The Minor Prophets: Jonah – God’s Fish Story Get To Know Jonah -Jonah means “dove”. -Contemporary of Amos. Setting The Stage -Jonah was proud of his identity and heritage as a Hebrew. -He was jealous over Jehovah and wanted Israel to win. -Nineveh was the capital city of Israel’s enemy, Assyria. God’s Story In Jonah -God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah runs far the other way. Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. -Jonah experiences some troubles, and reluctantly delivers his warning. -Jonah gets angry with God for sparing Nineveh. Jonah Speaks Today -God “provided/arranged” trouble! God uses trouble to teach Jonah. -Our God uses our trouble. -Not all rainbows, not a moral monster, either. Jonah has 2 heart problems: Jonah hates people that God loves. (Prejudice) Jonah hates that God loves those people. (Entitlement) Are you okay with God loving your enemies? Discussion Questions Share a funny story about when you got into trouble as a kid. “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” Running from God usually costs us more than we realize. Have you ever run from God? What was the result? What are you running from right now? “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (Lewis) God used trouble to get through to Jonah. What do you think God is trying to say through your trouble? Prejudice and entitlement can get in the way of us loving others like Jesus does. How is your heart condition when it comes to people you don’t like or agree with?
Prophet Prep for Oct 15: Read Micah.