Observations on the book of jonah chapter 4

Jonah 4 niv jonahs anger at the lords bible gateway. Returning to god a heartless prophet jonah 4 lifeway. God never gives up on jonah not when he runs away and not when he sits under a vine. It is also mentioned ny jesus as a picture of his death and resurrection matthew 12. Have you ever found yourself wanting to turn and run away rather. Chapter 4 of jonah is a short passage that represents the climax of the narrative and closes the book, but curiously does not present an end. The prophets life was filled with several twists and turns after hearing the call to go to nineveh. A vehement east wind that with the sun exhausts jonah 4. After jonah s complaint, god explains in verses 1011 why it is silly for jonah to care so much about a plant and so little about a city full of peopleand thats the end. Regarding the speculation mentioned in the previous chapter concerning the funeral for jonah in israel, see under jonah, the great old testament type, at the end of this chapter.

What parallels can you discern between the actions and attitudes of the characters in the book of jonah including god, and the actions and attitudes of the characters in jesus parable of the. That is what i tried to forestall by fleeing to tarshish. We sin against the spirit of the book jonah in trying to take it as real history. Jonah 4, new international version niv the bible app. Jonah 4 new international version niv jonah s anger at the lord s compassion.

Since the gentiles first responded to the gospel as recorded in the book of acts we saw. Modern scholars are divided as to whether jonah composed the prayer during his time in the fish or recorded it later the text does not make it clear, and its not important to make a distinction. Click to download, print or view the inductive study approach formatted for adobe acrobat reader. The book seems to drop off a cliff without any further resolution. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate go. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. Jonah prayed for salvation in chapter 2, but against the ninevites salvation in chapter 4. Chapter 4 the book of jonah lake erie bible church pt ken reed 4 41.

Many childrens books that tell the story of jonah exclude chapter 4. Inductive bible study method bookmark a 2sided bookmark that provides the basic steps of observation, interpretation, and application crucial for using the inductive approach to hear god speaking through his word. Jonah 1 inductive bible study with questions for small groups. Aug 23, 2018 4 jonah set out on the first day of his walk in the city and proclaimed, in 40 days nineveh will be demolished. The foundational source for the book was likely jonahs own telling of the story after his return from nineveh. Studies in the minor prophets jonah messenger to nineveh. In chapter 2, jonah prayed that god would save his life, but in chapter 4, jonah prayed that god would take his life. We read, with a great deal of pleasure, in the close of the foregoing chapter, concerning the repentance of nineveh. Provided to youtube by distrokid book of jonah, chapter 4 helmet lampshade how i left the monastery. This book of jonah, though it be placed here in the midst of the prophetical books of scripture, is yet rather a history than a prophecy. He prayed to the lord, isnt this what i said, lord, when i was still at home. So jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.

Observation describes the act of taking notice, fixing the mind upon, beholding with attention and as used in science includes the idea of making and recording ones findings, a skill certainly applicable to fruitful inductive study of the scriptures. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries. Because of his disobedience, god sent a storm so great that it caused even seasoned sailors to be afraid, but jonah was asleep, and unaware of the storm. Questions for discussion jonah the living word library. The title of the book is the name of the main character, jonah. Pfeiffer, states, it is fictiona short story with a moral like the book of ruthor the stories about daniel jonah is a perfectly good short storywith a beginning, a middle, and an endthe author of jonah. But in jonah 4, god will pursue jonah to uncover jonahs heart. He was gods instrument to carry out gods will on earth. Observation is not just seeing but perceiving what one sees, so that one becomes mentally.

The story of jonah is among the most exciting stories in the bible. Jonah chapter 4 coffmans commentary of the new testament. Do not put to our account innocent literary unity of jonah 4 a a great evil came upon jonah his anger 4. God uses the plant to teach jonah an object lesson 4. In one or two sentences, summarize the paragraphs in esther chapter 4. How the knowledge of this reprieve was conveyed to the prophet we am not informed. Read jonah chapter 4 a printout of this chapter is attached.

The lord had given a specific great fish a new task swallow jonah. From a structural point of view, jonah displays five parts rather than four. Jonah 4 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available. A study of the book of jonah observation questions. In jonah chapter 4, jonah becomes angry concerning the particular turn of events in. As you read this chapter you cant help but notice the interplay between god and this heartless prophet. Bible observation text worksheets beloved truth international. Just because we go through the motions of following gods will does not mean our hearts are aligned with his. Why do you think jesus makes a connection to this incident in matthew 12. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate god, slow to anger and abounding in love, a god who relents. The book of jonah is more about god and how great gods love is. But this book of the bible is not named after a hero jonah is no hero. But to jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. In rebellion and fear, jonah instead sought to run away from god and boarded a boat heading for tarshish.

Jonah 4 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the. In this sermon, jerry gifford deals with how the book of jonah ends abruptly. But it displeased jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. His complaint of gods mercy revealed his rebellious heart 4. Jonah repines at gods mercy to nineveh, and is reproved. Their wickedness, as that of nineveh, is a bold and open affront to god. We are told that the lord prepared a great fish, a gourd, a worm, and a sultry east wind. Thankfully, our god does not try to fit into the boxes we put him in. Most striking of all is the application of psalm 16. There are allusions, in his prayer, to the great messianic psalms 22, 69 and 16. Home bible studies the book of jonah questions for discussion jonah. And it was in the sense that he was speaking to god.

Date since jonah prophesied during the reign of jeroboam ii 782753. Jonah 4 niv bible but to jonah this seemed very wrong. Firstly, jonah had every good reason he thought to wish gods judgment on the ninevites. Yahweh asks whether jonah has a right to that anger. Bible observation text worksheets free bible text observation worksheets we use these for observing and marking the text in inductive bible study to print we have observation worksheets in the landscape format, too, for those who like extra room for notes. Who are the main characters or groups of people found in jonah chapter 4. The major question of jonah 4 is connected to the book s abrupt ending. The reference is to what is said in the last verse of the preceding chapter, viz. Apr 15, 2018 jonah 2 is packed almost completely with a prayer connected to jonah s experiences while waiting in the belly of the great fish that had swallowed him. We have been studying these days in the book of jonah. But he could not understand how god could love even foreign nations who did bad things. How would you compare the repentance of the ninevites here with jonah s repentance in chapter 2.

The incidentals in the book of jonah are the fish, the gourd, the east wind, the boat, and even the city of nineveh. Jonah prophesied to nineveh but he wasnt happy about it jonah 4. If jonah justly grieved for one withering shrub, it was far more. Verses 12 this book is a story about god and jonah. Conservative scholars place the writing of the book of jonah before 745 b. Jonah was an unwilling prophet given an assignment which he found displeasing.

The book is anonymous, and there are no indicators elsewhere in scripture to identify the author. Jonah 4 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. A couple of the key themes we find in this book are gods sovereignty the fact that he is in control. Chapter 4, the last in the book of jonah, should be filled with great thankfulness and rejoicing then.

They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackclothfrom the greatest of them to the least. This helps in finding out the theme of the paragraph. Chapter 4 the book of jonah lake erie bible church. Simile a direct comparison of two things that are essentially different. And here he displayed the deliberation and resource that we observed on. They were the great tyrants of the middle east, the persecutors of israel, an ungodly mob fully deserving of his gods wrath.

An exposition, with practical observations, of the book of jonah. Jonah, like our cat, was stubbornly attacking god in chapter 4. Jonah studies questions for four sessions 3 session 4 jonah and the new testament 1. The book begins with god telling jonah to go to the great city of nineveh. This attribute of the deity is still farther illustrated by his tenderness and condescension to the prophet himself, who, with all his prophetic gifts, had much of human infirmity, jonah 4. The whole of jonah 4 is an account of jonah s displeasure. When we left jonah at the end of chapter three he had just witnessed what could well be the greatest revival recorded in the bible. When i read the third and fourth chapters of the book of jonah, i get that same feeling that i had when i observed our cat stalking hehaw. Please read our guideline on how to lead a bible study before starting. He quotes short fragments from various psalms, and adapts them to meet his own case. Sermon jonah 4 angry jonah and our compassionate god. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord.

He chose to flee away from god rather than obey him. Jonah 1 matthew henrys commentary on the whole bible. The essentials here are jehovah and jonahgod and manthat is what the book is all about. This whole chapter of eleven verses deals almost exclusively with jonah s disappointment, anger, and resentment because of the conversion of the ninevites, and with the gentle persuasion of the lord, who provided motivation for jonah, pointing him toward a more acceptable attitude. Jonah 2 is packed almost completely with a prayer connected to jonah s experiences while waiting in the belly of the great fish that had swallowed him. Jonah 4 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. One of the very reasons he had fled to tarshish was so that the lord would not be merciful to the ninevites, because he knew that the lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in. In fact, only one verse summarizes his message to the people of nineveh 3.

While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a. Literary unity of jonah 4 a a great evil came upon jonah his anger 4. But in jonah 4, god will pursue jonah to uncover jonah s heart. Jonah 4 begin with prayer asking god to lead and guide you as you study his word. In chapter 1, jonah simply sought to withdraw from gods service, but in chapter 4, jonah attacks god, persisting that it is his right to be angry with him. Gods ministry to jonah chapter 4 the bible exposition commentary, cook communications, colorado springs, 2002, p. It is a short book with full of great truths and lessons for us. Whatever the reasons for jonah s anger, he was wrong in it. All of nature obeys god in this book but a prophet of god does not. Similar profit oriented compassion can be observed in todays context.

Summarygod told jonah to go to ninevah and warn them of gods wrath, due to their wickedness. The foundational source for the book was likely jonah s own telling of the story after his return from nineveh. God uses a plant, a worm, and a hot east wind to teach jonah 4. Assyrias willingness to repent may have been helped by. Summary far from being pleased at the fruitful outcome of his preaching, jonah was angry that the lord had spared the ninevites. The ecological reading on the book of jonah invites us to the pilgrimage. At the beginning of the story, he is running away from god, and at the end, he is arguing with god. When we left jonah at the end of chapter one it is fair to say he was in a slightly sticky situation. The following structure is based on a careful analysis of the content of jonah in the hebrew text. The purposeful pursuit of the grace of god jonah 4. The book of jonah was written roughly 3000 years ago by the prophet jonah. This was strange, because usually the preacher is pleased when the congregation repents, but jonah wasnt. And even more thankfully, our god does not give up on us when we try to do that. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.