Jonah

1.       First Impressions

·         Write one paragraph explaining the historical background and purpose of the prophet.

The prophet Jonah to the northern kingdom, from Gath Hepher in Zebulun was called by God to go to Nineveh. Although it is not 100% clear based on 2 Kings 14:25 the time of Jonah is predicted to be between 785 and 750 BC. Israel was under the reign of Jeroboam II and Assyria was becoming more and more of a threat. Jonah is called by God to go and announce judgment on Nineveh but doesn’t want to go because he knows they will repent and God will not destroy them. The Hebrews and Jonah’s prejudice and bitterness towards the Assyrians is made clear in the story.

2.       Theme Tracing

·         What does this book show about the character and nature of God?

The most amazing thing I saw in Jonah is God’s eagerness to forgive and love for all people, his chosen or not. His love and care is never limited. He is gracious, both to Jonah and the people of Nineveh. I also clearly saw that God will accomplish his will despite man, our own ideas, mistakes and opinions.  God is patient with Jonah as He imparts His heart to him.

·         What does this book show about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?

In many ways Jonah teaches a lot about Jesus and the people he was ministering to. In Matthew 12:40 we see that in the same way that Jonah was in the fish for 3 days and 3 nights so Jesus was dead for 3 days and 3 nights. In Luke 11:29-323 there is the idea again that although God wants us to repent, He wants us to trust Him without any signs and draw near to Him. This relationship and the preparation of Jesus coming, dying and then being resurrected again falls in line with the redemptive plan God has for mankind.

3.       Application questions

·         Personal application:

I had such an amazing time in Jonah this week! I loved the fact that I got to teach about the application of Jonah it has really made the story come alive to me.

There is really a lot from Jonah that I can apply in my own life. In Matthew 12: 39 Jesus calls the people who ask him for a miraculous sign, evil and adulterous. Then later in Matthew 16:17 Simon son of Jonah is given revelation of who Jesus is by God and Jesus blesses Him for it! From this I just realized that God wants us to look to Him at all times and then He blesses us rather than us looking for proof of who He is in a sign. Often times I think that I am so focused on the signs that I ask God for that I take my eyes off of Him and who He is. From Jonah I learnt the importance of seeking God when I don’t understand so that I may gain His heart for the things and circumstances which I don’t agree with or know how to handle. I believe that in the same way that God reveals His heart to Jonah in Jonah 4:10 He will answer us when we call on him.  I know that repentance is important but I was just struck once more with the immense power it carries. Jonah repents as does the city of Nineveh and when we look into the New Testament we see Jesus drawing this parallel in a sad revelation, Nineveh repented to Jonah but now someone greater than Jonah is among them and yet they will not repent. I understand more the importance and freedom that comes when I speak up and repent things that are wrong in my life, completely changing my ways.

I also realized that just like Jonah there are certain people in my life whom I am not always willing to go to. I have hardened my heart and to an extent maybe haven’t embraced them the way I know God would want me to… I am definitely challenged to go to my ‘Nineveh’ and serve as God calls me. Then also I have been challenges to have God break me as He did with Jonah in the whale and go ahead doing things on God’s terms rather than my own. I ended my teaching with the following question but it is certainly something I have challenged myself with, “Will you live in faith, without necessarily seeing signs, allowing God to be God and obeying Him on his terms and not yours?”

·         Point of Passion:

Education involves information, the interpretation there of and taking it a step further the application of our interpretation of the original information. In Jonah we see people constantly interpreting information and the results there of. The men on the boat gather information from Jonah about who he is and what to do to get rid of the storm, Nineveh learns from Jonah that they are to be destroyed because of their sin and then they repent. However the clearest example is Jonah. He knows that God is merciful and will save Nineveh if they repent so he runs away, after everything when he gets there he also begins to learn about God’s heart for all people. Why is all this important? Well, regarding teaching I think it is really important that we realize that it is not the information that is the most important but the interpretation we give and that people gain from our teaching that will have the effect on the lives people live and what they do with the information given.