JONAH – Week #6

Read Jonah 3:10 and Jonah 4:1-11.

Jonah reacts with anger and expresses his anger to God.
Jonah is again willing to die because of his stubborn attitude.
God is patient with Jonah and dialogues with him.
God remains in charge of the events.

Interpretation
How would you expect Jonah to react at this point? (excited, praising)
Why do you think he was angry and displeased? (Ninevehites were Israel’s enemies and now they are
saved… favored by Israel’s God)
Read verse 2 and Exodus 34:6. Who was Jonah quoting?
This is a backhanded compliment to God for His mercy towards Nineveh. What other examples of God’s
mercy are in the book of Jonah?
What are the 3 questions that God asked Jonah? (verses 4, 9 & 11) What do they teach us about human
nature?
What do you think God wanted to teach Jonah with the vine and the worm?
Why do you think the book ends the way it does?

Application
How are we like Jonah? Forgetting God’s mercy towards us and being critical of God’s choices of
mercy?
What parts of God’s character frustrate you? How have you talked with Him about this? How have you
handled your frustration?

Concluding Thoughts
God’s mercy appears unpredictable when he extends mercy to people we think are undeserving, but it
is His choice. (Romans 9:18 – “God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy…”)
We are all undeserving of mercy, so we should be grateful for God’s mercy.
Since God gives us mercy, we ought to give mercy to others.