Unfortunately, the story of Jonah doesn’t end with chapter 3.

Read Jonah 4:1-11. What is Jonah’s problem? What lesson can we learn from his rather faulty character?

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Jonah 4 begins with Jonah’s anger toward God because his mission outreach was so successful. Jonah is worried about looking foolish. We find God taking the time to talk to and reason with His prophet, who behaves like a toddler having a temper tantrum.

Here is evidence that true followers of God — even prophets — may have some growing and overcoming yet to do.

“When Jonah learned of God’s purpose to spare the city that, notwithstanding its wickedness, had been led to repent in sackcloth and ashes, he should have been the first to rejoice because of God’s amazing grace; but instead he allowed his mind to dwell upon the possibility of his being regarded as a false prophet. Jealous of his reputation, he lost sight of the infinitely greater value of the souls in that wretched city.” — Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 271.

God’s patience with His prophet is astounding. He seems intent on using Jonah, and when Jonah runs away, God sends the storm and the fish to bring the runaway back. And even now, again, when Jonah is being contrary, God seeks to reason with Jonah and his bad attitude, saying to him: “Is it right for you to be angry?” (Jonah 4:4).

Read Luke 9:51-56. How does this account somewhat parallel what happened in the story of Jonah?

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16) or, as God puts it in Jonah 4:11: “Should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left — and much livestock?” (NKJV). How grateful we should be that, in the end, God — and not we ourselves — is the ultimate Judge of hearts and minds and motives.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Just a few years ago, I was meeting a friend from church at the bank to handle some church business. I parked my car in what I thought was a secluded area of the parking lot, away from the other cars. My friend followed behind in her car, and for reasons I still do not know, sideswiped the back of my car as she parked next to my car! All she did was scrape some of the paint, but I was upset by the senseless destruction. There was no reason! She could have parked anywhere else where she would have had plenty of room, but no! She had to park right next to my car, and then hit it. She said she was sorry and would pay for it. But as I kept playing the scenario over in my mind, it just upset me that what happened to my poor car was so needless and senseless. It never should have happened. 

Photograph by William Earnhardt

Later that night I called my lifelong friend back home, so I could vent. (After all, I wasn’t going to gossip about it to my church family or anyone who knew her.) I told my friend back home all the tragic details but assured her my friend would pay for it. After listening, my friend replied, “William do you remember when I bought my brand new red Pontiac Fiero not long after we graduated from high school?” I replied, “Oh no! I remember now! Don’t remind me.” My friend still continued, “Remember at church while it was still new, you parked next to me and side scraped it as you left church ? Do you remember how you offered to pay to fix it, but I knew you didn’t have the money so I just forgave you?” 

Immediately I realized that, out of all my friends on earth,  God directed me to call this particular friend – the only friend whose car I have ever damaged the exact same way it just happened to me! A friend since early childhood who freely forgave me and never held a grudge. As a matter of fact in the 35 years since I side-swiped her car in the church parking lot, she never mentioned it once. That is until I told her that I was having trouble forgiving someone who did the exact same thing to me. Then she had to remind me that I had been forgiven, so I must forgive also. It was like the forgiving master telling his unforgiving servant,

Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Matthew 18:33 NLT 

I found it was a lot easier to forgive someone once I realized I had been forgiven for the exact same thing. It  was good that my friend forgave me and forgot about it, but when my other friend accidentally did the same thing to my car, I should have remembered on my own, how freely I had been forgiven and then freely forgave my friend. 

For example, Jonah was upset with God for being merciful on such a wicked city, forgetting that the same mercy that spared Nineveh was the same mercy that provided the fish to save him. Jonah should have rejoiced that the same mercy that saved him also saved a wicked city. Maybe Jonah forgot about the mercy that had been shown him. 

When we remember all the things we have been forgiven it makes it so much easier to forgive others. 

Amen!(5)

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Compared to any city or town in Israel, Nineveh is a huge city. It is an “exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent” (Jonah 3:3).

Read Jonah 3:1-10. What is the response of this wicked place? What lessons can we take from this story for ourselves in our attempts to witness to others?

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While walking the city, Jonah proclaims God’s message: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4). The message is right to the point. Though the details are not given, it becomes clear that the message falls on receptive ears, and the people of Nineveh (collectively!) believe Jonah’s words of warning.

In a typical near eastern manner, a decree is declared by the king of Nineveh in order to demonstrate a change of heart. Everyone — including animals — has to fast and mourn (how animals mourn, the text doesn’t say). The king steps down from his throne and sits in the dust of the ground, a very important symbolic act.

Read Jonah 3:6-9. Compare it with Jeremiah 25:5, Ezekiel 14:6, and Revelation 2:5. What elements were involved in the king’s speech, which show that he understands what true repentance is all about?

The sermon was short, to the point, but filled with correct theology regarding true repentance. While Jonah had been preaching, the Holy Spirit must have been hard at work in the hearts of the Ninevites.

The Ninevites did not have the benefit of all the stories of God’s tender leading that the Israelites had, and yet, they still responded to Him in a positive manner. They are saying in effect, “Let’s throw ourselves on God’s mercy, not on our own accomplishments! Let’s rely completely on His goodness and grace.”

Strangely, Jonah, who has experienced God’s grace for himself personally firsthand, seems to think that God’s grace is something so exclusive that only some may have opportunity to rest in it.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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Key Thought: Jonah’s heart wasn’t in the right place, and consequently suffered from a lack of rest and peace. But God did not desert him, but led him to have more confidence in God.
September 18, 2021

1. Have a volunteer read Jonah 1:15-17.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. Where did Jonah think he was going to find rest and peace from God?
3. Personal Application: Have you ever tried to avoid doing something for God that you knew that He wanted you to do? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “If we are called to do something for God, and we choose not to do it, would God reach out to us like Jonah? If we didn’t do the task, who would miss out on the blessings the most: the people affected by our lack of action, or us for not doing it?” How would you respond to your friend?

2. Have a volunteer read Jonah 3:1-10.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. How did Ninevah respond to Jonah’s preaching? Was it a surprise?
3. Personal Application: What lessons can we take for this ourselves in our attempts to witness to others? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What is repentance and why is it such an important part of being a Christian? Is repentance a one-time event or a continual action?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Jonah 4:1-11.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. What was Jonah’s problem? What can we learn from his character flaws?
3. Personal Application: How can we learn to have the kind of compassion and patience that God has for others? How can we reflect it in our lives? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “Was Jonah right about not wanting to preach to Ninevah? They were very evil and cruel and God eventually destroyed them anyway. It’s like today, why waste your time preaching to those who hate us, want to kill Christians, and live only to make other people miserable with their evil thoughts and deeds?“ How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Jude 20-23.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. How are these verses similar to Jonah’s experience with Ninevah?
3. Personal Application: When witnessing to others, have you felt like it was similar to snatching one out of the fire? Have you felt the importance of being saved or lost in a person’s life based on the gospel message?” Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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Jonah’s flight from God was not without problems. His short-lived “rest” was disturbed when God miraculously intervened with the storm. Jonah is saved from a watery grave by God, who orders a fish to save Jonah.

However, it is only when Jonah finds himself in a forced three-day rest in the stomach of the big fish that he realizes how very dependent he is on God. Sometimes we have to be brought to the place where we don’t have anything that this world offers to lean on in order to realize that Jesus is who we really need.

Read Jonah’s prayer in the belly of the fish (see Jonah 2:1-9). What does he pray about?

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Though he was there in the deep, in a very dangerous situation, Jonah, in his prayer, prays about the sanctuary. He will look toward “Your holy temple.”

What is going on here?

The temple forms a focal point of this prayer, and it should be the central point of prayer in general. There is primarily only one place in the Old Testament where God can be found. He is in the sanctuary (see Exodus 15:17, Exodus 25:8). The sanctuary is the central point of prayer and communion with God.

Yet, Jonah is not referencing the Jerusalem temple. Rather, he is talking about the heavenly sanctuary (Jonah 2:7). That’s where his hope exists, because that’s where God and the salvation He offers truly come from.

Jonah finally understands this important truth. He has experienced God’s grace. He has been saved. As the big fish spits him out, he understands firsthand about God’s love for him, a runaway prophet. He certainly has learned (even if not without some detours on the way) that the only safe course for any believer is to seek to be in God’s will.

So, now he decides to do his duty and obey God’s orders, finally heading for Nineveh, no doubt on faith, as he is heading toward an exceedingly wicked city whose citizens might not like this foreign prophet telling them just how bad they are.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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