Yesterday, we learned that God told Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and tell the people there to stop their wicked ways. But Jonah disobeyed God and ran away in the opposite direction, getting on a ship sailing to Tarshish. God sent a great storm, and the sailors, realizing Jonah was the cause, threw him into the sea.
Discussion Questions:
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Jonah Chapter 2:
- What happened to Jonah after he was thrown into the sea? (Read Jonah 2:1)
- How long was Jonah inside the big fish? What do you think it would have been like to be inside a dark, smelly fish for three days and three nights?
- What did Jonah do while he was inside the fish? (Read Jonah 2:1-9) What does his prayer tell us about how he was feeling?
- Have you ever been in a difficult situation where you felt like you needed to cry out to God? How did that feel?
- What did Jonah promise God in his prayer? (Read Jonah 2:9) Do you think he meant it? Why or why not?
- What happened after Jonah prayed? (Read Jonah 2:10) What does this show us about God's power and mercy?
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Jonah Chapter 3:
- What did God tell Jonah to do the second time? (Read Jonah 3:1-2) How was this the same or different from the first time?
- How did Jonah respond this time? (Read Jonah 3:3) What does this show us about Jonah?
- What did Jonah preach to the people of Nineveh? (Read Jonah 3:4)
- How did the people of Nineveh respond to Jonah's message? (Read Jonah 3:5-9) What did they do to show they were sorry?
- How did God react to the people of Nineveh turning away from their evil ways? (Read Jonah 3:10) What does this teach us about God's character?
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Jonah Chapter 4:
- How did Jonah feel about God not destroying Nineveh? (Read Jonah 4:1-2) Why do you think he felt this way?
- What did Jonah do after God showed mercy to Nineveh? (Read Jonah 4:5)
- How did God try to teach Jonah a lesson using the plant? (Read Jonah 4:6-10) What did Jonah care more about, the plant or the people of Nineveh?
- What was the point of God's question to Jonah at the end of the story? (Read Jonah 4:11) What does God care about?
- What can we learn from Jonah's story about obedience, second chances, and God's love and compassion for everyone, even our enemies?
Prayer (Pray together as a family):
Dear God, thank you for the story of Jonah. We see how Jonah disobeyed you, but you gave him a second chance. Thank you for your great mercy and for being willing to forgive us when we make mistakes. Help us to be obedient to your voice and to have compassion for all people, just as you do. Help us to remember that you love everyone and desire for them to turn away from what is wrong. We pray for your guidance in our lives and for hearts that are open to your will. Amen.
This discussion is based on The One Year Bible Storybook by Virginia Muir.
