How did God send his word to Jonah? (1:1)
God could have used visions, dreams or even signs in nature. He also could have spoken to him directly.
Why did Jonah run from God? (1:3)
He may have been afraid of the wicked Ninevites, who were international terrorists who fueled the Assyrian war machine. He may also have been influenced by nationalistic prejudice and may have wanted God to favor Israel alone (even though God’s word to Nineveh was one of judgment). See Jonah’s own explanation in 4:2.
Tarshish was a city in Spain; it was in the opposite direction from Nineveh and was about as far away from Nineveh as Jonah could get.
Joppa was a seaport northwest of Jerusalem, known today as Jaffa.
How did the lots expose Jonah? (1:7)
He may have drawn a marked pebble or the short straw. Whatever the method, it was no coincidence: God was in control of the outcome (Pr 16:33) and was confronting Jonah’s stubbornness.
Does God always pursue those who run from him? (1:10)
No. In Jonah’s case, God apparently had a particular mission in mind for a particular person. He hounded Jonah until the reluctant prophet obeyed. In other cases, God may not pursue those who run from him, perhaps because he knows that running away will eventually result in their coming back to him. For instance, in Jesus’ parable of the lost son, the father allowed the son to leave home. Though the father did not chase after his son, the hardships caused by his son’s choices later brought the son to his senses and caused him to return home to his father (Lk 15:11–32). Whether by pursuing someone or choosing not to, God’s goal is the same: he works to firmly and lovingly reach out to those who turn from him.
What frightened the sailors? (1:10)
These pagan sailors believed in many gods, each restricted to certain domains or limited to certain abilities. Yet they were suddenly confronted with the unfamiliar concept that one God ruled over heaven and was Creator of both the sea and the land. And they were caught in the middle of a storm caused by this awesome God’s anger. They may also have been afraid of Jonah, who, in their minds, must have been a wicked man to have caused such divine wrath.
Why does God use such unusual methods? (1:17)
God may use what is unusual in our eyes to get our attention and build our faith in him. Unusual or miraculous events tend to be impressive and hard to explain away as coincidence. When, in addition to the raging storm and the results of casting lots, God used a great fish to save Jonah’s life, he got Jonah’s attention in a dramatic way that softened Jonah’s stubborn attitude.
What kind of fish swallowed Jonah? (1:17)
The Bible uses language that spoke to people in ancient times in terms they knew and understood. Here the word translated fish could refer to a whale, but the Hebrew is not specific. All we know for certain is that the creature was big enough to swallow Jonah whole and retain him in its belly for three days and nights.
Did Jonah pray to be rescued or forgiven? (2:2)
Jonah’s prayer is actually a prayer of gratitude, thanking God for saving him from drowning in the sea. Despite his strange surroundings inside the fish, Jonah’s prayer focused more on God’s goodness in saving him than on what God would do with him next.
Did Jonah have a warped view of God? (2:7–9)
Jonah had a deficient view of God and his presence. The prevailing opinion among many Israelites in Jonah’s time was that God was somehow restricted to the temple in Jerusalem or, at most, to the territory of Israel. Perhaps that’s why Jonah thought he could flee from God.
At the same time, however, Jonah had begun to envision a broader scope to God’s power: He knew God’s grace was available to idol worshipers who turned from their idols (v. 8). He also knew that Salvation comes from the LORD (v. 9).
This is the central message of this book. Though the Jews had a keen sense of being God’s chosen people, they lacked a keen sense of his grace. Evidently they wanted to keep God all to themselves. Jonah, however, was beginning to discover that God is the God of all people. Salvation comes from the LORD not on the basis of belonging to a particular ethnic background or nationality but on the basis of grace.
Jonah found God not in the “holy land” but in the belly of a great fish and again later in a wicked, pagan city. Jonah learned that God wanted to make himself known to all people everywhere—even to the despised Ninevites.
Was Jonah truly sorry for his rebellion? (2:8–9)
It is difficult to believe that Jonah was truly sorry for his disobedience to God’s call. When Nineveh repented, Jonah sulked, saying that he feared that God would be gracious and forgive Nineveh (4:1–3). That is hardly the reaction of a repentant prophet—one who should rejoice at God’s mercy.
Was Jonah’s message of doom untrue? (3:4)
Not at all. Jonah only told the Ninevites what would happen if they didn’t repent. The truth of his message prompted the Ninevites to avert the promised judgment by changing their ways.
Why would idol worshipers listen to a foreign prophet? (3:5)
Jonah’s news of coming judgment was more important to them than who he was or where he came from.
Can a ruler decree a revival? (3:7–9)
The royal decree set the stage for repentance among the Ninevites. The people had to obey the king’s decree, but in their hearts they could still choose whether or not they were sincere.
Why involve animals in their religious acts? (3:8)
The animals were used to express the sincerity and depth of repentance in the city. Causing the animals to go without food (v. 7) and to wear sackcloth was a symbolic gesture of mourning.
How long did Nineveh’s repentance last? (3:10)
The people eventually returned to their wicked ways. God judged the city in 612 BC—about 150 years after Jonah’s ministry.
Why was Jonah upset that people turned to God? (4:1–2)
The Ninevites were known far and wide for their savage cruelty. Jonah felt they deserved punishment; he wanted them destroyed, not saved.
Why would a successful preacher want to die? (4:3)
As a Jew, Jonah preferred to die rather than help the enemies of his people. He wanted to see judgment fall on the people of Nineveh.
What kind of plant was this? (4:6)
Perhaps a castor oil plant, which can reach a height of over 12 feet and has large, shady leaves. God caused its astonishing, rapid growth.
Why did God take away what he had just given? (4:6–7)
God used the plant not to provide Jonah with shade but to teach Jonah an important lesson. He took away a source of Jonah’s comfort to expand the prophet’s understanding of God’s goodness and concern for all people.
What made Jonah so angry? (4:9)
Along with emotional and spiritual distress, Jonah experienced physical discomfort from the sun and harsh wind.
Why couldn’t the Ninevites tell their right hand from their left? (4:11)
This expression was used to show that—like young children unable to distinguish right from left—they were spiritually ignorant, unable to discern right from wrong. No one had ever told them about the one true God, so they knew nothing about him.
How does God show his concern for all people? (4:11)
If not for God’s patience and mercy, the world would have been judged for its sins long ago. But beyond that, God sustains all physical life, provides life’s pleasures, demonstrates his power and existence in nature, and sends prophets and missionaries. Most important, he shows his concern by offering forgiveness in Jesus.