Read Jonah 4.
Who is mentioned in this chapter?
Mark the Lord and every reference to the Lord, as you did for chapters 1-3.
Mark Jonah and every reference to him, as you did for chapters 1-3.
Is anyone else mentioned?
Mark them the same way as you did in previous chapters.
Now, let's observe this chapter by looking at the places we marked and asking questions of the text. Here are some questions that occurred to me. You might think of other questions that could be answered directly from the text.
Who was displeased and angry about God relenting from His intended calamity for Nineveh?
So, what's the first thing he did?
What does he say that he said while he was still in his own country? Does it appear that he knew God would do what He did?
What does he say that he knows about God?
So, what does he say that he wants God to do? Have we seen him feeling this way earlier?
What does the Lord ask him?
Does he give an answer?
What does he do?
What is he hoping he'll see while sitting under his shelter?
What does God do?
Why does it say that God did that?
How did Jonah feel about what God did?
Then what did God do?
What did the worm do?
What happened to the plant?
Then what did God do?
What were the consequences for Jonah?
What did Jonah want to have happen?
Has he previously felt this way?
What question does God ask Jonah?
How does Jonah answer? What recurring wish do you see?
What four things does the Lord tell Jonah about the plant that he had compassion on?
Who has compassion for Nineveh?
Why should He have compassion for Nineveh?
What do we learn about some of the Ninevites?
We don't hear or see Jonah's response at the end of this book. How do you think he reponded?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
God Relents
Read Jonah 3 and mark every occurrence of "relent" and/or "relented."
When the king of Nineveh uses "relent" the first time, what other two actions are associated with it?
And according to the king of Nineveh, if God were to relent, what would not happen to the Ninevites?
According to verse 10, what was it that caused God to withdraw His burning anger? Was it their pleading, wearing of sackcloth, fasting, and sitting on ashes, or was it something else?
And what happened to the calamity that God had declared He would bring upon them?
From reading your Nineveh information, you probably picked up on the fact that eventually, not too many decades from this time, Nineveh was destroyed, and you can read about that destruction in the book of Nahum. However, the calamity was delayed because of the repentance of this particular generation of Ninevites, who chose to believe God and turn from their wicked ways.
If the Ninevites hadn't turned from their wicked ways, what would have happened?
Who changed direction--the Ninevites or God?
Although Jonah's proclamation, as we read it in the Bible, doesn't mention a choice, the Ninevites obviously realized that, perhaps, they did have a choice in their destiny and they decided to act as if they did have a choice, and as we learn in Jonah 3, they made a wise choice.
Read Matthew 12:38-41. Jesus is speaking to a group of scribes and Pharisees.
What character traits does Jesus attribute to his generation in Israel?
What sign does He say shall be given to this generation?
Who is compared with Whom in verse 40? What miracle is compared to what other miracle?
At the time of the judgment who does Jesus say will stand up with this generation now alive in Israel?
What did the Ninevites do when they heard Jonah's preaching?
Why will that make them able to condemn the generation to whom Jesus is speaking?
Who preached to the generation to whom Jesus is speaking?
And what was their response? Did they make a wise choice? Did they respond as the Ninevites did?
Imagine how this comparison must have struck those to whom Jesus was speaking! Here He is--holding up the former enemies of His people as an example. He's saying that this former enemy will be able to condemn God's people on the day of judgment.
So, if God warns us that we're off the path of righteousness and heading toward destruction, is it better to continue heading the wrong way or to do as the Ninevites did?
God sent Amos the prophet to the Israelites at around the same time as He sent Jonah to the Ninevites. Did the Israelites respond in the same way as the Ninevites? Did they change their wicked ways? Did they repent? What happened to Israel in 722 BC? (You can find out by looking at your "Times of the Prophets" sheet. "The Divided Kingdom" sheet recounts what happened in the third paragraph on the right side.)
In 586 BC, Judah fell to the Babylonians after repeated warnings by God that they needed to turn back to Him, or else . . .
After 70 years in exile, a remnant returned, as Isaiah and Jeremiah had prophesied. They rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple. They had children, and their population grew. They endured the Greek occupation, and fought for their independence under the Maccabees. Their country came under Roman control, and it was into this scene that God sent His Son Jesus as a baby, the Savior of the world. Did this new generation of Jewish people change their ways as that generation of Ninevites did in the days of Jonah? No, and in AD 70 Titus demolished the temple in Jerusalem and drove the Jews from their land, dispersing them far and wide.
So, what have we learned?
When the king of Nineveh uses "relent" the first time, what other two actions are associated with it?
And according to the king of Nineveh, if God were to relent, what would not happen to the Ninevites?
According to verse 10, what was it that caused God to withdraw His burning anger? Was it their pleading, wearing of sackcloth, fasting, and sitting on ashes, or was it something else?
And what happened to the calamity that God had declared He would bring upon them?
From reading your Nineveh information, you probably picked up on the fact that eventually, not too many decades from this time, Nineveh was destroyed, and you can read about that destruction in the book of Nahum. However, the calamity was delayed because of the repentance of this particular generation of Ninevites, who chose to believe God and turn from their wicked ways.
If the Ninevites hadn't turned from their wicked ways, what would have happened?
Who changed direction--the Ninevites or God?
Although Jonah's proclamation, as we read it in the Bible, doesn't mention a choice, the Ninevites obviously realized that, perhaps, they did have a choice in their destiny and they decided to act as if they did have a choice, and as we learn in Jonah 3, they made a wise choice.
Read Matthew 12:38-41. Jesus is speaking to a group of scribes and Pharisees.
What character traits does Jesus attribute to his generation in Israel?
What sign does He say shall be given to this generation?
Who is compared with Whom in verse 40? What miracle is compared to what other miracle?
At the time of the judgment who does Jesus say will stand up with this generation now alive in Israel?
What did the Ninevites do when they heard Jonah's preaching?
Why will that make them able to condemn the generation to whom Jesus is speaking?
Who preached to the generation to whom Jesus is speaking?
And what was their response? Did they make a wise choice? Did they respond as the Ninevites did?
Imagine how this comparison must have struck those to whom Jesus was speaking! Here He is--holding up the former enemies of His people as an example. He's saying that this former enemy will be able to condemn God's people on the day of judgment.
So, if God warns us that we're off the path of righteousness and heading toward destruction, is it better to continue heading the wrong way or to do as the Ninevites did?
God sent Amos the prophet to the Israelites at around the same time as He sent Jonah to the Ninevites. Did the Israelites respond in the same way as the Ninevites? Did they change their wicked ways? Did they repent? What happened to Israel in 722 BC? (You can find out by looking at your "Times of the Prophets" sheet. "The Divided Kingdom" sheet recounts what happened in the third paragraph on the right side.)
In 586 BC, Judah fell to the Babylonians after repeated warnings by God that they needed to turn back to Him, or else . . .
After 70 years in exile, a remnant returned, as Isaiah and Jeremiah had prophesied. They rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple. They had children, and their population grew. They endured the Greek occupation, and fought for their independence under the Maccabees. Their country came under Roman control, and it was into this scene that God sent His Son Jesus as a baby, the Savior of the world. Did this new generation of Jewish people change their ways as that generation of Ninevites did in the days of Jonah? No, and in AD 70 Titus demolished the temple in Jerusalem and drove the Jews from their land, dispersing them far and wide.
So, what have we learned?
Ninevites Repent
How did the Ninevites respond to God's message that Jonah proclaimed to them?
Jonah 3:5 tells us that they believed, called a fast, and put on sackcloth.
Why would they call a fast and put on sackcloth?
Let's take a closer look at wearing sackcloth. What does it indicate about the person doing it?
How many times is sackcloth mentioned in Jonah 3? List the verses and note what is done along with wearing the sackcloth.
If you looked up "sackcloth" in the Holman Bible Dictionary, you would find this definition: A garment of coarse material fashioned from goat or camel hair worn as a sign of mourning or anguish, also marked by fasting and sitting on an ash heap.
To learn more about this practice of wearing sackcloth, you could find "sackcloth" in the concordance at the front of Strong's, find other verses that use this word, and look them up. The first mention of sackcloth in the Bible is in Genesis 37:34. What did Jacob do besides wear sackcloth when his other sons told him that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal?
The second time this word is used is in 2 Samuel 3:31. What does David tell the people to do when Abner is killed?
Read Esther 4:1-3. The Jews have just learned that they are to be exterminated in Persia. How do they respond?
What else do people do besides wear sackcloth?
Why did people lay on ashes or put ashes on themselves? What did ashes symbolize?
Read 2 Peter 2:6. What were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah reduced to? Who reduced them? For whom were they to be an example?
Read Ezekiel 28:18. God is condemning Tyre. What does God say He has done to them? Why did He do it? What have they been turned to?
Read Malachi 4:3. What are the wicked going to be?
So, what do you think ashes might represent?
Complete destruction, God's wrath, and death might be a few words that come to mind. Ashes are a symbol of human mortality and of the humility needed by humans as they approach God, the One who created them and will judge them.
Read Job 42:6. What do dust and ashes symbolize in this passage?
Read Matthew 11:21. What does Jesus say that the people of Tyre and Sidon would have done in sackcloth and ashes?
So when people tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, heaped ashes on themselves or lay on ashes, wailed, wept, fasted, lamented and mourned, what were they doing before God? What was their visible behavior evidence of?
In Jonah 3:5 and 6, we see that along with wearing sackcloth, the Ninevites also fasted and sat on ashes. But most importantly, what did they do in verse 8?
How do these actions remind you of what Jonah did in chapter two?
How did God respond to Jonah's action in chapter two?
How did God respond to the Ninevite's actions in chapter three?
What does this teach us about God?
Jonah 3:5 tells us that they believed, called a fast, and put on sackcloth.
Why would they call a fast and put on sackcloth?
Let's take a closer look at wearing sackcloth. What does it indicate about the person doing it?
How many times is sackcloth mentioned in Jonah 3? List the verses and note what is done along with wearing the sackcloth.
If you looked up "sackcloth" in the Holman Bible Dictionary, you would find this definition: A garment of coarse material fashioned from goat or camel hair worn as a sign of mourning or anguish, also marked by fasting and sitting on an ash heap.
To learn more about this practice of wearing sackcloth, you could find "sackcloth" in the concordance at the front of Strong's, find other verses that use this word, and look them up. The first mention of sackcloth in the Bible is in Genesis 37:34. What did Jacob do besides wear sackcloth when his other sons told him that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal?
The second time this word is used is in 2 Samuel 3:31. What does David tell the people to do when Abner is killed?
Read Esther 4:1-3. The Jews have just learned that they are to be exterminated in Persia. How do they respond?
What else do people do besides wear sackcloth?
Why did people lay on ashes or put ashes on themselves? What did ashes symbolize?
Read 2 Peter 2:6. What were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah reduced to? Who reduced them? For whom were they to be an example?
Read Ezekiel 28:18. God is condemning Tyre. What does God say He has done to them? Why did He do it? What have they been turned to?
Read Malachi 4:3. What are the wicked going to be?
So, what do you think ashes might represent?
Complete destruction, God's wrath, and death might be a few words that come to mind. Ashes are a symbol of human mortality and of the humility needed by humans as they approach God, the One who created them and will judge them.
Read Job 42:6. What do dust and ashes symbolize in this passage?
Read Matthew 11:21. What does Jesus say that the people of Tyre and Sidon would have done in sackcloth and ashes?
So when people tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, heaped ashes on themselves or lay on ashes, wailed, wept, fasted, lamented and mourned, what were they doing before God? What was their visible behavior evidence of?
In Jonah 3:5 and 6, we see that along with wearing sackcloth, the Ninevites also fasted and sat on ashes. But most importantly, what did they do in verse 8?
How do these actions remind you of what Jonah did in chapter two?
How did God respond to Jonah's action in chapter two?
How did God respond to the Ninevite's actions in chapter three?
What does this teach us about God?
Where in Jonah 3
Where does chapter 3 take place?
Mark all the references to Nineveh in the same way as you did in chapter one.
What did we learn about Nineveh in chapter one?
What additional information do we learn in chapter 3?
Now would be a good time to do some outside research on Nineveh. See if you can find the answers to these questions, either in resources you discover on your own, or in the information I'll provide after the questions.
Mark all the references to Nineveh in the same way as you did in chapter one.
What did we learn about Nineveh in chapter one?
What additional information do we learn in chapter 3?
Now would be a good time to do some outside research on Nineveh. See if you can find the answers to these questions, either in resources you discover on your own, or in the information I'll provide after the questions.
- Of what empire was Nineveh the capital?
- About how big was the main walled city?
- About how big was the city and its surrounding urban area?
- For what reasons might the Ninevites have been ready to repent and believe when Jonah delivered God's message?
- What would you see if you went to the site of Nineveh today?
- Is Jonah of continuing importance to the people of that region?
Check out these websites:
http://www.crystalinks.com/nineveh.html
http://www.bibleandkoran.net/verhaal/php?1IntEntityId=12
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosques_and_shrines_of_Mosul
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2008/12/mission-restore.html?cid=142216682
Excerpt from Holman Bible Dictionary, pg. 1024 NINEVEH The greatest of the capitals of the ancient Assyrian Empire, which flourished from about 800 to 612 BC It was located on the left bank of the Tigris river in northeastern Mesopotamia (Iraq today). Its remains are represented by two mounds named Quyundjiq "Many Sheep" and Nebi Yunus "The Prophet Jonah."
Excerpt from The New Unger's Bible Handbook, pg. 322 Recent discoveries have added credence to the historicity of the book. Excavations have revealed that 'greater' Nineveh was a district 30-60 miles across, agreeing well with the text of Jonah. pg. 324 Under Adad-nirari III (810-782 BC) there was an approach to monotheism in the worship of the god Nabu (Nebo). Either in the closing years of this reign or early in that of Ashur-dan III (772-755 BC) Jonah appeared in Nineveh. Whether the total eclipse in 763 BC, regarded as a divine portent, or the plagues of 765 or 759 BC, recorded in Assyrian history, prepared the Ninevites for their repentance cannot be known.
What surprised you the most?
Friday, November 13, 2009
Time in Jonah 3
Mark the references to time in Jonah 3 in the same way as you did for the previous two chapters.
When did the word of the Lord come to Jonah again? What had just happened at the end of the second chapter?
How many times had the word of the Lord come to Jonah?
Back then, how long would it take to walk through Nineveh?
When did Jonah first proclaim the message God had given him?
How long did Nineveh have before it would be overthrown?
When did the people of Nineveh believe in God?
When did the king of Nineveh cover himself with sackcloth?
When did God relent concerning the calamity which He had declared upon Nineveh?
What do we learn about God by marking these references to time?
When did the word of the Lord come to Jonah again? What had just happened at the end of the second chapter?
How many times had the word of the Lord come to Jonah?
Back then, how long would it take to walk through Nineveh?
When did Jonah first proclaim the message God had given him?
How long did Nineveh have before it would be overthrown?
When did the people of Nineveh believe in God?
When did the king of Nineveh cover himself with sackcloth?
When did God relent concerning the calamity which He had declared upon Nineveh?
What do we learn about God by marking these references to time?
More Whos in Jonah Chapter 3
Read through Jonah 3.
What whos do you see other than the Lord and Jonah?
I noticed the people of Nineveh, the king and his nobles.
On your key card, write king and Ninevites. Decide how you'll mark each one. Since the nobles could be counted as Ninevites, that's how you could mark them. If you'd like to mark them separately, go ahead.
Read through Jonah 3, marking every reference to the king and the Ninevites.
List what you learn about the Ninevites.
List what you learn about the king of Nineveh.
Who believed in God after Jonah made his proclamation?
What did they do after they believed?
How many of them did those things?
What did the king of Nineveh do when he heard what was going on?
What did the king cover himself with? What did he sit on? Why did he do those things?
What did the king's proclamation state?
Whom did he tell the Ninevites to call upon?
Why were they to earnestly call upon God?
What were they to turn from?
What was the king hoping would happen if they did that?
And what happened when the Ninevites followed the king's proclamation?
To consider: Do you think this is what Jonah was hoping would happen? What do you think he was expecting?
What whos do you see other than the Lord and Jonah?
I noticed the people of Nineveh, the king and his nobles.
On your key card, write king and Ninevites. Decide how you'll mark each one. Since the nobles could be counted as Ninevites, that's how you could mark them. If you'd like to mark them separately, go ahead.
Read through Jonah 3, marking every reference to the king and the Ninevites.
List what you learn about the Ninevites.
List what you learn about the king of Nineveh.
Who believed in God after Jonah made his proclamation?
What did they do after they believed?
How many of them did those things?
What did the king of Nineveh do when he heard what was going on?
What did the king cover himself with? What did he sit on? Why did he do those things?
What did the king's proclamation state?
Whom did he tell the Ninevites to call upon?
Why were they to earnestly call upon God?
What were they to turn from?
What was the king hoping would happen if they did that?
And what happened when the Ninevites followed the king's proclamation?
To consider: Do you think this is what Jonah was hoping would happen? What do you think he was expecting?
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Whos in Jonah Chapter Three
The Whos down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot . . . Whoa! Just being silly. After writing that blog title, that first line from Dr. Seuss' famous Grinch story simply slid out. Sorry about that.
On a more serious note, we've reached the third chapter of Jonah, and if we continue to observe it in a way consistent with how we've studied the first two chapters, we'll begin by reading it and looking for who is mentioned.
Read the chapter. Who is mentioned?
In the same way as you did for the first two chapters, mark the Lord and Jonah.
Add what you learn about the Lord to your list.
Add what you learn about Jonah to your list.
What comes to Jonah a second time? What does that show you about God?
Whose proclamation will be proclaimed to Nineveh?
Who will proclaim it?
Who went to Nineveh? Why did he go there?
Who told Nineveh that their city would be overthrown in forty days?
After hearing that message in whom did the Ninevites believe?
Whom were the Ninevites encouraged to call upon?
Why were they encouraged to do that?
What did they hope God would do?
Who saw that they turned from their wicked ways?
Who didn't bring upon them the calamity that Jonah had proclaimed?
Something to think about: Read Matthew 12:38-41. Ponder what Jesus said in relation to chapter three of Jonah. What is Jesus trying to tell the scribes and Pharisees of His day? Does what Jesus told them apply to us and our time?
There are other whos in this chapter whom we'll look at more closely in the next blog.
On a more serious note, we've reached the third chapter of Jonah, and if we continue to observe it in a way consistent with how we've studied the first two chapters, we'll begin by reading it and looking for who is mentioned.
Read the chapter. Who is mentioned?
In the same way as you did for the first two chapters, mark the Lord and Jonah.
Add what you learn about the Lord to your list.
Add what you learn about Jonah to your list.
What comes to Jonah a second time? What does that show you about God?
Whose proclamation will be proclaimed to Nineveh?
Who will proclaim it?
Who went to Nineveh? Why did he go there?
Who told Nineveh that their city would be overthrown in forty days?
After hearing that message in whom did the Ninevites believe?
Whom were the Ninevites encouraged to call upon?
Why were they encouraged to do that?
What did they hope God would do?
Who saw that they turned from their wicked ways?
Who didn't bring upon them the calamity that Jonah had proclaimed?
Something to think about: Read Matthew 12:38-41. Ponder what Jesus said in relation to chapter three of Jonah. What is Jesus trying to tell the scribes and Pharisees of His day? Does what Jesus told them apply to us and our time?
There are other whos in this chapter whom we'll look at more closely in the next blog.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Jonah's Prayer
Read Jonah 2:1 and 10.
These two verses provide a good summary of what happened.
Why do you think God wanted us to hear what Jonah prayed?
Read all of Jonah 2.
According to 2:2, where was Jonah when he cried out?
What was Jonah's assessment of his condition?
Why did he think he was in that predicament?
Jonah had willfully disobeyed God.
Did he have any right to pray?
Had he been so bad that he shouldn't bother praying?
What do we learn from this text?
What do learn about God from the way He answered Jonah's prayer?
Have you ever chosen not to pray because you thought it wouldn't do any good?
What have you learned from Jonah 2 that would challenge that way of thinking?
These two verses provide a good summary of what happened.
Why do you think God wanted us to hear what Jonah prayed?
Read all of Jonah 2.
According to 2:2, where was Jonah when he cried out?
What was Jonah's assessment of his condition?
Why did he think he was in that predicament?
Jonah had willfully disobeyed God.
Did he have any right to pray?
Had he been so bad that he shouldn't bother praying?
What do we learn from this text?
What do learn about God from the way He answered Jonah's prayer?
Have you ever chosen not to pray because you thought it wouldn't do any good?
What have you learned from Jonah 2 that would challenge that way of thinking?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Fish or Whale?
We're now leaving the big fish behind, but before I do, let's take a look at this creature. The first day when we checked out the different Bible versions to see what type of creature they said swallowed Jonah, it was always a fish. We didn't have a KJV at the time, but I looked it up and it said: great fish. So, that led us to wonder why in the children's storybooks, it's always pictured as a whale.
That led me to look up "whale" in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to see where whales are mentioned in the Bible. There's a reference in Job and another in Ezekiel for "whale." Neither are referring to Jonah. "Whales" is mentioned in Genesis, where it mentions that God created them. That's not referring to Jonah either. Then I saw "whale's." The scripture reference next to it is Matthew 12:40, and the piece of verse was: three nights in the w belly; so shall the . . . Hmmm . . . now this is sounding like the Jonah story, so let's check it out. And just in case we need it, the Strong's number is #G2785.
Let's begin by looking up Matthew 12:40. We seem to be entering into the middle of a conversation, so let's back up and begin reading with verse 38. Read through verse 41, although it gives away some of what we'll soon be learning in Jonah 3.
This is a conversation between Jesus and some scribes and Pharisees. We'll discuss this conversation more later, but for right now, what does Jesus say Jonah was in the belly of? My NASB version translates it as "sea monster." However, if you read this verse in the KJV, it says "whale's belly."
So, what was the Greek word that was used? If you look up #2785 in the Greek dictionary, it has "ketos" as the original word. It referred to a "a huge fish (as gaping for prey)," and is translated as "whale."
Hmmm . . . Jonah took place during Old Testament times. What was the Hebrew word for "whale"? Next to the Job, Ezekiel, and Genesis verses that used "whale," the number is #H8577. The original Hebrew word was "tannin" or "tannim," and it means "a marine or land monster, i.e. sea-serpent or jackal," and it can be translated as: dragon, sea-monster, serpent, whale.
The Hebrew word used in the Jonah passage has the number #H1709. The Hebrew word corresponding to this number is "dag." And it means "a fish," and it's translated as "fish."
Therefore it appears that the writer of Jonah meant a fish. The writer of Matthew used a word that meant a huge fish, but it was translated into the English centuries ago as "whale," back when people hadn't really figured out that whales weren't fish. So, it appears to me to be a matter of translation into our language.
Then there's the whole issue of whether a person could survive three days and nights in the gastric juices of a whale or a large fish. My perspective on that is that this is God we're talking about--God is supernatural. He can transcend the laws of nature, because He's the one who created them in the first place. Anything is possible with God. If God wanted it to happen, it happened.
That led me to look up "whale" in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to see where whales are mentioned in the Bible. There's a reference in Job and another in Ezekiel for "whale." Neither are referring to Jonah. "Whales" is mentioned in Genesis, where it mentions that God created them. That's not referring to Jonah either. Then I saw "whale's." The scripture reference next to it is Matthew 12:40, and the piece of verse was: three nights in the w belly; so shall the . . . Hmmm . . . now this is sounding like the Jonah story, so let's check it out. And just in case we need it, the Strong's number is #G2785.
Let's begin by looking up Matthew 12:40. We seem to be entering into the middle of a conversation, so let's back up and begin reading with verse 38. Read through verse 41, although it gives away some of what we'll soon be learning in Jonah 3.
This is a conversation between Jesus and some scribes and Pharisees. We'll discuss this conversation more later, but for right now, what does Jesus say Jonah was in the belly of? My NASB version translates it as "sea monster." However, if you read this verse in the KJV, it says "whale's belly."
So, what was the Greek word that was used? If you look up #2785 in the Greek dictionary, it has "ketos" as the original word. It referred to a "a huge fish (as gaping for prey)," and is translated as "whale."
Hmmm . . . Jonah took place during Old Testament times. What was the Hebrew word for "whale"? Next to the Job, Ezekiel, and Genesis verses that used "whale," the number is #H8577. The original Hebrew word was "tannin" or "tannim," and it means "a marine or land monster, i.e. sea-serpent or jackal," and it can be translated as: dragon, sea-monster, serpent, whale.
The Hebrew word used in the Jonah passage has the number #H1709. The Hebrew word corresponding to this number is "dag." And it means "a fish," and it's translated as "fish."
Therefore it appears that the writer of Jonah meant a fish. The writer of Matthew used a word that meant a huge fish, but it was translated into the English centuries ago as "whale," back when people hadn't really figured out that whales weren't fish. So, it appears to me to be a matter of translation into our language.
Then there's the whole issue of whether a person could survive three days and nights in the gastric juices of a whale or a large fish. My perspective on that is that this is God we're talking about--God is supernatural. He can transcend the laws of nature, because He's the one who created them in the first place. Anything is possible with God. If God wanted it to happen, it happened.
When in Jonah 2
Using the same mark as you did in Jonah 1, mark all the words that would answer the question "when" in Jonah 2.
When did Jonah pray to the Lord from the stomach of the fish?
When a "when" word such as "then" appears at the beginning of the first verse of a chapter, it's usually necessary to go back to the previous chapter in order to figure out the answer to the question. What do we learn when we look back at the last verse of chapter one? We learn that the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
What happened then? The next verse in chapter two gives us the answer: Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish . . .
So, what might be your answer to the first question? Perhaps, it would be that he prayed after being swallowed. Maybe you would answer that Jonah prayed after spending three days and three nights in the stomach of the fish. Which one is correct? Well, let's observe some more, and you can decide if one or the other of those answers seems more specifically correct than the other. One thing that we could all agree on is that it was after he was swallowed.
This next question isn't prompted by a "when" word, but it has something to do with what happened when. Did Jonah pray only from inside the stomach of the fish, or does he indicate in this chapter that he prayed from elsewhere at some time before that?
Notice in verse two how he says that he cried for help from the depth of Sheol. He cried out, prayed, before being swallowed. Much of what is described in this prayer in verse two happened between verses 16 and 17 in chapter one. We're backtracking. Meanwhile, while the sailors on the ship were sacrificing to the Lord and making vows, what was Jonah doing? Distressed and near death, feeling totally expelled from God, he's crying out to the Lord.
What "when" term is used in verse five? To what point in his life was Jonah brought by this experience in the deeps?
For how long did Jonah think the earth with its bars was around him? This bleak existence without God seemed endless, yet what happened then? What does Jonah say he was doing when he remembered the Lord?
When did the Lord command the fish to vomit Jonah onto the dry land? What is it that Jonah remembered about the Lord?
Something to think about: We haven't yet studied the message that Jonah is to bring to the Ninevites, but you're probably somewhat familiar with it. At this point we know that Jonah realizes that his salvation came from the Lord. Is he ready to admit that the Lord's salvation is available for others? If and when he eventually heads toward Nineveh, is he primarily going to offer salvation, or is he thinking of something else when he delivers the Lord's message?
When did Jonah pray to the Lord from the stomach of the fish?
When a "when" word such as "then" appears at the beginning of the first verse of a chapter, it's usually necessary to go back to the previous chapter in order to figure out the answer to the question. What do we learn when we look back at the last verse of chapter one? We learn that the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
What happened then? The next verse in chapter two gives us the answer: Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish . . .
So, what might be your answer to the first question? Perhaps, it would be that he prayed after being swallowed. Maybe you would answer that Jonah prayed after spending three days and three nights in the stomach of the fish. Which one is correct? Well, let's observe some more, and you can decide if one or the other of those answers seems more specifically correct than the other. One thing that we could all agree on is that it was after he was swallowed.
This next question isn't prompted by a "when" word, but it has something to do with what happened when. Did Jonah pray only from inside the stomach of the fish, or does he indicate in this chapter that he prayed from elsewhere at some time before that?
Notice in verse two how he says that he cried for help from the depth of Sheol. He cried out, prayed, before being swallowed. Much of what is described in this prayer in verse two happened between verses 16 and 17 in chapter one. We're backtracking. Meanwhile, while the sailors on the ship were sacrificing to the Lord and making vows, what was Jonah doing? Distressed and near death, feeling totally expelled from God, he's crying out to the Lord.
What "when" term is used in verse five? To what point in his life was Jonah brought by this experience in the deeps?
For how long did Jonah think the earth with its bars was around him? This bleak existence without God seemed endless, yet what happened then? What does Jonah say he was doing when he remembered the Lord?
When did the Lord command the fish to vomit Jonah onto the dry land? What is it that Jonah remembered about the Lord?
Something to think about: We haven't yet studied the message that Jonah is to bring to the Ninevites, but you're probably somewhat familiar with it. At this point we know that Jonah realizes that his salvation came from the Lord. Is he ready to admit that the Lord's salvation is available for others? If and when he eventually heads toward Nineveh, is he primarily going to offer salvation, or is he thinking of something else when he delivers the Lord's message?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Where in Jonah 2
Now, it's time to mark geographical locations that you find in Jonah 2. Mark them in the same way as you did for Jonah 1. In addition, mark any locations that might not be exactly geographical, but that might be a place you want to find out more about. Jonah 2 has a number of places like that mentioned in it.
Did you mark "the depth of Sheol" in verse 2? What does Jonah say that he did from "the depth of Sheol"? Do verses 5 and 6 give you any insight as to where or what "the depth of Sheol" is? What do you think?
In my New American Standard Bible, there's a footnote mark next to "Sheol." In the cross-references, these verses are listed next to the corresponding mark: Ps. 18:5,6; 86:13; 88:1-7.
Read each of these scripture references. With what would you associate Sheol?
For each of these scripture references, my Bible had a footnote mark by "Sheol." When I looked at it, it said "the nether world." What's that? What do you think it is from the context? If you can, look it up in a dictionary. What does it say that it is?
In Ps. 88:3-4 and 6, what word could be substituted for "Sheol"? Did you notice that same word used by Jonah to refer to "Sheol"?
In Ps. 18:5-6, where does it say that God was when He heard the psalmist's voice?
How is this similar to Jonah 2:7?
After King Solomon finished building the temple in Jerusalem, he held a huge dedication ceremony and prayed before the Lord. Read this section of his prayer: 1 Kings 8:27-30. How does the temple fit into the prayers of the people? Does this help you understand why Jonah said what he said in his prayer?
Where is Jonah at the end of this chapter? Read the first two verses of chapter 3. Do you think it more likely that the dry land was on some island, the north coast of Africa, a beach near Tarshish, or fairly close to Joppa where Jonah had started his voyage? Why do you think that? What is God giving Jonah?
Think about places that God has dropped you off. Why do you think you've landed in those particular places?
Did you mark "the depth of Sheol" in verse 2? What does Jonah say that he did from "the depth of Sheol"? Do verses 5 and 6 give you any insight as to where or what "the depth of Sheol" is? What do you think?
In my New American Standard Bible, there's a footnote mark next to "Sheol." In the cross-references, these verses are listed next to the corresponding mark: Ps. 18:5,6; 86:13; 88:1-7.
Read each of these scripture references. With what would you associate Sheol?
For each of these scripture references, my Bible had a footnote mark by "Sheol." When I looked at it, it said "the nether world." What's that? What do you think it is from the context? If you can, look it up in a dictionary. What does it say that it is?
In Ps. 88:3-4 and 6, what word could be substituted for "Sheol"? Did you notice that same word used by Jonah to refer to "Sheol"?
In Ps. 18:5-6, where does it say that God was when He heard the psalmist's voice?
How is this similar to Jonah 2:7?
After King Solomon finished building the temple in Jerusalem, he held a huge dedication ceremony and prayed before the Lord. Read this section of his prayer: 1 Kings 8:27-30. How does the temple fit into the prayers of the people? Does this help you understand why Jonah said what he said in his prayer?
Where is Jonah at the end of this chapter? Read the first two verses of chapter 3. Do you think it more likely that the dry land was on some island, the north coast of Africa, a beach near Tarshish, or fairly close to Joppa where Jonah had started his voyage? Why do you think that? What is God giving Jonah?
Think about places that God has dropped you off. Why do you think you've landed in those particular places?
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Jonah in Jonah 2
Now, let's look at what we learn about Jonah in Jonah 2. As you read through chapter 2, mark every reference to Jonah in the same way as you marked them in chapter 1.
List what you learn about Jonah.
Who prayed to the Lord?
Where was he when he prayed?
What caused him to call to the Lord?
Something to think about--When surrounded by the terrible storm that threatened not only his life, but the lives of the crew and captain, do we ever see any evidence that Jonah called to the Lord? From this context, what seems to be a synonym for "called to the Lord"? What do you think is the difference in this situation?
What happened when he called to the Lord?
Where does he say he was when he called to the Lord?
Where's that? We'll look at that when we discuss places.
Who heard his voice?
Who, does Jonah say, cast him into the deep?
Something to think about: Yet, in Jonah 1, who did we see cast Jonah into the sea?
Why do you think Jonah saw it differently?
What are all the things that happened to Jonah as he sunk down through the water?
How far did he say he was descending?
What image does "the earth with its bars" give you of his situation?
To what might that be compared in 2:2?
So, what does verse 2 say that he did when he felt surrounded by "the earth with its bars"?
Who rescued him at this point?
From where does he say he was rescued?
To what might that be compared in 2:2?
Had he left the confines of the fish's stomach at this point?
When did Jonah say that he remembered the Lord?
To whom does he say his prayer went?
What does Jonah promise God?
What does Jonah say comes from the Lord?
Something to think about: Jonah says that he's thankful and saved, and he's still in the fish's stomach! What do you make of that?
And at that point, what happened to Jonah?
How long had Jonah been in the stomach of that fish?
List what you learn about Jonah.
Who prayed to the Lord?
Where was he when he prayed?
What caused him to call to the Lord?
Something to think about--When surrounded by the terrible storm that threatened not only his life, but the lives of the crew and captain, do we ever see any evidence that Jonah called to the Lord? From this context, what seems to be a synonym for "called to the Lord"? What do you think is the difference in this situation?
What happened when he called to the Lord?
Where does he say he was when he called to the Lord?
Where's that? We'll look at that when we discuss places.
Who heard his voice?
Who, does Jonah say, cast him into the deep?
Something to think about: Yet, in Jonah 1, who did we see cast Jonah into the sea?
Why do you think Jonah saw it differently?
What are all the things that happened to Jonah as he sunk down through the water?
How far did he say he was descending?
What image does "the earth with its bars" give you of his situation?
To what might that be compared in 2:2?
So, what does verse 2 say that he did when he felt surrounded by "the earth with its bars"?
Who rescued him at this point?
From where does he say he was rescued?
To what might that be compared in 2:2?
Had he left the confines of the fish's stomach at this point?
When did Jonah say that he remembered the Lord?
To whom does he say his prayer went?
What does Jonah promise God?
What does Jonah say comes from the Lord?
Something to think about: Jonah says that he's thankful and saved, and he's still in the fish's stomach! What do you make of that?
And at that point, what happened to Jonah?
How long had Jonah been in the stomach of that fish?
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Lord in Jonah 2
Always remember to begin your time in God's Word with prayer, asking for the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you understand what it is that God has to say to you today.
Start by reading Jonah 2 aloud, imagining that you are Jonah inside a big fish.
Now, go through Jonah 2, marking every reference to the Lord in the same way as you did in Jonah 1.
When you finish, list everything you learn about the Lord in Jonah 2.
To whom did Jonah pray?
Who answered Jonah's prayer?
Who does Jonah say cast him into the deep?
According to Jonah, to whom do the breakers and billows belong?
What did Jonah say he had been expelled from?
Whose holy temple does Jonah say he's going to look toward?
Who brought up Jonah's life from the pit?
Who did Jonah remember when he was fainting away?
To whom did Jonah's prayer come?
To whom will Jonah sacrifice?
What does Jonah say comes from the Lord?
What did the Lord do when Jonah had finished his prayer?
Some things to think about:
Who saved Jonah from fleeing from God's presence?
Who saved Jonah from drowning in the depths of the sea?
Notice that even when he's in the gut of the fish, Jonah considers himself saved.
From these experiences, do you think Jonah might be willing to agree that God could keep him safe even in the enemy territory of Nineveh, especially since it was God who asked him to go there in the first place?
Who would save the Ninevites from fleeing from God's presence?
Who would save the Israelites from fleeing from God's presence?
To what lengths will God go to prevent people from permanently fleeing from His presence?
Might God be calling you and me to help someone else stop fleeing from His presence?
Do we feel like fleeing when called upon by God to do that?
Take some time to pray about these things, as you consider how God is calling you.
Start by reading Jonah 2 aloud, imagining that you are Jonah inside a big fish.
Now, go through Jonah 2, marking every reference to the Lord in the same way as you did in Jonah 1.
When you finish, list everything you learn about the Lord in Jonah 2.
To whom did Jonah pray?
Who answered Jonah's prayer?
Who does Jonah say cast him into the deep?
According to Jonah, to whom do the breakers and billows belong?
What did Jonah say he had been expelled from?
Whose holy temple does Jonah say he's going to look toward?
Who brought up Jonah's life from the pit?
Who did Jonah remember when he was fainting away?
To whom did Jonah's prayer come?
To whom will Jonah sacrifice?
What does Jonah say comes from the Lord?
What did the Lord do when Jonah had finished his prayer?
Some things to think about:
Who saved Jonah from fleeing from God's presence?
Who saved Jonah from drowning in the depths of the sea?
Notice that even when he's in the gut of the fish, Jonah considers himself saved.
From these experiences, do you think Jonah might be willing to agree that God could keep him safe even in the enemy territory of Nineveh, especially since it was God who asked him to go there in the first place?
Who would save the Ninevites from fleeing from God's presence?
Who would save the Israelites from fleeing from God's presence?
To what lengths will God go to prevent people from permanently fleeing from His presence?
Might God be calling you and me to help someone else stop fleeing from His presence?
Do we feel like fleeing when called upon by God to do that?
Take some time to pray about these things, as you consider how God is calling you.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Why didn't Jonah want to go to Nineveh?
From what we covered today, what do you think are some reasons why Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh?
Jot down any reasons that occur to you. As we progress through our study, other reasons may come to mind.
Some things to think about:
What was the relationship between Israel and Assyria?
When God instructed Jonah to go to Nineveh, what reason did He give for sending him?
What do you think Jonah would want to happen to the Ninevites?
How is Jonah's message to the Ninevites similar to Amos' message to the Israelites?
In Amos' message, God mentioned sending a foreign nation against Israel. What foreign nation do you think He had in mind?
Is it possible that Jonah would have heard Amos' prophecies? If so, how might that affect his attitude toward the Ninevites?
Jot down any reasons that occur to you. As we progress through our study, other reasons may come to mind.
Some things to think about:
What was the relationship between Israel and Assyria?
When God instructed Jonah to go to Nineveh, what reason did He give for sending him?
What do you think Jonah would want to happen to the Ninevites?
How is Jonah's message to the Ninevites similar to Amos' message to the Israelites?
In Amos' message, God mentioned sending a foreign nation against Israel. What foreign nation do you think He had in mind?
Is it possible that Jonah would have heard Amos' prophecies? If so, how might that affect his attitude toward the Ninevites?
The Reputation of the Assyrians
During Jonah's lifetime, the Assyrians were the dominant world power. They were not only dominant, but feared, known for their brutality and cruelty. When Amos mentioned being led away with meat hooks, he meant it. To learn more about the Assyrians, check out this site:
http://www.bible-history.com/old-testament/BKA2The_Assyrians.htm
For approximately how long were the Assyrians the leading power in the ancient world?
Were they the leading power when Jonah lived?
How did they capture Samaria, the capital of Israel?
From other sources, I've read that they first destroyed all the other cities, towns, and villages in Israel and then laid siege to Samaria for three years!
What happened to thousands of Israelites?
Why did the Assyrians do that?
What kind of reaction do you think their battle practices would evoke in their yet unconquered neighbors?
What were the two main reasons why the Hebrew people harbored hostility against this nation?
In what book of the Bible is this attitude clearly revealed?
http://www.bible-history.com/old-testament/BKA2The_Assyrians.htm
For approximately how long were the Assyrians the leading power in the ancient world?
Were they the leading power when Jonah lived?
How did they capture Samaria, the capital of Israel?
From other sources, I've read that they first destroyed all the other cities, towns, and villages in Israel and then laid siege to Samaria for three years!
What happened to thousands of Israelites?
Why did the Assyrians do that?
What kind of reaction do you think their battle practices would evoke in their yet unconquered neighbors?
What were the two main reasons why the Hebrew people harbored hostility against this nation?
In what book of the Bible is this attitude clearly revealed?
722 BC
Look on your "Times of the Prophets" sheet. What happened to the kingdom of Israel in 722 BC? Notice that both Jonah and Amos prophesied not that many years before Israel's fall.
Look on your "When Old Testament Events Happened" sheet. Find where it says "End of Northern Kingdom." Underneath you see two Bible books that cover that time period. What are they? In the bottom right hand corner, you see that these events are also covered in the books of prophecy.
We read about Jonah and Jeroboam in 2 Kings 14. We can read an abbreviated account of the fall of Israel in 2 Kings 18:11-12. For the more complete account, we can read 2 Kings 17:1-24.
What happened to the people and kingdom of Israel?
Why did the king of Assyria carry Israel away into exile?
Whose hand is seen in this event?
What could have prevented this event from happening?
Look on your "When Old Testament Events Happened" sheet. Find where it says "End of Northern Kingdom." Underneath you see two Bible books that cover that time period. What are they? In the bottom right hand corner, you see that these events are also covered in the books of prophecy.
We read about Jonah and Jeroboam in 2 Kings 14. We can read an abbreviated account of the fall of Israel in 2 Kings 18:11-12. For the more complete account, we can read 2 Kings 17:1-24.
What happened to the people and kingdom of Israel?
Why did the king of Assyria carry Israel away into exile?
Whose hand is seen in this event?
What could have prevented this event from happening?
Jonah's Contemporary
Look at your "Times of the Prophets" sheet to find out what prophet overlapped Jonah.
Amos' and Jonah's lives overlapped. They both lived and prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II in Israel. From Amos we can learn a lot about what was going on in Israel at the time. Read as many of these passages in Amos as you can. Jot down the behaviors that Amos spoke against and what he prophesied would happen if the people didn't change their behavior. If you don't have time to read them all, read the ones in italics.
Amos' and Jonah's lives overlapped. They both lived and prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II in Israel. From Amos we can learn a lot about what was going on in Israel at the time. Read as many of these passages in Amos as you can. Jot down the behaviors that Amos spoke against and what he prophesied would happen if the people didn't change their behavior. If you don't have time to read them all, read the ones in italics.
- Amos 2:6-8
- Amos 3:10-11, 13-15
- Amos 4:1-3
- Amos 5:6-7, 10-12
- Amos 6:1-8, 14
- Amos 7:7-17
- Amos 8:4-6
What did Amos tell the Israelites about their behavior?
What did he say the consequences of that behavior would be if it didn't change?
If King Jeroboam and the citizens of Israel had voted for their favorite prophet, who would have won--Jonah or Amos?
Thinking About Jonah's First Message
As you know, Jonah lived during the time of the divided kingdom. The kingdom divided after the reign of Solomon. Solomon's son Rehoboam should have been the next king for the entire kingdom, but when he told the people how he planned to rule them even more harshly than his father, the ten northern tribes revolted under the leadership of Jeroboam, son of Nebat. Earlier, Jeroboam had managed Solomon's laborers that he had conscripted for his massive building projects. These ten tribes made Jeroboam their king. Their portion of the kingdom was called Israel. Rehoboam was left with two tribes and the southern portion of the kingdom. It was called Judah.
On your "Times of the Prophets" sheet, you can see where the kingdom split after the reign of Solomon. You can see the line of kings who followed Jeroboam in the north and the line of kings who followed Rehoboam in the south. In the middle, the prophets are named. The first three prophets named are Elijah, Elisha, and Joel. Just after 790 BC (on the bottom of the sheet), you'll see Jonah. Who was king of Israel when Jonah lived? Who was king of Judah?
In 2 Kings 14:25, we read about a Jonah who gave the second Jeroboam a message.
What would make us think that this Jonah is the same person as the Jonah in the book of Jonah?
What did Jonah tell King Jeroboam?
How do you think that prophecy went over with the king and the citizens of Israel when Jonah made it? How do you think they felt when it came to pass? How would that make them feel toward Jonah?
On your "Times of the Prophets" sheet, you can see where the kingdom split after the reign of Solomon. You can see the line of kings who followed Jeroboam in the north and the line of kings who followed Rehoboam in the south. In the middle, the prophets are named. The first three prophets named are Elijah, Elisha, and Joel. Just after 790 BC (on the bottom of the sheet), you'll see Jonah. Who was king of Israel when Jonah lived? Who was king of Judah?
In 2 Kings 14:25, we read about a Jonah who gave the second Jeroboam a message.
What would make us think that this Jonah is the same person as the Jonah in the book of Jonah?
What did Jonah tell King Jeroboam?
How do you think that prophecy went over with the king and the citizens of Israel when Jonah made it? How do you think they felt when it came to pass? How would that make them feel toward Jonah?
Reviewing What We Know About the Historical Context
Start with prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you through your time of study and to help you as you look for meaning and application. On October 6th I posted some information on the historical context of Jonah. You might find it helpful to go through those blogs before going on to these next ones. Begin with The Historical Context. Then move on to Jonah's Place in History, followed by Jeroboam I.
If you've already covered this material, then move on to the next blog.
If you've already covered this material, then move on to the next blog.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
How Can I Discover God's Will For My Life?
Did you start wondering if it would be possible for you to cast lots as a way to make difficult decisions? I never find the practice condemned, but Paul, Peter, John, Jude, James, and others who wrote to instruct the church in how to live the Christian life never mention using lots to determine God's will. They mention other ways to know God's will. As you read the letters these men of faith wrote, be watching for ways they say we can know God's will for our lives.
Here's a link I found to a sermon titled: How Can I Discover God's Will For My Life? As you read it, think about what you've observed in Jonah 1.
http://www.keepbelieving.com/sermon/1997-12-07-How-Can-I-Discover-Gods-Will-For-My-Life/
Here's a link I found to a sermon titled: How Can I Discover God's Will For My Life? As you read it, think about what you've observed in Jonah 1.
http://www.keepbelieving.com/sermon/1997-12-07-How-Can-I-Discover-Gods-Will-For-My-Life/
Casting Lots
Lots are mentioned several times in the Old Testament and a few times in the New Testament. In Jonah we first read about this practice in Jonah 1:7. Does your Bible have any cross-references for Jonah 1:7? One way to learn about something you might not understand is to read all the cross-references for the verse or verses that contain something unfamiliar to you. If your Bible doesn't have cross-references, here are the ones listed in my Bible (NASB): Joshua 7:14-18; 1 Samuel 10:20, 21; 14:41, 42; Acts 1:23-26 and two others. Look up at least two of these. From what you read, what does the practice of casting lots appear to do? What seems to be its purpose? Who seems to be the one in charge?
Another way to try and figure out what it means is to look up "lots" in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. Under "lots," you'll find a list of verses that all use this term. You could read them all, doing what you did with the cross-references, trying to figure out the meaning from the context. Or, you could look up the original word that was used and see what it means. The Old Testament verses all list #H1486. If you look up that number in the Hebrew dictionary in the back of Strong's, you find that the Hebrew word used in the original text was "goral." It meant "to be rough (as a stone), properly a pebble, i.e. a lot (small stones being used for that purpose); figuratively a portion or destiny (as if determined by lot)." All but one of the New Testament verses list #G2819. If you look up that word in the Greek dictionary in the back of Strong's, you find that the Greek word used in the original text was "kleros." It meant "through the idea of using bits of wood for the purpose; a die (for drawing chances); by implication a portion (as if so secured); by extension an acquisition (especially a patrimony, figuratively)."
Some Bibles have informational footnotes that might describe the purpose of casting lots. Or you could go to a Bible dictionary. Here is some of the information I learned when I read about casting lots in my Holman Bible Dictionary:
Another way to try and figure out what it means is to look up "lots" in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. Under "lots," you'll find a list of verses that all use this term. You could read them all, doing what you did with the cross-references, trying to figure out the meaning from the context. Or, you could look up the original word that was used and see what it means. The Old Testament verses all list #H1486. If you look up that number in the Hebrew dictionary in the back of Strong's, you find that the Hebrew word used in the original text was "goral." It meant "to be rough (as a stone), properly a pebble, i.e. a lot (small stones being used for that purpose); figuratively a portion or destiny (as if determined by lot)." All but one of the New Testament verses list #G2819. If you look up that word in the Greek dictionary in the back of Strong's, you find that the Greek word used in the original text was "kleros." It meant "through the idea of using bits of wood for the purpose; a die (for drawing chances); by implication a portion (as if so secured); by extension an acquisition (especially a patrimony, figuratively)."
Some Bibles have informational footnotes that might describe the purpose of casting lots. Or you could go to a Bible dictionary. Here is some of the information I learned when I read about casting lots in my Holman Bible Dictionary:
- They were objects of an unknown shape and material used to determine the divine will.
- People in the ancient Near East, especially priests, used them to make difficult decisions.
- The people in the Old and New Testaments believed that God influenced the fall or outcome of the lots. Casting lots was a way of determining God's will.
- Non-Israelites and non-Christians also used this practice and believed that their gods influenced the outcome.
- God communicated information unknown to human beings through lots. For example, who was responsible for the storm in Jonah 1?
- Lots helped God's people make a fair decision in difficult situations. For instance, the Promised Land was divided by lot.
When in Jonah 1
To mark expressions of time, I usually make a little circle with two lines for hands, representing a clock. I place this over the word or phrase that tells something about time. Words that indicate order also count as time words. For instance, if "then" is telling me that one event followed another event, then it counts as an expression of time.
Write "time" on your key card and show how you plan to mark expressions of time. Then mark all the expressions of time in Jonah 1.
Answer these questions:
Write "time" on your key card and show how you plan to mark expressions of time. Then mark all the expressions of time in Jonah 1.
Answer these questions:
- When did the sailors become afraid and cry out to their gods? Why do you think they waited until then?
- When did the sailors begin asking Jonah all those questions about his occupation, etc.? Why did they wait until then? (If you're wondering what "casting lots" refers to, we'll be looking at that in the next blog.)
- When did the sailors want their questions answered? Why now?
- When in the course of Jonah's answers to their questions, did the sailors become extremely frightened? Why then?
- Jonah told the sailors that the sea would become calm for them? When did he say that would happen? Why did he say that would happen?
- When did the sailors first pray to Jonah's Lord? Why then? What were they worried about?
- When did the sailors fear the Lord greatly? Why then? What does it indicate about this event?
- How long did Jonah stay in the stomach of the fish? Why is it important to know this? What does it indicate about this event?
Friday, October 16, 2009
Where in Jonah 1
Biblical events took place in specific places and times. This time as you read through Jonah 1, mark the name of each place. Yes, the ship and the sea are places, but we're looking for places that can be found on a map. Also mark anything that might be considered a synonym for one of the places. Usually I use a double green line to underline the names of map places, but you can choose whatever kind of marking works for you. Just make sure that you write a word like "Place" or "Location" on your key card and mark it in the way you chose.
What three place names did you find?
How is one of those places described?
Find each of those places on a map. Since Jonah took place during the time of the divided kingdom, find a map or maps showing the countries and cities at that time.
In which country was Jonah when he received his call from God?
To which city did God call him to go?
In what country is that city?
In what direction is that city from where Jonah was when he received his call?
About how far was it from there?
To what place did Jonah go instead?
In what direction is it from where Jonah was when he received his call?
About how far was it from there?
So, about how far was the place where Jonah was headed from the place where he should have been headed?
What does that tell you?
What three place names did you find?
How is one of those places described?
Find each of those places on a map. Since Jonah took place during the time of the divided kingdom, find a map or maps showing the countries and cities at that time.
In which country was Jonah when he received his call from God?
To which city did God call him to go?
In what country is that city?
In what direction is that city from where Jonah was when he received his call?
About how far was it from there?
To what place did Jonah go instead?
In what direction is it from where Jonah was when he received his call?
About how far was it from there?
So, about how far was the place where Jonah was headed from the place where he should have been headed?
What does that tell you?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
What We Learn About the Captain and the Sailors
What words did you use to describe the captain's character? Calm and responsible might be two traits that you noticed.
What words did you use to describe the sailors' character? Fearful, spiritual, resourceful, responsible, desire to remain innocent of murder, and reverent might be traits that you noticed for them, with fearful being, perhaps, the most dominant of those traits. They were fearful of the ship breaking up, fearful that Jonah's very big god was angry with him, fearful that Jonah's god might be angry with them if they threw Jonah overboard, and fearful that Jonah's god could calm a storm so easily.
Now, let's take a minute to think about what we learned.
How are Jonah and the sailors similar?
How are they different?
What examples of disobedience do you see?
What examples of obedience?
What did God use to bring about obedience in both Jonah and the sailors?
What did both know about this storm?
What did both know about Jonah's god by the end of the chapter?
If you had interviewed the captain and/or sailors after this event, how might they have compared their gods to Jonah's god?
What words did you use to describe the sailors' character? Fearful, spiritual, resourceful, responsible, desire to remain innocent of murder, and reverent might be traits that you noticed for them, with fearful being, perhaps, the most dominant of those traits. They were fearful of the ship breaking up, fearful that Jonah's very big god was angry with him, fearful that Jonah's god might be angry with them if they threw Jonah overboard, and fearful that Jonah's god could calm a storm so easily.
Now, let's take a minute to think about what we learned.
How are Jonah and the sailors similar?
How are they different?
What examples of disobedience do you see?
What examples of obedience?
What did God use to bring about obedience in both Jonah and the sailors?
What did both know about this storm?
What did both know about Jonah's god by the end of the chapter?
If you had interviewed the captain and/or sailors after this event, how might they have compared their gods to Jonah's god?
Marking the Captain and the Sailors
In inductive study, we study the obvious, and so we started by looking at who is mentioned in Jonah 1. We underlined all the references to the LORD and to Jonah. Then we listed what we learned. What did we learn from what we listed? The LORD is almighty. He's sovereign. Jonah is disobedient, rebelling against the Lord's call to go to Nineveh.
Now, let's do the same for the captain and the sailors. Since they're all the crew of the ship, let's mark them with the same color, but since the captain is in charge, give him some additional mark that will set him apart from the sailors. For instance, you might underline the captain and sailors with orange. Then for the references to the captain, you could extend that line into a rectangle or circle. Write "captain" and "sailors" on your key card and show how you are marking them.
Then mark all the references to the captain and the sailors in Jonah 1. After marking, list everything you learn about the captain and everything you learn about the sailors. Take a moment to look through your lists. What character traits describe the captain? How would you describe the sailors?
Now, let's do the same for the captain and the sailors. Since they're all the crew of the ship, let's mark them with the same color, but since the captain is in charge, give him some additional mark that will set him apart from the sailors. For instance, you might underline the captain and sailors with orange. Then for the references to the captain, you could extend that line into a rectangle or circle. Write "captain" and "sailors" on your key card and show how you are marking them.
Then mark all the references to the captain and the sailors in Jonah 1. After marking, list everything you learn about the captain and everything you learn about the sailors. Take a moment to look through your lists. What character traits describe the captain? How would you describe the sailors?
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Jonah's Place in History
What you need: your list of Old Testament events. the "Times of the Prophets" sheet or a timeline that shows where each prophet fits in Old Testament history
Here's the order of those events:
Adam and Eve
Noah's Flood
The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Israel in Egypt
40 Years in the Wilderness
Into the Promised Land with Joshua
Period of the Judges, ending with Samuel
The United Kingdom--Saul, David, and Solomon
The Kingdom Divides--Israel and Judah
Assyria Conquers Israel
Babylon Conquers Judah
Exile in Babylon
Return of the Exiles and Rebuilding Jerusalem's Temple and Wall
Where does Jonah fit?
He lived during the time of the divided kingdom.
What was his occupation?
He was a prophet. The word prophet means "to speak out." They spoke out against injustice, immorality, idolatry, and anything else God told them to speak out about. They warned the people about their actions and the punishment that God would send if they didn't change their ways. They also foretold the time when God would save a remnant of His people. Through this remnant all the nations of the world would be blessed.
Turn to the table of contents in your Bible. Then look at the chronological order of the prophets on a timeline. Are the books of the prophets in chronological order?
Looking at your timeline, find out who the king of Israel was when Jonah lived.
Who was king of Judah when Jonah lived?
Does the text of Jonah 1 give you any clue as to which of these two kingdoms Jonah was sent by God?
Does your Bible have cross references? If so, are there any OT references for verse 1:1? Mine has 2 Kings 14:25. Turn to it to see what you can learn about Jonah. Since this verse seems to bring us into the middle of some information, let's backtrack and read more, starting with verse 23 and going through verse 27.
Whom does God send to Jeroboam with a message?
Of which kingdom is Jeroboam king?
In what city in Israel does Jeroboam live? Can you find it on a map?
How long did Jeroboam reign?
What kind of king was he?
Whom does it say he followed after in his manner of sinning? Can you find this king on the timeline? This is why this Jeroboam is often referred to as Jeroboam II.
Here's the order of those events:
Adam and Eve
Noah's Flood
The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Israel in Egypt
40 Years in the Wilderness
Into the Promised Land with Joshua
Period of the Judges, ending with Samuel
The United Kingdom--Saul, David, and Solomon
The Kingdom Divides--Israel and Judah
Assyria Conquers Israel
Babylon Conquers Judah
Exile in Babylon
Return of the Exiles and Rebuilding Jerusalem's Temple and Wall
Where does Jonah fit?
He lived during the time of the divided kingdom.
What was his occupation?
He was a prophet. The word prophet means "to speak out." They spoke out against injustice, immorality, idolatry, and anything else God told them to speak out about. They warned the people about their actions and the punishment that God would send if they didn't change their ways. They also foretold the time when God would save a remnant of His people. Through this remnant all the nations of the world would be blessed.
Turn to the table of contents in your Bible. Then look at the chronological order of the prophets on a timeline. Are the books of the prophets in chronological order?
Looking at your timeline, find out who the king of Israel was when Jonah lived.
Who was king of Judah when Jonah lived?
Does the text of Jonah 1 give you any clue as to which of these two kingdoms Jonah was sent by God?
Does your Bible have cross references? If so, are there any OT references for verse 1:1? Mine has 2 Kings 14:25. Turn to it to see what you can learn about Jonah. Since this verse seems to bring us into the middle of some information, let's backtrack and read more, starting with verse 23 and going through verse 27.
Whom does God send to Jeroboam with a message?
Of which kingdom is Jeroboam king?
In what city in Israel does Jeroboam live? Can you find it on a map?
How long did Jeroboam reign?
What kind of king was he?
Whom does it say he followed after in his manner of sinning? Can you find this king on the timeline? This is why this Jeroboam is often referred to as Jeroboam II.
The Historical Context
What you need: "When Old Testament Events Happened" sheet or a timeline of the Old Testament
How familiar are you with the historical events of the Old Testament? Take some time to study your timeline of the Old Testament. After studying it for a bit, see if you can put these events into their chronological order:
Period of the Judges, ending with Samuel
Exile in Babylon
Noah's Flood
Israel in Egypt
Adam and Eve
The United Kingdom--Saul, David, and Solomon
Return of the Exiles and Rebuilding Jerusalem's Temple and Wall
Into the Promised Land with Joshua
The Kingdom Divides--Israel and Judah
Babylon Conquers Judah
40 Years in the Wilderness
The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Assyria Conquers Israel
Can you find where Jonah fits into this timeline?
How familiar are you with the historical events of the Old Testament? Take some time to study your timeline of the Old Testament. After studying it for a bit, see if you can put these events into their chronological order:
Period of the Judges, ending with Samuel
Exile in Babylon
Noah's Flood
Israel in Egypt
Adam and Eve
The United Kingdom--Saul, David, and Solomon
Return of the Exiles and Rebuilding Jerusalem's Temple and Wall
Into the Promised Land with Joshua
The Kingdom Divides--Israel and Judah
Babylon Conquers Judah
40 Years in the Wilderness
The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Assyria Conquers Israel
Can you find where Jonah fits into this timeline?
Lists and Reflections
What you need: Jonah 1 with "Lord" and "Jonah" marked in distinctive colors and/or ways, paper.
There, doesn't your observation sheet or Bible page look much more colorful now? Yes, but that's not the main purpose for marking. It's time to list what you learned from marking. Write "Lord" at the top of one sheet of paper and "Jonah" at the top of another sheet of paper.
What do we learn from Jonah 1:1? We learn that the Word of the Lord came to Jonah, and we learn that Jonah is the son of Amittai. Should you place the first piece of information on your Lord list or your Jonah list? That's up to you. In this case, I think I'd put it on both lists since it's the pivotal point around which this whole narrative is based. If God hadn't said it, Jonah wouldn't have had to deal with this situation. In other cases, look for the more active participant. If you wanted to put it on just one list, you might choose the Lord list, seeing as it's the Lord who is more active.
Once you finish your lists, reflect on them by asking questions:
What do you learn about Jonah?
What do you learn about his relationship to the Lord?
Have you ever behaved in a similar way?
What has God taught us about Himself?
Do you believe everything you listed about God--what God said, did, wanted?
If you don't believe something, why not?
If you do, what does this knowledge mean to your relationship to God?
There, doesn't your observation sheet or Bible page look much more colorful now? Yes, but that's not the main purpose for marking. It's time to list what you learned from marking. Write "Lord" at the top of one sheet of paper and "Jonah" at the top of another sheet of paper.
What do we learn from Jonah 1:1? We learn that the Word of the Lord came to Jonah, and we learn that Jonah is the son of Amittai. Should you place the first piece of information on your Lord list or your Jonah list? That's up to you. In this case, I think I'd put it on both lists since it's the pivotal point around which this whole narrative is based. If God hadn't said it, Jonah wouldn't have had to deal with this situation. In other cases, look for the more active participant. If you wanted to put it on just one list, you might choose the Lord list, seeing as it's the Lord who is more active.
Once you finish your lists, reflect on them by asking questions:
What do you learn about Jonah?
What do you learn about his relationship to the Lord?
Have you ever behaved in a similar way?
What has God taught us about Himself?
Do you believe everything you listed about God--what God said, did, wanted?
If you don't believe something, why not?
If you do, what does this knowledge mean to your relationship to God?
Who's Who in Jonah 1?
What you need: Your observation sheets for Jonah 1 or a Bible turned to Jonah 1.
Remember that the first thing we do in inductive study is look for the obvious. What do you think is probably the most obvious thing one can look for in any Bible text?
People! Let's read Jonah 1 and see who's mentioned.
Who is mentioned?
Who would you say are the main characters?
Why would you say they're the main characters?
Notice how all the other characters are only important in their relation to Jonah and God.
Often in the inductive method, marking is used to help us slow down and observe more carefully. Since Jonah and the Lord are the most important characters, let's mark each of their names to see what we learn about each.
Choose a color for Jonah (maybe ocean blue?) and another color for the Lord (I usually use gold or yellow, but you can use any color, as long as it's different from the color you chose for Jonah.).
Some people are good at marking more than one word at a time, but I usually find it easier to mark one and then the other. Besides, doing so gives me more of an opportunity to observe the text. You can circle the word, underline it, or write a letter or symbol above or near it. Mark every noun, pronoun, and synonym that refers to the Lord and/or Jonah. For example, in verse 1, you would mark "the Lord," "Jonah," and "the son of Amittai." In verse 2, you would mark "Me." In verse 3, you would mark "Jonah," "the Lord," "he," and "the Lord."
Everything I bolded refers to the Lord, and everything I italicized refers to Jonah.
Our next blog will show you what happens after we mark words.
Remember that the first thing we do in inductive study is look for the obvious. What do you think is probably the most obvious thing one can look for in any Bible text?
People! Let's read Jonah 1 and see who's mentioned.
Who is mentioned?
Who would you say are the main characters?
Why would you say they're the main characters?
Notice how all the other characters are only important in their relation to Jonah and God.
Often in the inductive method, marking is used to help us slow down and observe more carefully. Since Jonah and the Lord are the most important characters, let's mark each of their names to see what we learn about each.
Choose a color for Jonah (maybe ocean blue?) and another color for the Lord (I usually use gold or yellow, but you can use any color, as long as it's different from the color you chose for Jonah.).
Some people are good at marking more than one word at a time, but I usually find it easier to mark one and then the other. Besides, doing so gives me more of an opportunity to observe the text. You can circle the word, underline it, or write a letter or symbol above or near it. Mark every noun, pronoun, and synonym that refers to the Lord and/or Jonah. For example, in verse 1, you would mark "the Lord," "Jonah," and "the son of Amittai." In verse 2, you would mark "Me." In verse 3, you would mark "Jonah," "the Lord," "he," and "the Lord."
Everything I bolded refers to the Lord, and everything I italicized refers to Jonah.
Our next blog will show you what happens after we mark words.
Inductive Study
Welcome to our Jonah blog! This is where I'll post our Wednesday lesson in digestible segments. If you can't be with us on Wednesday mornings, this is where you can learn what we covered. Once I have the lesson all on, I may go into more depth on things that we wondered about while studying, things that we might not have time to look into during our study time.
We're going to be studying Jonah inductively. How does one do that? We start with observations, examining what the text says and the context in which it's said. We look for the obvious: people, locations, events, repeated words, words of contrast and comparison, lists, cause and effect. We ask obvious questions such as: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? These are often referred to as the 5 Ws and an H. Careful observation is the foundation for accurate interpretation. What does the text mean? Some questions we ask at this point are: What do the words mean? What is the main point? How do the cross-references give us additional insight? How does what is said here fit with what is said in the rest of the book? Accurate interpretation helps us to correctly apply God's Word to our lives. When we believe the truth of what God says and conform our behavior to that truth, then God transforms us into the people that He intended us to be.
So, that's what we'll be doing in our study--Observation, Interpretation, and Application. Let's get started!
We're going to be studying Jonah inductively. How does one do that? We start with observations, examining what the text says and the context in which it's said. We look for the obvious: people, locations, events, repeated words, words of contrast and comparison, lists, cause and effect. We ask obvious questions such as: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? These are often referred to as the 5 Ws and an H. Careful observation is the foundation for accurate interpretation. What does the text mean? Some questions we ask at this point are: What do the words mean? What is the main point? How do the cross-references give us additional insight? How does what is said here fit with what is said in the rest of the book? Accurate interpretation helps us to correctly apply God's Word to our lives. When we believe the truth of what God says and conform our behavior to that truth, then God transforms us into the people that He intended us to be.
So, that's what we'll be doing in our study--Observation, Interpretation, and Application. Let's get started!
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