Jonah: Running from God
A prophet runs from God, a storm chases him down, and a pagan city repents. This free guide gives your group the background and questions for Jonah 1, with key verses from the whole book.
Jonah cannot outrun the Lord of sea and dry land, and God pursues even his disobedient servant.
Background
Who was Jonah?
Jonah son of Amittai was a prophet from Gath Hepher in Galilee who served during the reign of Jeroboam II of Israel (793-753 B.C.). 2 Kings 14:25 records his prophecy that Israel's borders would be restored.
Nineveh
Nineveh was a great city of Assyria on the Tigris River. Assyria was a feared and violent empire that later conquered the northern kingdom of Israel (722 B.C.). For an Israelite prophet, preaching to Nineveh was preaching to the enemy.
Joppa and Tarshish
Jonah went down to Joppa, a port on the Mediterranean, and boarded a ship for Tarshish. Tarshish is often identified with a distant port in the far west, possibly in Spain. In other words, Jonah headed the opposite way from Nineveh.
Read it together
1Now Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.” 3But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh.Jonah 1:1–3 (WEB)
2He said, “I called because of my affliction to Yahweh. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice.Jonah 2:2 (WEB)
2He prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Please, Yahweh, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm.Jonah 4:2 (WEB)
Discussion questions
- Observe: What does God tell Jonah to do, and what does Jonah do instead (vv. 1-3)?
- Observe: Notice the word "down" (vv. 3, 5). Where does Jonah's flight take him?
- Interpret: Jonah says he fears Yahweh, "who has made the sea and the dry land" (v. 9). How does his confession contradict his actions?
- Interpret: How do the pagan sailors compare with God's prophet in this chapter?
- Apply: What "Nineveh" might God be calling you toward that you would rather avoid?
- Apply: How has God pursued you when you ran from him?
Scripture: World English Bible (public domain). Study notes are original and checked against Dallas Theological Seminary faculty works.