccoli who was trying to stump her with questions. “Kathy — I can’t answer all your questions but Jesus will be Lord whether you receive Him or not.”
29. What stood out to you from her statement that God is not obligated to respond to her repentance? (verse 7) The truth of it. Sometimes after making some much needed changes in my life and expecting things to get better, I have found myself thinking, I’ve changed and started doing things right. Why has nothing changed? Why doesn’t God respond? I have to remind myself that I need to respond to Him because of who He is and not because of what I want. 30. Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred. What does she mean when she says “God does not forgive sin, but rather, forgives sinners.” Sinners can be forgiven, but sin has to be punished/paid for. There has been a payment made through the blood of Christ. 31. 800 years later Jesus came running to take their judgment. (See Jonah 1:2) Why can He look with compassion on Nineveh when we know God cannot look upon sin? Because Christ’s crucifixion was the atonement for all sin that has ever been committed, not just the ones that are repented of or that took place after Christ’s death on the cross. The Ninevites’ sin was covered since before the earth’s foundations were laid. 32. She tells a story about Tom who was with the KKK and his transformation. Why did her two friends choke on grace for two different reasons? One was offended that he needed Jesus and the other was offended that he got Jesus. 33. What is your take-a-way and why? There has to be an abandoning of sin, not just a regretting. It’s not enough to just feel bad about the wrong that I do and wish that I hadn’t done it. I have to be willing to give it all up and allow a real change in my heart, not just my actions.
Sometimes after making some much needed changes in my life and expecting things to get better, I have found myself thinking, I’ve changed and started doing things right. Why has nothing changed? Why doesn’t God respond? I have to remind myself that I need to respond to Him because of who He is and not because of what I want.
Dee, yes, Dawn’s response is so good! I get a regular email from Max Lucado’s website and today, he shared about his new book, which reminded me of our Jonah study. The title is “God Never Gives Up on You: What Jacob’s Story Teaches Us About Grace, Mercy, and God’s Relentless Love.
72 comments
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain. I like the lady’s insight, but also think it depends on translation I read. Then Jonah prayed is in some translations It does say He heard my cry which is past tense. So I don’t know.
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning? I can remember as an early Christian pointing things out or making comments to more mature Christians without having the full knowledge and understanding of the passage.
You are right, Judy — the “then” is there is several translations.
However the description of his prayer sounds like he is remembering his prayer in the ocean too. It is confusing!
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain. It looks to me like he cried out before being swallowed by the fish, but then didn’t pray again for 3 days and 3 night when he then recounts his drowning experience and how he cried out while he was drowning. But it’s hard to imagine being in his position for 3 days and not having any prayer with God.
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning? One thing would be my attitude about some of the choices of what my kids could or couldn’t see, do or participate in. Not that the choices were bad or that I would change them, but it was when I saw other parents allowing their kids to do stuff that I thought was not right for a Christian family. A part of me was waiting to watch the train wreck that their family was going to become or when something unfortunate did happen in their family, thinking to myself that the same thing won’t happen to us because we are doing things right. I had a big problem with thinking that my choices were going to decide the course that my family’s life would take, when it all is in the hands of God.
That’s interesting, Dawn. I just finished listening to Jill Dugger and her husband’s book Count the Cost. One of the teachings of Bill Gothard was that right choices ensure you will be successful. I think there is part of that false thinking in all of us. Thanks for sharing.
Jonah #4 (Paige)
Wednesday: Ice-Breakers
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain.
—I’m not sure. As I read Verse 17 that says “Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.” I feel like it could just be statement of the fact. Some how it would seem to me for Jonah to experience the drowning and sinking into the waves and water of a violent sea and seaweed wrapping itself around you and then to have a huge fish swooping you into its mouth would have been terrifying. Then to realize you were actually alive I just can’t imagine at that point Jonah was still in a stubborn frame of mind. It would have been a place of absolute darkness so he was experiencing true death in some measure because death is separation from God and his light. I wonder how he even would have known time and day and night. What happened as Jonah describes it in his prayer he was certainly confessing his sin and the need of a Savior by looking to the Temple in his prayer for forgiveness in the belly of the fish. That was the purpose of looking to the Temple of God was for forgiveness. Unless he was just mentally out of it I feel like he had to have been praying and coming to terms with God over his situation early on.
But verse 1 of chapter 2 says “then Jonah prayed….” so I would like you Dee wonder about the Hebrew structure of sentences and use of the conjunction and question is the placement of the conjunction then relative to the timing meaning he prayed after 3 days and nights. I don’t know if that is concrete evidence or not.
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning?
—As I consider this question I feel a pattern in my past would be similar to Jonah in that I would tend to write off people who were offensive by their overt sinfulness or people who had hurt me. I frankly didn’t want any association with them. But sometimes these people are in your boat. One for me would be a very difficult brother-in-law. My embarrassment comes from being committed follower of Jesus and having a hardness of heart against him which is a poor testimony of practicing the love of Christ. But God in the recent years has convicted my heart to see him differently and to see him in his deep spiritual need. Early on he didn’t like me and was jealous of my relationship to my sister with whom I am very close. In these later years I am able to be around him and have grown in compassion (by God’s grace) to pray for him and see him for why he is the way he is. And to believe God is dealing with him appropriately but I have a responsibility to practice love toward him regardless of his ways.
That’s a very hard thing to overcome especially in families, Bev. Every time that I thought that I had gotten past it with a difficult sister-in-law (who is a believer) something would happen and all of those old issues would get dredged back up.
Bev, I hadn’t thought about the fact that Jonah wanted to flee from the presence of God but didn’t know that would end him up in total darkness for 3 days and nights. God is the essence of Light itself, and to flee Him must only end in the darkest of night. Brings tears to my eyes just now to think of the never ending pursuing love of God Who brought Jonah from the pit of darkness to the Light of His presence once again. Thank you for bringing this out for me.
Thanks for sharing your heart change about the son-in-law in your boat.
One who studied Hebrew tells me the then is implied but not actually there.
Wednesday: Ice-Breakers
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain.
I was re-reading the prayer of Jonah and it sounded to me that he was calling out to God before being swallowed because he was talking in Chapter 2 about the “currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I have been banished from your site; the engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me…when my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, O Lord…” Perhaps, Chapter 2 is a verbal outpouring of the recollection of his thoughts while he was in the waters. I think journaling does that for me.
During dire circumstances, I couldn’t necessarily put my thoughts on paper but just cry out. Then when an opportunity comes, I sit down and recall my experience and add what the Lord was teaching me. Rabbit trailing…
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning?
I have had quite a few and trying to decide which one to share. I remember as a 10-11 year-old, disobeying my parents and paying with physical marks that I still have on my body like a long barely visible mark on my leg as I fell from a tree when I was supposed to be taking care of my younger brother. The other incident was being with my brother, too. I did not care who was in the boat with me and got not only myself but my brother in trouble.
In nursing school, I led my class in some negative activism and was class president then. That was really foolish of me and I actually got called to the counselor’s office and was talked to gently about my behavior. Again, I did not see who was in the boat with me.
I look back at these incidents and realize how much of a risk-taker I was then and for a time as an adult. And now I can’t help but be thankful for the mercy and grace of God.
So interesting about your negative activism and your gentle counselor. You have such a teachable heart.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why? God’s scandalous mercy. God’s running after people who are running away from Him. It’s easy for me to forget some days how good God is and it’s good for me to be reminded of His mercy to me and that it’s He who chased me down.
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
A. It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book. I think there is some truth to that in the OT we can read of a lot about God’s wrath (the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, in Jeremiah, Isaiah, and the Israelites are told to destroy an entire town they conquer) The NT tells us the rest of story.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.” Will his actions show he is repenting or just a temporary turnaround to get out of the fish.
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
A. What strikes you and why?That the people or animals couldn’t drink anything. Pretty extreme. Thinking children and animals wouldn’t understand and wouldn’t be happy.
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer? Not sure
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today? I already listened. Maybe because I’m grouchy and need to repent
Judy, your last answer cracked me up, maybe because I tend to get grouchy too, and also need to repent!
🙂
I’m glad that I read through the questions before I listened to Paige. I will answer this first.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
A. What strikes you and why? The immediate response of the Ninevites to Jonah’s warning. Most people would wait until something started happening before repenting.
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer? Did the people of Nineveh become worshippers of the one true God alone or did they just do what they thought would appease this god and continue in their polytheism? My guess is that they didn’t truly turn to God alone and that they’re being saved from disaster was an object lesson for Jonah (and us). But I would like to think that some did.
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today? To show me that it’s ok to be that one voice that speaks the truth even when surrounded by unbelievers because you can never underestimate God’s power to save. I have a tendency to keep quiet among unbelievers.
My first impression of you in person, Dawn, was how very quiet you were. But I have gotten to know you through your answers and think what riches you have to share if you speak up!
Thursday: Introduction and Text
Listen through when Paige reads through Jonah 3.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why?
—Her quote that “It takes a whole Bible to make a whole Christian.”
That is such a good truth and important to understanding the need to read, know and study the Bible as a whole and not just selected books or parts of it. Seeing the Word of God in its complete context emphasizes its truth and can keep a Christian from error if correctly applied to life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
A. It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.”
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific.
—I loved this reminder of God’s scandalous mercy. Because of my acceptance of Jesus as a child I don’t identity with a life before salvation but in my adult life as a believer I have shared before that I was a long time coming to understand God’s scandalous mercy and particularly His scandalous grace toward me. But when I did come to know it and how deeply loved I have felt and experienced it from Him. That has had a profound effect on how I view the unsaved now and the power of the Gospel toward those who don’t know or are running from God.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
A. What strikes you and why?
—Verse 5 stands out to me. “And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.”
Specifically “the people of Nineveh believed God”. It doesn’t say they believed Jonah. In the message he brought to them they understood it was God speaking and they believed, responded and acted out their repentance. And status in life didn’t matter. It reached all the way to the King of Ninevah. It speaks to the power of the Word of God applied by the Holy Spirit to any life who will listen.
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer?
—I wonder how they knew and identified that God had a fierce anger toward them and recognized their need to stop their extremely evil and violent ways.
I read some Warren Wiersbe commentary that said “there were nearly a million people in and around Nineveh, and the city itself had great walls and towers. It was the center of the rising empire of Assyria. But it was a sinful city (read Nahum 3) because the Assyrians were a ruthless,cruel people who had no pity for their enemies. “Violence” was their chief sin (v. 8)…..,History tells us that the Assyrians were a cruel and heartless people who thought nothing of burying their enemies alive, skinning them alive, or impaling them on sharp poles under the hot sun. ”
—I assume it had to be an overwhelming conviction coming directly from God’s Holy Spirit.
Wiersbe said “This was undoubtedly one of the greatest evangelistic harvests in history.”
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today?
—My friend and neighbor Christy has started a friendship with a man who really needs Jesus. His life now at 70 years old is pretty much a failure and I think God is running after him. He has a small measure of notoriety among the Cowboy culture and horse people in our area. And they have all written him off. But I believe God is running after him. Christy has shared how Jesus has changed her life and he is listening to her. This study has helped me set aside the very negative voices about him and believe it is in God’s power to convict him and save him.
Lord, please open this cowboy’s heart!
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why? This is kind of off topic, but really what stood out to me was when she said that people will comment, what about this or why didn’t you talk about this. It seems strange to me that people would comment that when every single chapter of the bible can be approached from various directions and have sermons of different themes preached about them or areas to study more in depth. That’s what make the bible worth reading repeatedly. You can never gain all of the knowledge and wisdom that it has no matter how much you study it.
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
A. It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book. This is so true. Not only do you have to read it all, but you have to compare scripture to scripture as it explains itself.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.” I’m sure he thought that he meant it at the time.
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific. Although there are many examples in my life, the most pivotal would have to be when I was first married. Growing up, my mom sporadically took us to Catholic church until we made our first communion, then no more. A few years, later a neighbor picked us up in a Baptist church bus and took us to church for a couple of years, so by the time I got married I believed in God, but really didn’t think about Him much. I would pray occasionally when something was going really wrong in my life, but it never crossed my mind to go to church or read the bible. I did what I felt like doing drinking, swearing, gossiping, lying, etc. and I was enjoying my life. But God brought a fellow Army wife into my life. I had to live with her for the first 2 weeks after I was married as my housing wasn’t ready and both of our husbands were away for training. She kept inviting me to church and played contemporary Christian songs all the time (which I didn’t even know existed before then). After a month or so of declining to go, she practically begged me to go just once, so I reluctantly went. After that Sunday I never quit going to church and it has changed my life and my family’s life. There was no reason at all for God to pursue me, just his scandalous mercy!
You see? I love hearing this story, Dawn. And I also love how affirming Missy is.
I’ve been missing Patti, another affirmer, but know she is swirling with decisions and family since her husband passed.
Your testimony gave me goosebumps, Dawn! I love the pursuing love of God you can trace from your childhood. Praise Him! How beautiful!
Dawn I too loved hearing your testimony of the friend who pursued you. She is an example of God’s grace pursuing you through her. And then wonderfully that you saw your need and came to Christ. You have a strong testimony of the change God brought to you life.
I left out the part about how the Baptist church is where I met my future husband. Even though I left that church when I was 12 and he was 14, he had my phone # and address from being friends back then with my brother. One day out of the blue when I was 17 and he was in the Army he started writing to me.
1. Do you find evidence in the text that Jonah did not cry out to God for three days and three nights — or evidence that he did? Explain.
I think he cried out while he was in the fish. So, not before OR after the three days, but during the three days.
“Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”
Jonah 1:17 NLT
“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!”
Jonah 2:1-2 NLT
2. Many writers, including Jonah and Solomon, share embarrassing accounts of their immaturity in the Lord. This is helpful in warning us against the same folly, and a model in doing the same for others. What foolish thinking or choice would you be willing to share with others as a warning?
When I was trying to control everything and everyone in my realm, when my kids were teens, there were a couple of embarrassing things I did out of frustration. One was screaming at a social worker and asking him if he had even been educated in his career. Ugh. I should have prayed and asked God to take over for me!
Thursday: Introduction and Text
Listen through when Paige reads through Jonah 3.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why?
God is running after people who are running away from him. Oh, what manner of love the Father has indeed given to us! We undeserving people have a God who would not let go. As Sally Lloyd Jones said, “the never-stopping, never-ending love of God”.
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
A. It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book.
66 books pointing to HIStory. That is all.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.”
Do I walk the talk? This comes to mind. The Christian life is not a sprint; it is a marathon. But we are admonished to run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific.
Just when I see that I am about to give up on God, I see Him running after me. He does not leave me where I am at. I did not realize that all the running after the things of the world is running away from God. But He never gave up on me.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
A. What strikes you and why?
The city must be big for it to be a three-day walk. It struck me that the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. Jonah already knew what God wanted him to do. Perhaps, God knew that Jonah needed to be reassured that He was commissioning him to go in spite of what Jonah did the first time.
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer?
Why was he only one day into the city of Nineveh and the people and the king responded right away? How did the word get to the rest of the city? They must have “criers” who rode horses.
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today?
God responds to true repentance. He is merciful to the nth degree. I should not give up on people if I think they look like hopeless people.
My son and I discussed this very thing tonight about not giving up on people who seem hopeless because there is always hope when we take God into account. I’m still sitting in absolute astonishment that God rescued my dear son when I thought his situation was so hopeless. I don’t think I will ever get over the wonder of it.
Oh tell us a bit more about this rescue, Miriam.
Missy, what a beautiful, wonderful story of God never giving up on your son! Yes. Tell us more about it! That gives me hope for my daughter, indeed! Thank you for sharing.
I’m so very thankful, Dee, that you have done the study with us on Jonah with Paige! I just can’t tell you how meaningful it has been in my life. Just because I’m not on here much these days, don’t think for one minute my heart isn’t here and I’m not listening and taking notes in the background. This very night, I discussed with my son about how we never know how Jonah turned out. He seemed a disappointment to God to the very end of the book. I’m so glad you brought out what Tim Keller said that Jonah must’ve matured because only he could’ve written this book about his life and included the embarrassing parts. The whole little book is an embarrassment, but oh how much I’m learning . I was telling a co-worker yesterday about how I’m learning so much from this study on Jonah and how I’m seeing it in a different light than I had previously. He asked me to explain. So I told him that I previously thought of the book of Jonah as an example to us to not be disobedient to God or else we would face grave consequences. Of course that is part of it, but how different my outlook is becoming! This book is about the love and mercy and grace of God Who continually pursues His wayward servant. If I were God, I might’ve let Jonah drown in that deep sea for that is what he deserved to dare to disobey God. But instead, God prepares a storm, then prepares a fish at just the precise moment to swallow Jonah and spare his life and give him another chance, even knowing that he would then obey but not from his heart. He would continue with his bad attitude to the end of the book. I thought about how many times God has prepared a fish for me, that I might get to the end of myself and have to look up so He could deliver me from myself. Oh, the long suffering grace and mercy and love of our lovely Lord Jesus. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it! Prone to leave the God I love! Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.
Miriam, It is so good to have you weigh in here with us. I too feel like this study on Jonah is so incredibly good and I have learned so much and have a completely different perspective on it’s meaning. And so blessed to hear about your son. Praying God will continue to do a good work in his life.
Miriam — I can’t tell you how much your post means to me. Truly.
Want to hear more about your son. And I too have loved the paradigm changer about Jonah being like the Run-A-Way bunny book. And your son being an illustration.
And I see such value in the women in the blog it helps me. I just finished listening to Jill Dugger’s book about the cult her family was in and her escape. At one point she told a story of a man who confronted her dad about his statement that he was doing more than Jill and her husband when they were missionaries in El Salvador because he had this huge television audience. The man’s point is we go where God sends us, whether it is to one or a million.
Friday: God Calls and Jonah Responds
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point?
—Verse 3:1 is Take 2 of 1:1 in that it adds “the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time…”
I thought it interesting that She makes the point Jonah was unique in that he is the only prophet that God gave a second chance to obey Him and it demonstrates God’s grace to Jonah and all who are involved in this story of God’s active grace toward them.
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
A. Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Ninevah? If not, why is He doing it?
—She said only God would have been willing to use Jonah after what had transpired.
I find that encouraging that God never gives up on us.
—The easy way to have a 4 year old birthday party is don’t include the 4 year olds.
An easier way for God to have brought his message to Ninevah would have been without Jonah.
The petulant, pouty little prophet. This made me smile 😊
—She said God’s grace is just continuing to be at work where Jonah was concerned.
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.)
—Her statement on this stood out to me.
“He will change us but He will not change His will. “
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey?
—Being in the same church family over the long term I find there are a number of people who have come and gone through the years. It has been good to see some go and sad to see others leave but there are some who stay and are difficult to live with. They are hard to love. But over time God has not let me off the hook. Knowing that He loves them with equal depth in how he loves me has been a reminder of my responsibility to love them too. He has had to change me because it is his will that I love them. And in some cases I am still being challenged to obey because they are not going away and there is no evidence that he will take me down a different path. And this teaching is a reminder I’m the Jonah at times who needs God to chase after me and change me.
I’m the Jonah, and I’m realizing that more than ever, Bev!
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point? The words a second time are in 3:1 God s call to Jonah didn’t change He didn’t find someone else. His plan was to have Jonah go to Nineveh.
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
A. Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Ninevah? If not, why is He doing it? No God didn’t need Jonah.
B. The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson) what a beautiful thought. He never gives up on us and for us to do the good works He’s prepared in advance.
From Judy:
The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson) what a beautiful thought. He never gives up on us and for us to do the good works He’s prepared in advance.
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.) yes Peter changed and helped evangelize the known world.
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey? Waiting for people to call me back to schedule appointments He is saying be patient, trust Me Don’t try to read anything into the delays.
10. Tim Keller: God’s love is a spiritual tornado. He never sucks you in that He doesn’t send you out. Comment? (How do you see this in Jonah or in your own life?). Our turning to God is just the launching pad. He has plans bigger and deeper than the starting point. His grace will be included and involved.
11. Comment (if you like) on her story of her friend on the phone in Starbucks not wanting her sister to bring a rogue casserole to Thanksgiving. Point? The friend had it planned and that is the way she wanted it, no flexibility or substitutions.
12. What stands out to you from Jonah’s sermon in verse 4? Why so short, do you think? Yet he was the most successful prophet ever. Why, do you think? No misunderstanding of the message. No room for Jonah’s input or inadvertent word change. He spoke and they took God seriously, put on sackcloth and repented.
13. What reason does Paige think God gave them forty more days to repent? Biblically significant period of time, God’s fullness of time.
14. What is surprising about Ninevah’s response? (v. 5 through 9) Share everything you can. They believed God. Fast proclaimed for everyone. Wore sackcloth. The king humbled himself took off royal robes, wore sackcloth and sat down in dust. King made a proclamation no one including animals could eat or drink or taste anything, wear sackcloth and call urgently in God. They were told to give up their evil ways and violence.
15. Comment if you like:
A. What was her point with her story of meeting with a smart girl at Vanderbilt? Parallel with Ninevites? Have you ever had an experience evangelistically like this? The girl was ready right then to give her commitment to Jesus . The Ninevites were ready to change their ways. Not quite like hers but I and another woman had a young woman admit fairly quickly she wanted to accept Jesus as Lord.
B. Her point about Zach’s sermon at Asbury last April? It was just an ordinary chapel morning and Holy Spirit changed things and lit things up so incredibly that people didn’t want to leave and others came.
C. What is your response time to the clear word of God? (She said she usually plans to make a response later.) I try to act on it but I know other times I miss the mark and kind of ignore.
D. What was the scope of their repentance? (verse 5) They believed God, declared a fast for all and put on sackcloth. They cried urgently to Gid
16. In this passage, How do you see sincerity in the people and the king? How do you see leveling? From top to bottom all the people including the king put on sackcloth and fasted and cried out to God. It wasn’t just the workers and farmers the royal court fasted.
17. How do you try to let people know who you are when you walk into a room? Do you care? Be as genuine as you can be. I kind of like to stay around the edges and maybe seek out another person I know or who looks like they wish they were somewhere else. No I don’t think I care.
Love this from Judy:
I kind of like to stay around the edges and maybe seek out another person I know or who looks like they wish they were somewhere else. No I don’t think I care.
3. What stands out to you from Paige’s introduction and why?
I have not thought of Jonah as a book of mercy before, from God’s perspective, rather, a book of the human not following God and what happens to him. There is so much here and she even says there is more!
4. Feel free to comment (or not) on any of the following:
It takes the whole Bible to make a whole Christian, we can’t understand any book standing alone, particularly an Old Testament book.
The entire Bible is one of the message of salvation through Christ. BUT, I have learned that Jonah was running and God was pursuing, not only Jonah but anyone else in the way! So that represents the story of salvation, right? And, it’s just one book 🤷🏻♀️.
B. Does Jonah mean his prayer? The Puritans used to say: “We’ll see.”
I do think he means his prayer because he is desperate. His prayer sounds like a Psalm to me. David was desperate in the Psalms.
5. The theme of the book of Jonah is God’s scandalous mercy. God is running after people who aren’t running after Him. How has that been true in your life before or after salvation? Be specific.
I don’t know that I knew He was running after me in college; I made so many mistakes and was not connected to Him at all. I do believe that He left a piece of Himself, that we long for, inside of each of us, no matter how lost we are in our lives. That piece, reminds us at times what we should be doing, not what we are doing. For example, the looters in Philadelphia (I’m guessing) have all had a moment when they thought, is this right? Or, should we be doing this? Or even, (if raised in church) what would Jesus/God/mom/gma/gfa/, etc. think? We may know this as our conscious, but I prefer to think of it as the piece that He left to remind us of who we actually are; His.
6. Read Jonah 3 out loud.
What strikes you and why?
I’m interested in why the pagans of Nineveh cared enough to listen to Jonah. I don’t get the feeling they knew him, so why would they bother?
B. What questions do you have and what is your best guess at the answer?
My question is above. My best guess is he scared them.
C. Before you listen to Paige, why do you think God might be showing you this text today?
It might be good for me to listen to God, even though he is sometimes hard to hear and understand. He sends messages from unlikely sources. This happened to me recently with respect to the bad habit I have kicked. I kept getting messages in strange ways that all had to do with the same idea. Finally, I listened! I am looking forward to experiencing whatever He has planned for me because I have listened.
Love your final illustration, Laura.
Laura, I love your answer to #5. A piece of God in myself to remind me of who I am; His.
Friday
God calls and Jonah responds
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point?
Both started with a call from God, but the second verse has an additional clause, which is “the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time”.
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
A. Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Ninevah? If not, why is He doing it?
Only God wants to use Jonah again at this point. God does not need Jonah to go to Nineveh. He is calling Jonah again because He wants to use him as He intended to use him the first time around.
B. The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson)
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.)
Yes, Peter has changed. It is interesting to note that Peter denied Jesus at a campfire and Jesus restored Peter at a campfire. I could just imagine Peter having flashbacks to that night when he denied Jesus 3x.
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey?
Loving the unlovable. The classroom is such a place where my love has often been tested. Some days are harder than others. often remember God’s grace to me and this helps me be loving if at times I don’t really feel inclined to do so.
You have a lot of students in your boat, Bing!
Dee, yes, I do and sometimes, I often bear the weight of unnecessary burden. I need to give my students to the Lord.
Saturday: Jonah Calls and Ninevah Responds
17. How do you try to let people know who you are when you walk into a room? Do you care? Be as genuine as you can be.
—This whole teaching on the humility aspect of the Ninevites and the leveling God brought about is powerful to say the least.
She basically said the gospel comes in with its call to repentance and truly levels everybody. And if we truly get it, it makes us give up those things which make us look different than anyone else and the things which make us feel better or above others. It gives us a longing to be in solidarity with anyone else who knows their need of Jesus. She asked and answered. “Do you know who I am? I’m somebody who needs Jesus and so are you.”
I am guilty of walking into the room too often concerned with how I look and what makes me acceptable to others. Making my family look shiny. Hoping my image lets me fits in. Interestingly though I find my self very put off by shallow or pretentious people. I really don’t want to be one of them not because I am deeply humble but because they are annoying. And to be frankly honest they usually steal the limelight in a room. I have been attempting in recent years to be aware of my need to look at people through the lens of grace. Trying to step out of presenting myself in a favorable light and trying to listen to the hearts of those I am in the room with and see them for who they are in their own need. This teaching encourages me to meet people at ground level. But I confess it is hard. Old habits of insecurity and posturing die hard.
So honest and helpful, Bev.
Bev, I get this- But I confess it is hard. Old habits of insecurity and posturing die hard. The world is such that I find myself trying to connect with people who have clout, so to say, to further what I often think is what God wants me to pursue for the good of those who are not listened to. I need to continually check my motivations. It is such a fine line. But I also have been encouraged by Esther’s story: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 and Nehemiah as cupbearer to the king; Daniel. But then I look at Jesus. His life was all of humility fully trusting God to bring about His will in His life. Philippians 2 The natural man is so present still in my life.
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point? The word of the Lord came to Jonah, but in 3:1 it says that it came a second time which means that it was the same command from the Lord. His instructions to Jonah didn’t change based on Jonah’s reaction.
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
A. Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Nineveh? If not, why is He doing it? No one would use Jonah after this. God does not need Jonah to go to Nineveh in order to accomplish His will. It would have been easier for God to just leave Jonah out of the whole thing. It’s because of His grace toward Jonah that He allows him a second chance to be the voice of God to the Ninevites.
B. The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson) It never ceases to amaze me that God hasn’t given up on me and continues to pursue me.
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.) Sometimes we run from God and when we finally stop running and return to Him, we are hoping for a situation different (better) than what we ran from.
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey? With difficult work situations. I changed jobs 2 years ago. I had 30 years of history at my former work place and things that happened 10 or 20 years ago were still being brought up by some people, it was a really toxic environment and it was time for a fresh start. I decided that this time I wasn’t going to get caught up in the drama, complain about anyone to anyone else (even if it seemed justified and I REALLY wanted to) and would just do my job to the best of my ability regardless of what anyone else was doing. While I still like it tenfold over where I was working before, I am still being challenged to not focus on what others are gossiping or complaining about, how some people aren’t doing their fair share of the workload and how some of the less pleasant parts of the job are being avoided by others so I end up doing them. I have to see it as an opportunity to show that I can do my job for His glory alone and that means changing the way I think about what is going on around me. It’s still a work in progress, but I was pleased to hear at my annual review how impressed my manager was that I just focus on my job and never get flustered or complain and that I stay out of the drama.
Woo hoo Dawn! When the Puritans say “We’ll see,” you pass with flying colors!
7. How are Jonah 1:1 and 3:1 different? Point?
In 1:1, he is addressed as the “son of Amittai.” Well, maybe it’s more formal the first time, and the second could be less formal due to his behavior?
8. Feel free to comment (or not).
Who else would be willing to use Jonah at this point? (Her illustration was the 4-year-old birthday party?) Does God need Jonah to go to Ninevah? If not, why is He doing it?
No one would use Jonah! Only God.
There must be an easier way than to use him! God doesn’t need him really. It’s not the most effective way to get the job done. It was God’s amazing grace continuing.
God is determined to use Jonah!
B. The thoroughness of God’s commitment to us is the measure of the length to which he will go to make us fruitful. (Sinclair Ferguson)
C. God’s will has not changed, but Jonah has. Illustration of Peter saying 3 times he didn’t know Jesus and after resurrection question 3 times. Has Peter changed? We’ll see! (She gives an illustration of her time at Vanderbilt.)
We have a choice to change, or not. God is not going to change His requests or His standard. We will need to conform.
9. Where does God keep putting you in the same situation to see if you will obey?
Probably with control of things or people.
Sunday:
18. Share a God Hunt from the week or church today.
—We were grateful that our granddaughter Aerilyn turned a definite corner health wise last week and God answered many prayers for her. She truly is her old self again which is pretty spunky and engaging. We continue to learn more about her special needs with spina bifida. As she grows in size with having a brain shunt and an incontinent bowel and bladder there are nerve issues that come into play and how they affect her. We thank God for providing a very competent and caring Christian doctor locally to help the kids walk through diagnosing and making decisions for her care since her specialists at Children’s Hospital are all in Omaha 4 hours drive away.
Aerilyn turned 10 on last Tuesday and she was able to celebrate her birthday and enjoy herself. I took her for her first manicure which she said she was delighted to have done by a “professional”
And even though she has no development in her ankles and no feeling in her feet she loved having gold sparkle polish on her toes.
We went to lunch where she wanted and did some shopping for yarn for knitting that she is just starting to try. It was a delightful day and a God hunt after her being sick for almost 3 weeks.
I can’t get the picture, but do happy you had such a delight filled day
Life is so hard for some, like Aerilyn — but such a witness that she has joy over manicure and knitting.
Sunday:
18. Share a God Hunt from the week or church today.
A lesson I took from Jonah is not to run away from what God is asking me to do even when it is not convenient and when I think the person is taking advantage of me.
It was my “Me day” and I was looking forward to doing what I felt would be a refreshment to my body and soul. And I was to meet a couple of friends to check out the new business in town later in the afternoon!
But then I got a phone call from a lady who goes to our church wanting to visit. Ugh! And she called too early in the morning. I was complaining to God about it but a nudge from God helped me tell her that I could meet with her later in the afternoon at our church. I would help my husband with a few chores there and meet up with another friend who was decorating the sanctuary. I mentioned a time to which she replied she would try. Then I got a text from my husband telling me that the lady was already there half an hour before our appointed time to meet! Ugh! I kept telling myself, it was God who ordained the “interruption” to my “Me Day” but I was like Jonah, “pouty”.
When we finally sat down, God spoke to my heart about how tender He has been with me during times of anxiety and confusion. I felt my body relaxed and let God move me toward what purpose He had for both of us. We talked and I prayed with her. She came in looking troubled but left with a little bit more of a smile on her face.
Although my day’s schedule wasn’t what I hoped for, I believe God was the faithful One who orchestrated my day. And in an unexpected way, my body and soul were refreshed. God gave me a better “Me Day”!
Such a good description of how our obedience may be hard but leads to joy.
19. She tells about a young woman who was questioning the professor and he asked her, “What are you going to do about your guilt?” How was this related to Jonah? Have you experienced this? If so, share. Jonah’s second call to go to Nineveh rearranged everything he planned
20. Comment if you like: Story about Mrs. Aster and the Titanic — her point? Monumental news about us or loved ones, instantly changes our priorities. On the Titanic instead of being concerned about her expensive jewelry, Mrs. Astor grabbed 2 oranges. What was once significant to her was pushed into the background by the impending doom.
21. There is repentance in minds and in hearts but must also be in our lives. Where have you truly repented and your life shows it?
22. Read Isaiah 58:5-10 Point? That I surrender myself and love others regardless if they can do something for me. Those in chains, treated unjustly, hungry, naked or just in need.
23. What are your evil ways that are prominent that you don’t want to give up? I’d like to get rid of selfishness and pride, but I haven’t done that yest.
24. How is Zaccheus an example of true surrender? He changed his ways. Gave half of what he had to the poor and anyone he defrauded he restored four fold.
25. What evidence is there in the text that Ninevites truly surrendered? God saw it.
26. How does Jesus hold up Ninevites to the Pharisees? Jesus told them that One was there greater than Jonah, but they wouldn’t give up their way of life.
27. Are we saved by repentance? No, saved by God. True repentance runs to the Lord in complete surrender. Everything changes when you call out to God.
28. What pattern does she show about calling out to God? Point? Nineveh could have starved, u put on sackcloth and sat in ashes and nothing would have changed if they had not called out to God. Everything changed when the sailors called out to God. Everything changed for Jonah when he called out to God.
Awww Judy — my heart ran to you for your answer to 23. Same here.
Monday: Sincerity and Surrender
—These are challenging and hard personal questions.
19. She tells about a young woman who was questioning the professor and he asked her, “What are you going to do about your guilt?” How was this related to Jonah? Have you experienced this? If so, share.
—This part of the teaching on the Ninevites and their guilt but how they demonstrated genuine humility was a whole new perspective for me concerning the repentance of the Ninevites. It was helpful to see her explanation of the fact that they saw their guilt and it put them all on an equal level of status. All external indicators were removed. She noted that even the king 1. Left his throne. 2. Took off his robe. 3. Put on sackcloth. 4. He sat in ashes. In recognition of their guilt there was a complete overthrowing of status. She said:
“The gospel comes in with its call to repentance and truly levels everybody. And if we truly get it, it makes us give up those things which make us look different than anyone else and makes us feel better or above others. It gives us a longing to be in solidarity with anyone else who knows their need of Jesus.”
“The Ninevites saw their guilt. And it superseded everything else in their lives immediately. “
I am not sure when I truly understood my guilt as a sinner for it has been a few years ago and there wasn’t a crises to precipitate it. But there was a point for me that through reading and study or someone’s teaching I got it. God clarified in my mind exactly what Jesus had done for me. I truly understood that the ground at the foot of the Cross is level. Now to live it out continues to be somewhat of a struggle because of the flesh but spiritually I desire to set aside the externals and not be like Jonah. It takes the consistent input of the Word and prayer to make a difference in my life.
21. There is repentance in minds and in hearts but must also be in our lives. Where have you truly repented and your life shows it?
—Like I said these are hard questions. I struggle to identify a change or changes in my direction in life where a definite “turn” happened. Accepting Christ into my life as a very young child I didn’t experience a clear life before Jesus and after Jesus. The sanctifying work of the Gospel by the Holy Spirit has been been a long slow process over the course of my life. I do realize I have had to repent of heart attitudes that were wrong and Jesus is still working on me in my thought processes to have his mind and put His grace into practice.
22. Read Isaiah 58:5-10 Point?
—Isaiah was calling out the Israelites for fasting and practicing rituals attempting to please God but not having a true heart change where they changed their lives and practiced godliness toward others in genuineness.
23. What are your evil ways that are prominent that you don’t want to give up?
—She listed a few possible prominent sins When she asked
What are your prominent sins? We are told to “Give up your evil ways”. So I have to ask What is my way of life? Bigoted? Materialistic? Unloving self righteousness? Self promoting?
Honestly though I do want to give up prominent sins. I’ve learned that God’s way is far better than my old sinful ways.
—This question is hard because evil is a word I tend to reserve for people who have evil hearts and as a result commit horrendous acts of sin. When I think of evil I think of Satan and his minions. I’ve always viewed it as a malicious character quality.
In my mind I just don’t put myself in the evil category. For me it just isn’t a generic word. So I have to back up here and ask what it means and define sin. If all sin is in the category of evil then I have to confess to being evil. I don’t question the fact that I am capable of sinning to a much deeper depth than I have ever experienced and I know I need to make confession and repentance a regular part of my life in order to have as clean of walk and testimony as possible until my flesh is resurrected. I still stumble in sin but I couldn’t be more grateful for the scriptural promise from 1 John 1:9.
But I must always remember 1:9 is sandwiched between the truths of verses 8 & 10.
8. If we claim we have no sin, we
are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.”
25. What evidence is there in the text that Ninevites truly surrendered?
—Verse 10 “When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.”
They put a stop to their evil ways.
27. Are we saved by repentance?
—Paige made it perfectly clear the answer is No!
She said “We are saved by God.
True repentance runs to the Lord.
To collapse and surrender your whole self. Not asking God to take just my sin but asking God to take me as his own. “
28. What pattern does she show about calling out to God? Point?
—She pointed out that
In Chapter 1
Everything changed for the sailors when they called out to God.
In Chapter 2
Everything changed for Jonah when he called out to God.
In Chapter 3
Everything changed for Ninevah when they called out to God.
Therefore we have to call out to God and come to Jesus to be changed.
Great answers, Bev!
29. What stood out to you from her statement that God is not obligated to respond to her repentance? (verse 7) God is only fulfilling His promises when people respond to Him. He made His promises according to His own nature and He keeps His promises. (Jer 18 mentioned) There is no sin so great that can bring damnation on a sinner who repents. This compassion cost God everything.
30. Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred. What does she mean when she says “God does not forgive sin, but rather, forgives sinners.” God is just and sin still needs to be paid for. God relented from disaster on Nineveh. Jesus took the punishment for my sin and their sin.
31. 800 years later Jesus came running to take their judgment. (See Jonah 1:2) Why can He look with compassion on Ninevah when we know God cannot look upon sin? Because Jesus took the punishment and destruction for their sin. God looks with compassion on Ninenvah because God’s face turned away from Jesus.
32. She tells a story about Tom who was with the KKK and his transformation. Why did her two friends choke on grace for two different reasons? 1. They took advantage of Tom while he was in prison to manipulate for Jesus for religion. You think he has to have Jesus. 2. Your dad told him he could be forgiven. He gets to have Jesus?
33. What is your take-a-way and why? God manifests His sovereignty not in stubbornness or judgement but in grace. His good pleasure from His love. When I have thought about Jonah what remember is Jonah’s disobedience and the 3 days in a big fish until he is willing to obey. The story I have learned is not about that. It’s about God’s grace saving the sailors relenting on Ninevah’s punishment and saving Jonah. God’s sovereignty manifests in grace.
I’m sorry that I don’t have time to read and respond to others comments here. But I am learning a lot from Paige’s study – some very sobering thoughts about why Jesus had to come to pay for our sins.
33. What is your take-a-way and why?
Paige said, “Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred.” This is a very good point. God cannot just make the penalty for sin go away. Someone has to pay it. That someone is either us or Jesus. It makes me cringe to think of all the evil things that people have done through the centuries that Jesus had to die for on the cross. We are so wicked! Jesus died so that we don’t have to pay the penalty for our sin, but we have to repent and turn to Him. I had never really thought of it that way. It makes the crucifixion all the more real. Thank you, Jesus, for taking my sin on yourself.
Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.
Perfect song to quote, Diane.
Tuesday: Nineveh Calls and God Responds
29. What stood out to you from her statement that God is not obligated to respond to her repentance? (verse 7)
—Because it was not about her repentance and not about what they had or had not done. God did not owe it to them. She said they had a mature understanding that they were asking for mercy and even in that they knew He did not owe it to them. As pagans they lived by the thinking that you did your rituals and practices to favor your gods and they would pay you back favorably. But God is sovereign. He is completely free to act according to his own pleasure. The sailors and the king of Nineveh understood it was totally God’s prerogative to answer.
These comments stood out to me:
“Why do we repent and call out to God?
Because He is God!
There is no other place to go.
We get in line with reality when we bow our lives before Him.
Repentance is not a tool, it is not a weapon. It is a grace. It is a gift.
The miracle is that God answers them.”
30. Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred. What does she mean when she says “God does not forgive sin, but rather, forgives sinners.”
—Because the sin has to be paid for.
31. 800 years later Jesus came running to take their judgment. (See Jonah 1:2) Why can He look with compassion on Nineveh when we know God cannot look upon sin?
—It’s all because of Jesus. I loved her comment that 800 years later the Son of God came running with the same heart of God.
She said of Jesus. He took their disaster, he took their destruction, he took their judgement, he took their penalty. He took my disaster, he took my destruction, he took my judgement, he took my penalty. All sin was transferred on to Jesus.
32. She tells a story about Tom who was with the KKK and his transformation. Why did her two friends choke on grace for two different reasons?
—The liberal girl thought Tom was used and taken advantage of to accept the Gospel. The other self righteous girl thought Tom didn’t even deserve the Gospel. Neither understood true grace.
33. What is your take-a-way and why?
—Oh my! So many. It’s the culmination of her teaching this week is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is outrageous.
She said “God manifests his sovereignty not in stubbornness, not in even in judgement. He manifest it in grace. Out of his own heart. God is for deliverance not destruction.
Nineveh was overthrown. 😊
Turned completely upside down.
He (Jesus) responded and he came in perfect love and perfect submission and in perfect sacrifice to call me and you. The only question left is “Will we respond?” We will be over thrown and we will be leveled.”
—This teaching left me in awe of the scope of the Gospel and how it reaches over the ages. Jesus died for the people of Nineveh as well as for me living today thousands of years later.
From Bev
Listen up to the story she tells about the professor asking the woman: “What are you going to do about your guilt?
Listen for about 10 minutes up to Jonah Calls and Ninevah Responds
11. Comment (if you like) on her story of her friend on the phone in Starbucks not wanting her sister to bring a rogue casserole to Thanksgiving. Point?
There is no Rogue message with God. he says what he means and means what He says. His work is great. The power is in the message not the messenger.
12. What stands out to you from Jonah’s sermon in verse 4?
It is one sentence!!
Why so short, do you think?
It must have been exactly what God wanted to say.
Yet he was the most successful prophet ever. Why, do you think?
Again, God wanted it. He wanted the people to repent and live.
13. What reason does Paige think God gave them forty more days to repent?
It’s biblically significant. It’s probably like God is giving them a spiritual time to come to your senses.
14. What is surprising about Ninevah’s response? (v. 5 through 9) Share everything you can.
The timing (Jonah is just walking the streets, he does not go to the king), and who is involved (no one is excluded, including the animals) is surprising.
They don sackcloths.
They king takes off his robe. He dons sackcloth and sits on a pile of ashes.
No one ate or drank anything.
They turned to God and repented.
They anticipated their punishment.
15. Comment if you like:
What was her point with her story of meeting with a smart girl at Vanderbilt?
Paige thought a very smart woman who wanted to speak to her was kind of intimidating so she went home and studied up on her defense of Christianity. When they finally meet, the woman asked her how to know Jesus. We do not really know people, do we?
Parallel with Ninevites? Have you ever had an experience evangelistically like this?
I guess it’s kind of like them 🤷🏻♀️. Jonah judged them by their reputation. He never thought they would care about God.
Her point about Zach’s sermon at Asbury last April?
It was a “normal” sermon. Nothing “special.” God wanted the blossoming that came out of the sermon.
What is your response time to the clear word of God? (She said she usually plans to make a response later.)
It takes a long time for me to understand exactly what God wants me to do.
What was the scope of their repentance? (verse 5)
They listened!
16. In this passage, How do you see sincerity in the people and the king? How do you see leveling?
There is a sincerity of the people. There is a genuine humility. They (all) visibly lower themselves.
17. How do you try to let people know who you are when you walk into a room? Do you care? Be as genuine as you can be.
I have, in the past, really cared about my appearance. As I get older I don’t care as much. I do like to talk, so I do 🤷🏻♀️
Your last answer made me smile.
This was a little much for me this week so I have to make myself content with listening to Paige and reading your comments here. Paige can say a lot in an hour or so and I find myself slowing down to process things and can’t think quick enough to write my thoughts on paper! She often hits me in the guts!
And for some reason, this study has given me such a different perspective on how to read the Word of God. Every time I read the Bible, I write more things in my journal and I know I have read those verses before but obviously, they are more radioactive to me these days. Haggai, Nahum, and Zephaniah have taken on much more life lately. Sorry for the rabbit trail.
My takeaway is the same as Diane: “Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred.” And this too: “God does not forgive sins, He forgives sinners.” These 2 quotes are like a light bulb to me. I have a deep, deep awareness of the magnitude of what Jesus has done for me. What judgment I deserved, He took for me. What good I have received and continue to receive, He imputed on me.
I am no diferentthan the Ninevites. I have my evil ways-pride, selfishness, and idols of comfort and approval. I need to call on God and be confident He will answer according to His nature.
Thank you, Dee, for this study.
From Bing about Paige: She often hits me in the guts! 🙂
19. She tells about a young woman who was questioning the professor and he asked her, “What are you going to do about your guilt?” How was this related to Jonah? Have you experienced this? If so, share.
I don’t understand this 🤷🏻♀️.
20. Comment if you like: Story about Mrs. Aster and the Titanic — her point?
I guess you’ve take the most important thing…she might need to eat? Her perspective changes?
21. There is repentance in minds and in hearts but must also be in our lives. Where have you truly repented and your life shows it?
I think I have repented for leaving God while I was a teen and into college. I now could never live without Him.
22. Read Isaiah 58:5-10 Point?
We go through the motions of being sorry for our sins. But do we do it for Him or for ourselves? Your life must actually change.
23. What are your evil ways that are prominent that you don’t want to give up?
I think I am not generous enough.
24. How is Zaccheus an example of true surrender?
He gave away his wealth.
25. What evidence is there in the text that Ninevites truly surrendered?
They turned.
26. How does Jesus hold up Ninevites to the Pharisees?
As a model of repentance for us (and them).
27. Are we saved by repentance?
No. We are saved by God.
28. What pattern does she show about calling out to God? Point?
God responds when we call out to Him. When we need help we should call out to God. We also know we don’t deserve help.
“What are you going to do about your guilt?”
This reminds me of what a woman told Kathy Troccoli who was trying to stump her with questions. “Kathy — I can’t answer all your questions but Jesus will be Lord whether you receive Him or not.”
29. What stood out to you from her statement that God is not obligated to respond to her repentance? (verse 7) The truth of it. Sometimes after making some much needed changes in my life and expecting things to get better, I have found myself thinking, I’ve changed and started doing things right. Why has nothing changed? Why doesn’t God respond? I have to remind myself that I need to respond to Him because of who He is and not because of what I want.
30. Judgment cannot disappear but can only be transferred. What does she mean when she says “God does not forgive sin, but rather, forgives sinners.” Sinners can be forgiven, but sin has to be punished/paid for. There has been a payment made through the blood of Christ.
31. 800 years later Jesus came running to take their judgment. (See Jonah 1:2) Why can He look with compassion on Nineveh when we know God cannot look upon sin? Because Christ’s crucifixion was the atonement for all sin that has ever been committed, not just the ones that are repented of or that took place after Christ’s death on the cross. The Ninevites’ sin was covered since before the earth’s foundations were laid.
32. She tells a story about Tom who was with the KKK and his transformation. Why did her two friends choke on grace for two different reasons? One was offended that he needed Jesus and the other was offended that he got Jesus.
33. What is your take-a-way and why? There has to be an abandoning of sin, not just a regretting. It’s not enough to just feel bad about the wrong that I do and wish that I hadn’t done it. I have to be willing to give it all up and allow a real change in my heart, not just my actions.
So good from Dawn:
Sometimes after making some much needed changes in my life and expecting things to get better, I have found myself thinking, I’ve changed and started doing things right. Why has nothing changed? Why doesn’t God respond? I have to remind myself that I need to respond to Him because of who He is and not because of what I want.
Dee, yes, Dawn’s response is so good! I get a regular email from Max Lucado’s website and today, he shared about his new book, which reminded me of our Jonah study. The title is “God Never Gives Up on You: What Jacob’s Story Teaches Us About Grace, Mercy, and God’s Relentless Love.