For O.T. Lesson 52, Jonah (25 minutes), click on the play button below:

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Hebrew words: Yonah (Jonah) – may mean “dove." 28x in the Bible.

Further study:

  • Passages referred to in this podcast
    • 2 Kings 14:25
    • Jonah 1-4
    • Jeremiah 18:1-10
    • Luke 9:52-55
    • Exodus 34:6
    • Romans 12:21, 2 Corinthians 10:4, 1 Peter 2:21
  • Even more:
    • Did God resurrect Jonah? Click here.
    • Listen to an entire seminar on Prejudice and Separation, including the Atlanta story. Order HERE.
    • Of special interest to those in the Restoration Movement, watch the 3-lesson DVD series Friend or Foe.
    • Check out Joel 2:14. The King of Nineveh (3:9) seems to have a better handle on theology than the prophet Jonah!

Some things we learn about God:

  • The people of God tend to be insular, whereas God is expansive. They tend to be exclusive, while the Lord surprises us by being so inclusive. This was a scandal for the religious establishment in Jesus’ time, and it is no different today. This is another way of saying that God is love.
  • God is not partial. With him there is no prejudice or favoritism.  But we don’t always get it! So…
  • God will sometimes go to extremes to get our attention

For kids:

  • Check out this link (for younger kids).
  • For older children, read sections of the story (esp. ch. 1:1-17, 3:1-5, and 4:1-11) pausing to ask the following questions:
    • Why do you think Jonah ran away?
    • Did God's command to him change between chapter 1 and chapter 3? What does this tell us about the word of God?
    • Does the prophet seem happy when the Ninevites repent?
    • How angry is Jonah about these outsiders being spared? (Several times he shows that he prefers death to God saving the Assyrians!)
    • How should we view those outside the church?

Key verses:

  • Jonah 1:3 – Jonah evades his orders to preach to the Gentiles.
  • Jonah 1:12 – He would rather die than take the message to the Assyrians.
  • Jonah 2:8 – Jonah (hypocritically) looks down his nose at the pagans. He is happy to receive God’s grace, but is unwilling for God to extend his grace to others.
  • Jonah 4:1 – Jonah is very upset that God has forgiven the Ninevites. He would rather die (4:3, 4:8, 4:9)!
  • Jonah 4:11 – But God cares about all people, even the Gentiles.