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.