Jonah Goes Against God's Commands

J1Y3BK2 DECEMBER-FEBRUARY

Lesson 2 Jonah Goes Against God’s Commands

Overview Bible Background

Bible Text Jonah is one of the minor prophets. He proph- The Book of Jonah esied during the reign of Jeroboam II who was the king of Israel from 793-753 BC (2 Kgs Bible Truth 14:16-29). Although he was wicked, Jeroboam God has commanded us II was one of the most politically powerful to spread His Word and kings of the divided kingdom. The Israelites’ do His work prosperity did not last though because the northern kingdom was eventually conquered Lesson Aim by the Assyrians in 722 BC, just some half a To take on our responsi- century later after his rule. During Jonah’s bilities without com- ministry, the Assyrians were already a dreaded plaint enemy. It is no wonder then that the prophet did not want to go and preach in the city of Memory Verse Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, when God “Every commandment asked him to. In the book of Nahum, it records which I command you the many wicked deeds of the Assyrians, today you must be care- including the exploitation of the helpless ful to observe, that you (2:12) and idolatry and witchcraft (3:40). may live and multiply.” Jonah was probably afraid that they might (Dt 8:1a) actually repent and receive God’s mercy, something he felt they didn’t deserve. He chose to run in the opposite direction of the city and jumped on a boat in Joppa, heading to Tarshish. 13 Spiritual About Your Students, continued Food Jonah had to struggle with the age-old question of why the job, not just as young kids having fun. These For God even cares about the evil and wicked. Why not just encouragements do not have to wait until they have throw them all into the eternal fire now? Then we would completed a huge project. It can be something as sim- Thought have the peaceful world we are looking for. It seems like ple as acknowledging their contributions to the class the right thing to do. However, that is not how God’s (i.e. cleaning or tidying up things up, setting up equip- grace works. We would like to think that we could ment) or church (i.e. putting away the Bibles from the obtain it because we are good enough, somehow. But pews, vacuuming or dusting the chapel).When they can how would that reflect on God’s character? It wouldn’t feel confident about their abilities, then they will be be fair for God to extend His compassion on only one less hesitant to participate in other holy work. Just as type of people, people whom we think deserve His we encourage toddlers when they take their first steps, In Romans 11, it grace. The fact is, none of us deserve it. Yet Jonah we should also remember to reinforce the fragile and cringed when he had to go and preach to the enemies. In sensitive egos many of the young teenagers have. reminds us that essence, he felt he was more righteous than the Ninevites and they were less deserving of God’s love. Preparing God’s grace is free, Aren’t we all a little like Jonah sometimes? When we Your need God’s mercy, we kneel down and pray earnestly Before the lesson, see how much the students know not obtainable by without hesitation, yet we are just as quick to condemn Hearts about the life of Jonah by asking them the following another man of being too sinful to even have God listen questions. They should not be looking into the Bible good works or to his pleas. In Romans 11, it reminds us that God’s for the answers (the answers can be found in 2 Kgs grace is free, not obtainable by good works or moral 14:23-26, Jon 1:1-2, 17). moral character. character. We should learn from Jonah and try not to ● Jonah was the son of whom? (Jonah, the son of mold God’s character to be like us. Rather, we need to Amittai) make ourselves more like Him everyday and be filled ● When did Jonah prophesy? (during the reign of with the same kind of mercy and compassion for others. Jeroboam II, which lasted from about 793-753 BC) About ● Whom did Jonah minister to? (to Israel and to the people of Nineveh) Your ● What was his message? (to repent) When children are young, they want many responsibili- ● What was he most famous for? (being swallowed by Students ties because they want to act grown up. They want to a huge fish) help with the vacuuming, the groceries and even the Continue with Worksheet #1. dishes. But when the time is really ripe for them to take Bible on the tasks, they make many excuses. They are not ready; they are too young still or they just can’t handle Study Worksheet #1 all the responsibilities. In many ways, children of all ages never really act their right age. In order for them to An Irresponsible Prophet be able to carry out the responsibilities that God has 1. Look up Jonah 1:1-2. What was the responsibility entrusted to them, it is important for us to positively given to Jonah by God? (He was supposed to go to reinforce their accomplishments on a regular basis, so Nineveh, the capital city of the enemy of Israel, and 14 that they feel they are really competent and able to do 15 preach repentance to them) Bible Study, continued Bible Study, continued

2. Look up Jonah 1:3, 5. How did Jonah respond? (He “Arise, go to heart. As he was shouting, “Forty more days and Nineveh fled in the opposite direction as Nineveh. He got on a shall be overthrown”, he was probably thinking, “I hope boat headed for Tarshish. Apparently, he didn’t feel too Nineveh, that great no one repents because they all deserve to die”. It was no bad because he was able to sleep, thinking he could run secret that he didn’t think his enemies deserved a chance away from the presence of God) city, and cry out from God. In fact, in his dialogue with God in chapter 4, he sounded like he was made a fool of by God because 3. What made his attitude seem even worse than if God against it; for their he said he knew God would show mercy anyway and he had asked some other ordinary person to do the same felt like he made an unnecessary trip to the enemy land) job? (He was a prophet of God. His job was to preach to wickedness has people and deliver God’s messages. But now, he was 7. Look up Jonah 4:5. Why do you think Jonah waited being selective as to whom he wanted to preach to and come up before outside the city? (He was probably hoping that there was ultimately save. In essence, he was taking on the role of an off chance that God might destroy the city and he God by deciding who was worthy and who wasn’t) Me.” could have the pleasure of witnessing it)

4. Look up 1:4, 6-17. What was the consequence of his (Jonah 1:2) 8. Look up Jonah 4:6-11. What kind of a lesson was God response? (The boat he was travelling in met a great trying to teach Jonah with the plant? (Jonah was more storm and after casting lots, the rest of the crew members concerned about the fate of the plant than that of human realized that it was Jonah who caused the fierce winds lives, enemies or not. But it is God who created every- and rains. Jonah then suggested that they throw him over- thing and He can save whomever or whatever He wants, board so that they would not have to perish along with especially when it comes to people . When the sailors him for disobeying the commands of God. Otherwise, his pleaded for mercy, God spared their lives. He also deliv- actions could have caused others to suffer with him. After ered Jonah from the belly of the fish. Now if He wanted he was thrown into the sea, he was swallowed by a giant to save the people of Nineveh, He certainly had the right fish and remained in the belly for three days and three to. Today, we need to have compassion on all people too Teacher’s Note nights) and not be selective about whom to preach to. Our job is Before you start the Bible to plant the seed and allow God to do the rest) Study, please ask the stu- 5. Do you think his response to flee was justified? (students to refer to the Student dents’ answers) Worksheet. Some of the information given here may 6. Read Jonah 2:1-10, 3:1-10 and 4:1-4. Although Jonah not be available to the stu- eventually repented for his disobedience and went to dents. The information on preach to the Ninevites, why do think he still got angry? the right can be used as ref- (While he was in the belly of the fish, Jonah probably did erence. feel sorry that he had fled from his responsibility. He realized that there was no way he could run away from the almighty God, so his prayer was likely sincere. But that doesn’t mean he was really happy about what he was doing. He knew he had no choice but to follow God’s 16 commands but he certainly didn’t do it with a willing 17 Bible Study, continued Bible Study, continued

Worksheet #2 blame him? The people did nothing but complain day in and day out about the lack of food, the lack of water or Are We a Jonah? Teacher’s Note were just plain bitter about their situation. After the new A good word to sum up Jonah’s attitude is irresponsibili- This worksheet is more generation of Israelites had grown up, Moses probably ty. He almost lost his own life and caused others in the informative. Be sure to had high hopes for them. But they were just like their par- boat to suffer with him because of his doing. But that include the students in ents and grandparents. They complained about the lack of wasn’t all that was wrong with his attitude. When Jonah the discussion as much water and murmured against Moses. God appeared to was given a job to do, he also responded by becoming as possible. Moses and told him to command the rock to yield water SCARED, ANGRY, and UNWILLING TO SHARE. for the people to show them that He was still with them. He was scared of going into enemy territory. He was But when Moses came out to meet the people, he was so angry that God wanted to save wicked people. He didn’t ANGRY at their constant rebellion that he struck the rock want to share God’s mercy with others. These aren’t the twice instead. Because Moses did not listen to the com- attitudes God wants us to have when He gives us impor- mand of God, he was forbidden to enter the promised land tant responsibilities. But unfortunately, many of God’s (Num 20:1-13). Although it seems like a harsh punish- workers react like this. ment, God takes it very seriously when we undermine His “And should I not decisions. Just like Jonah, Moses didn’t think the people Do you remember Elijah? He was a famous prophet deserved such mercy from God. Why should such rebel- too, ministering just a little bit before Jonah to Israel pity Nineveh, that lious people get anything from God at all? But God tells (875-848 BC), during the reign of Ahab. He did a lot of us that we don’t have the right to get angry at anyone. wonderful work for God until Ahab’s wife Jezebel great city, in which Today, God might ask us to help people we don’t think threatened to kill him. Then he got very SCARED and we should or we might complain when God tells us to do ran away, even asking God to take away his life (1 Kgs there are more than something we feel is not justified. But we must remember 19:1-4). He felt that his job shouldn’t have entailed so that we are merely instruments of God. Who are we to much unexpected difficulties. But God came to him later one hundred and judge who should receive mercy and who shouldn’t? We and comforted him by showing His presence, allowing can only ask God to help us complete His will. Elijah to know that he wasn’t alone. He even gave him twenty thousand someone to train to take over his job so that he would Do you remember the Jews, who were the chosen race? not have to be by himself. Today, God may ask us to do persons who cannot Although they weren’t prophets like in the Old Testament, something that scares us, like preaching to someone. But they were given the same task of preaching and saving just because we feel afraid doesn’t mean that it justifies discern their right souls. Just before Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, He let not doing it. God never said that doing His work would them know that everyone, including the Gentiles were be easy but He did promise to always be there for us. hand and left hand, welcome in His kingdom. But the Jews were UNWILL- ING TO SHARE the gospel with the Gentiles at first. Do you remember Moses? He was one of God’s most and also much live- They thought they were privileged people to know God. famous leaders. He was given many important responsi- stock?” So even when others wanted to join them, they demanded bilities and he carried them out without complaint, most certain things of them, like circumcision, to make life dif- of the time. However, during one instance, after wander- (Jonah 4:11) ficult for them (Acts 15:1-21). This demand demonstrated ing in the wilderness for almost forty years, he was real- how reluctant they were in sharing, just as Jonah waited ly tired of dealing with the Israelites and who could 18 19 in the booth outside the city. Even though he had spread Bible Study, continued Bible Study, continued

the message, he wasn’t ready for the Ninevites to be saved. But Jesus Christ showed Peter and other apostles through visions and real life evidence (i.e. Cornelius and his family receiving the Holy Spirit) that there should be no discrimination when it comes to God’s heavenly kingdom. Today, we may be asked to share things that we feel belongs to us because we worked hard for them. For example, we may be reluctant to share our time or money other than in the church. Although the church is important, it is not the only place where we can share what we have. We have to remember that everything was given to us by God and we should share it freely and without complaint. “Preach the Life Although we may not be prophets today, we are still Application Worksheet #3 word! Be ready given a very similar role and responsibility. In 1 Peter 2:5, it says that we are the holy priesthood and as part of Our Many Other Roles in season and out God’s spiritual household, we may be asked to take 1. Besides being a holy priesthood, we are also given directions in life that seems difficult sometimes, just as other roles in life that include many different aspects. of season.” Jonah was commanded to do. This is because God has Below are some of the other roles that God has given us given us some pretty heavy responsibilities as His follow- today. Under each role, list what some of our responsibili- (2 Tim 4:2a) ers but we must be ready to take on our jobs and roles. ties are (students’ answers). Below are a few things God has asked us to do that can OUR ROLE AS OUR RESPONSIBILITIES be hard to follow through with sometimes. Which one do ...children of parents ______you feel is most difficult for you? Rank them from being ...siblings ______the most difficult to the least difficult. Explain your rank- ...students ______ing and what you can do to help you fulfill each com- ...members of the church ______mand with more ease (students’ answers). ...others ______1. LOVE OUR ENEMIES (Mt 5:38-48) e.g. How would you feel if an enemy repented? 2. In each of the above roles, has God asked you to do 2. PREACH IN AND OUT OF SEASON (2 Tim 4:2) something that seemed hard for you to follow through e.g. How do you feel about preaching to your friends? with? Or did you even run away from the responsibility 3. USE OUR EDUCATION TO DO HOLY WORK He gave you? Share an experience with the rest of the e.g. How would you feel if God wanted you to use your class and discuss what you have learned from that inci- knowledge of computers to set up a program for church dent. use? 4. OFFER AND HELP THE NEEDY (1 Jn 3:17-18) 3. Why do you think that we sometimes complain about e.g. How would you feel if you had to volunteer three or even run away from carrying out our responsibilities? 20 hours of your week to helping out in a shelter or home? 21 What can we do to ensure that we don’t complain in the Life Application, continued

future when we are given a task to do? What can we do to make sure we carry it out as responsible people?

Activity

Make Me a Servant After the lesson, share the following hymn with the students (from Maranatha Music). It is a familiar hymn and the lyrics are below for easier reference. Ask the students to reflect on the words and what they mean to them, as they sing it together. Make me a servant, humble and meek. Lord let me lift up those who are weak. And may the prayer of my heart always be, “Make me a servant, make me a servant, make me a servant, today.” Conclusion Evaluation God has given us many responsibilities today. Sometimes, Reading we are very willing to carry them out because we enjoy Assignment for this the tasks. However, there are also many instances when week: we complain or procrastinate because we don’t want to Ex 19 - 21 do the job. We always feel we have our reasons for thinking the way we do but today’s lesson has taught us that we often let our emotions or human thinking get in the way. We should always pray that God’s will be done, even if it is something we may not understand. Only He 22 knows what is best. Conclude with a prayer.