Intro to jonah biblica the international bible society. The book of jonah demonstrates the sovereignty of the almighty as he employs his creation to accomplish the divine plan. There are six significant subjects which are suggested and developed in the book of jonah which make it very relevant for us today. Few figures illustrate that truth better than jonah. The story of a fish swallowing a man and the man living sounds impossible, and since most liberal scholars deny the possibility of the supernatural, they reject the book of jonah as anything but a fairy tale. Jonah jonah 4 jonah s real problem episode 317 the bible study podcast chris christensen provides a weekly bible study podcast audio show looking at scripture from a christian point of view.
For example, most of us do not have problems with gods rule in the area of natural law. While we wont board a boat to flee halfway across the world like the old. In this 7session bible study, priscilla redefines interruption and shows that. By paralleling here the book s opening remarks, almost word for word, the author skillfully conveys the idea that jonah is being offered a new. The book of jonah recounts real events in the life and ministry of the prophet himself. Home bible studies the book of jonah questions for discussion jonah.
A free bible commentary on the book of jonah in simple english. The book begins with god telling jonah to go to the great city of nineveh. Well have it back up and running as soon as possible. Pfeiffer, states, it is fictiona short story with a moral like the book of ruthor the stories about daniel jonah is a perfectly good short storywith a beginning, a middle, and an endthe author of jonah. But, as every bible student knows, his plans were soon thwarted. Visit our library of inductive bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the bible you can use in your small group. This bible study book is designed to be paired with teaching videos from priscilla shirer.
Out of my distress i called out to jehovah, and he answered me. Jonah chapter 2 bible study and verses study and obey. The book of jonah is a great book on missions and has a world vision. From christianity today, provides over 1,000 unique, downloadable bible studies for. Pfeiffer, states, it is fictiona short story with a moral like the book of ruthor the stories about danieljonah is a perfectly good short storywith a beginning, a middle, and an endthe author of jonah. Jonah jonah 4 jonahs real problem episode 317 the bible study podcast chris christensen provides a weekly bible study podcast audio show looking at scripture from a christian point of view. Jonah studies questions for four sessions 3 session 4 jonah and the new testament 1.
Jonah bible study journal were excited to release our fourweek love god greatly jonah study journal. The author employs structure, humor, hyperbole, irony, double entendre, and literary figures like merism to. It concerns a disobedient prophet who rejected his divine commission, was cast overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and returned to his starting point. Jonah is the book of the bible which perhaps has been criticized more than any other. Jonah, whose name means dove, lived in gathhepher, located. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord. Jonah was an unwilling prophet given an assignment which he found displeasing. At the end of the day, god is less concerned with what we do for him than who we are in him. Study guide for jonah 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. The book of jonah teaches that salvation is not by works, but by.
What parallels can you discern between the actions and attitudes of the characters in the book of jonah including god, and the actions and attitudes of the characters in jesus parable of the. Bibles easytoread, niv, niv study bible, rsv, new living bible, neb, good news. The book of jonah reveals gods sovereign rule over man and all creation. Jonah bible study journals free online bible study. Wednesday night studies andor sunday school classes in these pages youll. The audience of the book of jonah was the people of israel and all future readers of the bible and, typically, prophets issued warnings or gave instructions to the people of israel. In jonah, superbook takes joy, chris, and gizmo to meet jonah, who is swallowed by a great fish as he resists gods plan to show mercy to wicked people. Brant hills presbyterian church book of jonah bible study. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. Jonah is one of the most striking examples of a heart in need of expansion. Not to mention i did an old testament survey on him as well.
Dive into an intriguing tale of mercy in the book of jonah. The lord had given a specific great fish a new task swallow jonah. The nwt study bible is complete with cross references, maps, and an accurate bible dictionary. We sin against the spirit of the book jonah in trying to take it as real history.
In the new testament, no other old testament prophet is named by jesus more than the prophet jonah. Book of jonah read, study bible verses online bible study tools. When a great storm arose, and the inmates of the vessel. Now he obeys and goes to nineveh, the capital of israels ancient enemy. The disobedience of the prophet jonahs missionary call. The prophetic significance of this book not only lies in the short message in nineveh but also in the entire history of jonah described in his book.
Its a group study where the women meet together once a week for 6090 minutes. Unfortunately, many christians thoughtlessly cast aspersions upon this important book in the canon of scripture without realizing that they are playing into the hands of the critics and innocently becoming the dupes of the skeptics. Blue letter bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the bible easy and rewarding. Throughout the book, jonah is repeatedly referred to in the third person, causing some to search for. Following the lead of the hebrew masoretic text, the title of the book is derived from the principal character, jonah. Navigating a life interrupted bible study book by priscilla shirer. The main theme of the book of jonah is gods sovereignty over all people and his divine plan to extend his gift of mercy and salvation beyond israel to include the gentile nations. Join pastor and bestselling author paul david tripp on an 8 session journey through the book of jonah to discover how god chases us down, forgives us, and. During this group study, you watch a video that is 3248 minutes long and discuss things from the workbook. This old testament book describes at least part of the ministry of a prophet called jonah, the only prophet who attempted to run away from god. Study scripture verses with commentary, concordances, and use highlighting, underlining, take notes in the bible. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. Its been an amazing journey to take a deeper look at this old testament prophet. The bible study book includes leader helps, personal study resources to be completed between small group meetings, and exercises to equip you post study.
Book of jonah is the answer to those critics who claim that the old testament presents a local and limited deity, a tribal deity. Through satire and compelling storytelling, the book of jonah reveals to readers why god is compassionate to evildoers in the past and present age today. Though jonah did everything he could to resist the first call of god, after jonah repented god called him again though god was under no obligation to do it. Purchase the jonah leader kit for small groups, or follow the directions. The bible is full of men and women who, despite their best efforts, suffer from a chronic lack of love. For it begins with a commission to jonah and with jonah s refusal to heed it, in other words, the book of jonah begins with a formal expression of gods sovereign will and with a mans determined opposition. Many critics however want to lower the book of jonah to an allegory, a parable or a legend because of the miracles described in it especially the appearing of the great fish devouring jonah. Sleeping christians like to hide out among the church jonah slept in a place where he could not help with the work that needed to be done. Introduction jonah is one of the most ridiculed books by liberal scholars. Instead of showing mercy to his enemies, he determined to keep gods grace to himself rather than share it with. Stay connected amidst social distancing receive weekly bible studies to share with family and friends. It is found in the old testament, towards the back, in the book called jonah. Chapter 4, the last in the book of jonah, should be filled with great thankfulness and rejoicing then. These past few months i have been doing the jonah bible study from priscilla shirer with my good friend ana.
The book makes no direct claim regarding authorship. Written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. He chose to flee away from god rather than obey him. Study guide for jonah 3 by david guzik blue letter bible. Please read our guideline on how to lead a bible study before starting. I have learned 5 keys from the life of jonah that i want to share with you. Have you ever found yourself wanting to turn and run away rather.
Sovereignty is a problem for some christians in certain areas. By paralleling here the books opening remarks, almost word for word, the author skillfully conveys the idea that jonah is being offered a new. His experience portrays the past, present, and future of the nation of israel, as follows. Navigating a life interrupted bible study book by priscilla shirer provides a personal study experience five days a week, leader helps, and viewer guides for the group video sessions of this indepth womens bible study. Literary characteristics unlike most other prophetic parts of the ot, this book is a narrative account of a single prophetic mission. Introduction from the niv study bible go to jonah title the book is named after its principal character, whose name means dove.
In this bible study, eric mason encourages students to make every decision out of a worldview shaped by gods word and centered around our savior, jesus. Eric calls teens to abandon the idea that choices made in youth are temporary and meaningless, and instead to make decisions now that will impact both their lives and gods kingdom for eternity. Engaging teaching that explores the context in which the book of jonah was written and connects it to the big story of the bible. The book of jonah may be studied for many reasons, but a chief reason is for what it teaches about gods sovereignty. God sent jonah to preach to nineveh, the capital city of israels prime enemy, assyria. New world translation of the holy scriptures study edition jonah 2. Interestingly enough, this is the point at which the book starts. The children learn to show gods forgiveness even to those who dont deserve it. Questions for discussion jonah the living word library. Jonah therefore is the only prophet of the ot revealing the grace of god towards the heathen. Apr 12, 2016 the book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who despises his god for loving his enemies. Focused on the prophet rather than his prophecy, the story of jonah gives us a picture of a man on the run due to his own selfish desires. There are areas in which it is not a problem, of course. Our lesson today is one i know you have heard before.
Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Nov 20, 2012 this series is not ment to be an exhaustive, indepth study of the bible, but an overview of why each of the sixtysix books were written, and to see the unfolding plan of god, from the creation of. Jonahs experiences form the main contents and purpose of the book. Navigating a life interrupted dvd leader kit by priscilla shirer.
Outline for the purposes of this study, we will divide jonah into seven scenes. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. The only prophetic message that jonah announced was the one about the coming judgment over nineveh jonah 1. Jonah is a 7session group bible study inspired by the events in the book of jonah. This is the one book of the old testament which sets forth the resurrection of jesus christ. While the story line is so simple that children follow it readily, the story is marked by as high a degree of literary sophistication as any book in the hebrew bible. Sleeping christians stay away from the work of the lord jonah slept while there was a prayer meeting up on the deck. Now the word of the lord came to jonah the son of amittai.
Discover how the story of jonah is still speaking to us today. Jonah wanted to go as far as he could to escape gods presence, but this was a futile attempt. Jesus employed the repentance of the ninevites to rebuke the pharisees, thereby illustrating the hardness of the pharisees hearts and their unwillingness. It is only 4 chapters long, but tells us a lot about jonah and teaches us to do what god wants and not what we want. Blue letter bible is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. It is a well known story for obvious reasons, not least of which are a disobedient prophet, an obedient fish and a wicked nation that starts out bad, yet ends up good. The bible study book includes leader helps, personal study resources to be completed between small group meetings, and exercises to equip you poststudy. The book of jonah is unique among the books of the prophets. Jonah slept in a place where he hoped no one would see him or disturb him. When we left jonah at the end of chapter one it is fair to say he was in a slightly sticky situation. When we left jonah at the end of chapter three he had just witnessed what could well be the greatest revival recorded in the bible. Unfortunately, many christians thoughtlessly cast aspersions upon this.
Tom constables expository notes on jonah this is also available in the net. Jonah bible study journals free online bible study love. Jonah needed to expand his heart toward otherswe do too. Home bible studies jonah studies jonah 2 these small group studies of jonah extensive crossreferences, bible study discussion questions, lessons to learn, and applications. Jonah also teaches gods love for his servants, even those who are hesitant to do his will.
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