Jonah 1

This week we cover the background of the book and interpretive issues as well as Jonah’s attempt to
flee from God on a cargo ship.

Jonah with Dr. Mark Yarbrough: Session One

Lesson Points
People stop growing spiritually when they stop pursuing the heart of God.
Jonah broke the pattern of the prophetic mandate by going in the opposite direction of where
God commanded.
Jonah claimed to be a follower of the God who made the sea, yet he tries to flee from God by
sea.
The Gentile sailors showed more reverence for God and His prophet than did the prophet
himself.

Growth Indicators
Growth Indicator #1: A life that is growing spiritually is moving toward God’s commands, not
away from them, regardless of the difficulty.
Growth Indicator #2: A life that is growing spiritually shows consistency between words and
works.
Growth Indicator #3: A life that is growing spiritually exhibits a testimony to the non-believing
world, not the other way around.
Worship Moment
Some children may wonder how many eyes God must have if it’s true that He sees all the people here
on earth. Praise God that His sight is not limited the way ours is. Praise Him that He sees every one of
us even to our very heart.

Discussion Questions
How is it ironic that Jonah’s first name is associated with peace and sacrifice and his family
name, Amittai, is associated with truth?
Open your Bible to Jonah 1:3–6. How many times do you see the word “down” or “below”? You
may find more occurrences if you check a version like the King James Version (KJV) or English
Standard Version (ESV). What is the author emphasizing with all these references to Jonah’s
directional movement?
Which of the first three Growth Indicators is an area of strength for you in this season of your
life?

Further Study
Jonah 1 (recommended)
Jonah: Beyond the Tale of a Whale by Mark M. Yarbrough, pp. 1–59 (optional)

Review Questions: Session 1

Question #1: What’s the literary term for a figure of speech, event, or statement that occurs or is used in a
way that’s the opposite of what is expected?

irony

allegory

prophecy

anthropomorphism

Question #2: We know from 2 Kings 14:23–27 that Jonah prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II, a
time when the hearts of the Israelites were far from the Lord. Why might God have wanted to send
Jonah away to another country when there was plenty of work for him to do at home?

God blamed Jonah for the problems in Israel and was hoping the Assyrians would kill him.

God was testing Jonah. He didn’t actually want him to leave Israel.

God is concerned about all people in all places at all times.

By this time God had quit caring about Israel. There’s no future for Israel—only for the church.
Question #3: What was Jonah doing during the terrible storm while the sailors cried out to their own
gods and threw cargo overboard?

crying out to the Lord who made the sea and the dry land

composing a psalm

sleeping

fishing

Question #4: Nonbelievers frequently complain that Christians lack consistency between what two
things?

our book and our look

our walk and our talk

our cash and our splash

our mood and our food

Question #5: Jonah 1 records which of these events?

Jonah traveled to Tarshish to preach repentance to a nation of wicked Gentiles so that they may be spared

God’s wrath.

When the storm began, Jonah offered a sacrifice to the Lord, the God of heaven.

During the violent storm, the Hebrew sailors cried out to the one true God.

When the sea grew calm, the Gentile sailors offered a sacrifice to the Lord, the God of heaven.

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Next Unit » (https://courses.dts.edu/module-1/jonah-session-2/)