Jonah, whose name means dove, lived in gathhepher, located. 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. The book of jonah teaches that salvation is not by works, but by. Bibles easytoread, niv, niv study bible, rsv, new living bible, neb, good news. In the new testament, no other old testament prophet is named by jesus more than the prophet jonah.
Its been an amazing journey to take a deeper look at this old testament prophet. Brant hills presbyterian church book of jonah bible study. Throughout the book, jonah is repeatedly referred to in the third person, causing some to search for. Book of jonah read, study bible verses online bible study tools. But, as every bible student knows, his plans were soon thwarted. 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. Not to mention i did an old testament survey on him as well. In this 7session bible study, priscilla redefines interruption and shows that. Our lesson today is one i know you have heard before.
Its a group study where the women meet together once a week for 6090 minutes. When a great storm arose, and the inmates of the vessel. Questions for discussion jonah the living word library. Jonah chapter 2 bible study and verses study and obey. Dive into an intriguing tale of mercy in the book of jonah. Jonah is one of the most striking examples of a heart in need of expansion. Now he obeys and goes to nineveh, the capital of israels ancient enemy.
Wednesday night studies andor sunday school classes in these pages youll. Jonah is a 7session group bible study inspired by the events in the book of jonah. Outline for the purposes of this study, we will divide jonah into seven scenes. The book begins with god telling jonah to go to the great city of nineveh. The book of jonah recounts real events in the life and ministry of the prophet himself.
The disobedience of the prophet jonahs missionary call. Blue letter bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the bible easy and rewarding. Discover how the story of jonah is still speaking to us today. 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. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. Purchase the jonah leader kit for small groups, or follow the directions. Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. 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. Study guide for jonah 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. 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. Jonah was an unwilling prophet given an assignment which he found displeasing. We sin against the spirit of the book jonah in trying to take it as real history.
Book of jonah is the answer to those critics who claim that the old testament presents a local and limited deity, a tribal deity. Have you ever found yourself wanting to turn and run away rather. Stay connected amidst social distancing receive weekly bible studies to share with family and friends. While we wont board a boat to flee halfway across the world like the old. 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. 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. God sent jonah to preach to nineveh, the capital city of israels prime enemy, assyria. 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. Following the lead of the hebrew masoretic text, the title of the book is derived from the principal character, jonah. These past few months i have been doing the jonah bible study from priscilla shirer with my good friend ana. 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. Jonah bible study journals free online bible study. Jonah bible study journal were excited to release our fourweek love god greatly jonah study journal. Jonah wanted to go as far as he could to escape gods presence, but this was a futile attempt.
Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. 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. Instead of showing mercy to his enemies, he determined to keep gods grace to himself rather than share it with. 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.
Chapter 4, the last in the book of jonah, should be filled with great thankfulness and rejoicing then. When we left jonah at the end of chapter one it is fair to say he was in a slightly sticky situation. 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. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. 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. Study guide for jonah 3 by david guzik blue letter bible.
Introduction from the niv study bible go to jonah title the book is named after its principal character, whose name means dove. He chose to flee away from god rather than obey him. Blue letter bible is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. It is found in the old testament, towards the back, in the book called jonah. 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. 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. This is the one book of the old testament which sets forth the resurrection of jesus christ. The nwt study bible is complete with cross references, maps, and an accurate bible dictionary.
The book makes no direct claim regarding authorship. His experience portrays the past, present, and future of the nation of israel, as follows. This bible study book is designed to be paired with teaching videos from priscilla shirer. The book of jonah demonstrates the sovereignty of the almighty as he employs his creation to accomplish the divine plan. 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. The book of jonah may be studied for many reasons, but a chief reason is for what it teaches about gods sovereignty. Study scripture verses with commentary, concordances, and use highlighting, underlining, take notes in the bible.
The bible is full of men and women who, despite their best efforts, suffer from a chronic lack of love. Jonah also teaches gods love for his servants, even those who are hesitant to do his will. Tom constables expository notes on jonah this is also available in the net. By paralleling here the books opening remarks, almost word for word, the author skillfully conveys the idea that jonah is being offered a new. Navigating a life interrupted bible study book by priscilla shirer.
During this group study, you watch a video that is 3248 minutes long and discuss things from the workbook. Engaging teaching that explores the context in which the book of jonah was written and connects it to the big story of the bible. Apr 12, 2016 the book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who despises his god for loving his enemies. The author employs structure, humor, hyperbole, irony, double entendre, and literary figures like merism to. Out of my distress i called out to jehovah, and he answered me. There are six significant subjects which are suggested and developed in the book of jonah which make it very relevant for us today. Jonah is the book of the bible which perhaps has been criticized more than any other. 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. New world translation of the holy scriptures study edition jonah 2. 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. At the end of the day, god is less concerned with what we do for him than who we are in him.
Sovereignty is a problem for some christians in certain areas. Sleeping christians stay away from the work of the lord jonah slept while there was a prayer meeting up on the deck. Jonah slept in a place where he hoped no one would see him or disturb him. 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. A free bible commentary on the book of jonah in simple english. Well have it back up and running as soon as possible. Jonah studies questions for four sessions 3 session 4 jonah and the new testament 1.
Jonah needed to expand his heart toward otherswe do too. 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. Please read our guideline on how to lead a bible study before starting. 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. Written by the prophet jonah, son of amittai, around 785760 b. The book of jonah is a great book on missions and has a world vision. Few figures illustrate that truth better than jonah. Interestingly enough, this is the point at which the book starts. Introduction jonah is one of the most ridiculed books by liberal scholars. For example, most of us do not have problems with gods rule in the area of natural law. Now the word of the lord came to jonah the son of amittai. 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.
An introduction to the book of jonah an argument of the book of jonah selected bibliography of the book of jonah j. Home bible studies the book of jonah questions for discussion jonah. There are areas in which it is not a problem, of course. 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. The bible study book includes leader helps, personal study resources to be completed between small group meetings, and exercises to equip you post study. Navigating a life interrupted dvd leader kit by priscilla shirer. 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. Home bible studies jonah studies jonah 2 these small group studies of jonah extensive crossreferences, bible study discussion questions, lessons to learn, and applications. 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 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. Jesus employed the repentance of the ninevites to rebuke the pharisees, thereby illustrating the hardness of the pharisees hearts and their unwillingness. The lord had given a specific great fish a new task swallow jonah.
Jonah free bible commentary in easy english easyenglish bible. 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. Literary characteristics unlike most other prophetic parts of the ot, this book is a narrative account of a single prophetic mission. 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. 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. Scene 1 account of jonah s call and his reaction 1. From christianity today, provides over 1,000 unique, downloadable bible studies for. Jonahs experiences form the main contents and purpose of the book. 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. I have learned 5 keys from the life of jonah that i want to share with you. The book of jonah is unique among the books of the prophets. Intro to jonah biblica the international bible society.
Book of jonah lesson 1 welcome to the study of the book of jonah. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord. Jonah therefore is the only prophet of the ot revealing the grace of god towards the heathen. The children learn to show gods forgiveness even to those who dont deserve it.
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