Week 3: Jonah Proclaims (Jonah 3) Discussion Questions 1. “Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it.” L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables. Does Chapter 3 feel like a new start? Have you experienced a fresh beginning in your Christian journey? Read Jonah 3:1-2 2. Has Jonah truly repented at this point? Think about the reasons for your answer. 3. Has God ever given you a second chance to fulfil a call from God you initially walked away from? 4. Do you think you deserved a second chance? 5. Was your heart, mind and body committed to fulfilling the call? Read Jonah 3:3-4 6. How committed is Jonah to delivering God’s message to the people of Nineveh? 7. How could Jonah have done it ‘better’? 8. Have there been times when you haven’t been fully committed to God’s call? What was the result? Read Jonah 3:5-9 9. Are you surprised by the response of the people of Nineveh? 10. What part did Jonah play in achieving this outcome? 11. Have you ever said no to God, because you thought the task was too difficult or you weren’t up to the task? Does this part of the story give you reassurance? 12. Have the people of Nineveh truly repented? Share the reasons for your answer. 13. What reason(s) cause the people of Nineveh to respond to God? 14. How do people cope in a crisis today? Do people turn to God at these times? Read Jonah 3:10 15. The NIV translation says, “he [God] relented”, while the King James Bible says, “God repented of the evil that he said he would do unto them”. What is the difference between these two translations? 16. What does it mean for God to ‘repent’? 17. Using the word, ‘repent’, has God truly repented? If so, is God the only one in this chapter to truly repent? St Bart’s Anglican Church Talk 3/4 (Jonah 3): 18/5/14 “Jonah Proclaims” by the Rev’d Dr Daniel Rouhead INTRODUCTION \\ A NEW BEGINNING! Previously on The Book of Jonah…. Jonah the Prophet is called to proclaim God’s message to Nineveh…Jonah flees in the opposite direction…God stops Jonah with a giant storm and a big fish…In the belly of the fish, Jonah turns back to God…Jonah is vomited onto the beach. Someone said, “Life wasn’t meant to be easy”, but this is especially so for God’s prophets. More than this, Jonah has learnt the hard way the consequences of saying no to God. Last week, we finished with Jonah laying on the beach. Today, as we move on to Chapter 3, what’s remarkable is how it seems to be a new beginning to the whole story; it’s almost as though the first two chapters didn’t even happen. The slate has been wiped clean, God starts again. Today we start with Jonah’s second chance – despite his initial response to God’s call, Jonah receives the call a second time. As Jonah delivers the message to the people of Nineveh, we see their amazing response to God’s message. We conclude with God demonstrating grace and mercy beyond the borders of Israel. In this chapter, we are challenged about our own response to God, as well as the way we share God’s message with others. 1. JONAH’S SECOND CHANCE \\ Verses 1-2 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." Despite all that has happened up until this point, God gives Jonah a second chance. We’re not sure exactly why Jonah said no to God – was it fear for his own life, or was it that Jonah thought the people of Nineveh deserved God’s judgment and punishment. His refusal, therefore, showed a failure to trust God, or a failure to align himself with God’s direction and purpose. Either way, Jonah turns his back on God, and goes in the opposite direction. Despite Jonah’s unfaithfulness, God remains faithful, not only restoring relationship with Jonah, but also giving Jonah a second chance to fulfil God’s call. Our God is a God of second chances. There are numerous examples of second chances being given to those who have sinned against God: David’s second chance, after his adultery with Bathsheba: Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 2 Samuel 12:13 Saul’s second chance after persecuting the early followers of Jesus: Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1 Corinthians 15:7-9 Second chances are important for two reasons. Firstly, they reveal a true reconciliation between God and the person involved. In the belly of the fish, Jonah repents, confessing his sin, just as David and Saul also did. Second chances are a sign of the forgiveness that God offers to those who truly repent. Only once Jonah was restored to relationship, was God able to call him a second time. Secondly, second chances offer an opportunity for people to grow and learn. If Jonah had been reconciled to God, but God had given the job to someone else, Jonah would never had the chance to learn a very important lesson about God’s love, mercy and grace. Paul and David would never have grown into the amazing servants of God if they hadn’t been given a second chance. God offers second chances even to us, as long we truly repent. 2. GOD’S MESSAGE \\ Verse 3-9 Jonah finally arrives in Nineveh, and delivers God’s message: Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city--a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." Jonah 3:3-4 What is striking, is the lack of detail about the way Jonah delivers God’s message to the people of Nineveh. Jonah walks part way into the city and delivers the message in a simple and short fashion. Perhaps the writer has summarised Jonah’s methods, or possibly Jonah didn’t put a lot of effort into it because his heart wasn’t really into it. Either way, the focus is clearly being taken away from Jonah, and given to God. When the people hear the message, there is an amazing response. The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. Jonah 3:5 It seems almost unbelievable. Jonah tells Nineveh that God is not pleased and about to destroy Nineveh, and they immediately repent. The enemies of Israel who have no allegiance to God, repent and turn to God, from the King down. It is clear, that this amazing transformation is not Jonah’s work, it is the effect of God’s word. Jonah delivers God’s words to the right people at the right time in the right place. God’s word is effective because it has power to change situations and lives: …so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 It doesn’t matter if Jonah’s heart is fully committed to God’s message. It doesn’t matter if Jonah uses all the correct evangelistic tools and techniques. What is really important is delivering God’s message to the right people in the right place at the right time. God will achieve what God wills, we just have to be prepared to play our part. It is really reassuring that it doesn’t depend entirely on us, for we are partners with God. Let’s look at the Nineveh response a bit closer: Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish." Jonah 3:8-9 What is the reason for their repentance? There is no doubt that fear of God’s punishment is the reason behind their response to God’s message. How certain are they that God will forgive and spare them? It is not surprising that they’re not really sure if God will be true to his words. At the time, gods were generally distant from people, aloof, unpredictable and prone to unpredictable outbursts of anger. How sincere is their repentance? It is hard to know, but humanity’s tendency is to quickly forget God’s saving actions, and stray once more away from God. This type of thing happens still today. In times of hardship and disaster, people do turn towards God. We see that in times of natural disasters, as well as human tragedies. In the midst of fear and sadness, some people instinctively turn towards God. But for their relationship with God to be sustained, they must encounter God’s love and grace expressed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.