Why does Jonah run from God’s call on his life in Jonah 1?  What do you think the underlying motivation was for why he didn’t want to go to Nineveh?

 

In Jonah 1:3, we see that Jonah is trying to get “away from the presence of the Lord”.  What are some ways that we attempt to do this today?

 

Compare and contrast these different kinds of “fear” that we see in Jonah 1:

  • The mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god.  (1:5)
  • Jonah:  “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”  (1:9)
  • Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.  (1:16)

 

What kinds of images does Jonah use to describe his distress and desperation in Jonah 2?

 

Do you think that Jonah 2 represents a turning point in Jonah’s life?  Why or why not?

 

Why do you think Jonah responds differently to God’s call in 3:2 than he did to God’s call in 1:2?  How might this be relevant for us, as Christians today?

 

Why do you think that Jonah is so angry in Jonah 4?

 

What kinds of behaviors and heart postures is the book of Jonah confronting in us?  What is it calling us to, with respect to how we see and treat our enemies?  What is it calling us to repent of?

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