Discussion Questions
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Do you view any people or nation(s) as Jonah viewed the Assyrians? If so, how might you adjust your feelings toward them in light of the teachings of the book of Jonah?
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11 Replies
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It can be easy to harbor negative feelings towards people or nations that harm others and are responsible for huge injustices, but I know deep down that those people or nations are just as deserving of God’s love as I am. I can adjust my feelings by reminding myself that God has a plan for all evil and that even if we can’t see it now, all evil will be addressed in the end.
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No, I don’t view any people or nations as not deserving of God’s mercy, grace, and of course salvation. No one has any control over their race or nationality, and many people are exposed to different religions at a young age, and they follow what they are taught. No one is better than anybody else and just as God allowed us to hear the gospel, we should want everyone else to hear the truth. We must remember that God created everyone, loves everyone, and Jesus died for everyone. We should never think more highly of ourselves than we do of others.
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I do not know of any nation of people that I may personally hate, but I do despise certain large groups of people that may come from large races of people. I do not like terrorist groups which plague communities, societies, and nations of people. I do not see the point of allowing such likeness to continue in existence. As with Jonah, God was there and on his side. See; to have a God as great as Jehovah watching and regulating the entire inhabited situation, I would have less to worry about because my faith in God would give me the assurance I need to follow through with God’s plan and accept God’s judgement.
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No, I do not view any people or nation as Jonah viewed the Assyrians because I have a better understanding of the world of God than probably Jonah’s understanding of God during his own time. In addition, with the coming of Jesus Christ and the writing of both the New and old testament, I am more informed and equipped with evidence of scriptural truths to evangelise my community and environs than Jonah.
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I don’t really, but this is a good reminder to check any feelings of resentment when others do not receive consequences for unjust actions, because God in His sovereignty may have a different plan to bring their salvation. It boils down to obedience and trusting God to direct His plans rather than trying to run things our way because it makes sense to our finite logic.
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How do the books of Jonah and Nahum give you a better understanding of the importance of God’s call to proclaim the Gospel to all nations?
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8 Replies
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These books remind me that we are to share the Gospel with even the “worst” of sinners and to not worry about how it will be perceived because the Holy Spirit will guide our words.
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Jehovah’s calls are all included in His plan to bring every life closer to Him. His goal has always been to share his knowledge and wisdom and to also allow man to learn and understand His character. It is important to really know the God you must learn to worship, for if we do not get to know Him, how can we earnestly serve Him.
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The Books of Jonah and Nahum gave me a better understanding of the importance of God’s call to proclaim the Gospel of Salvation to all nations, without which they are lost eternally. The Bible says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. ALL have sinned, white, blue, black, green etc.
Additionally that, the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
That God loves the world and sent his begotten son Jesus Christ, that whosoever believes in Christ should not die but have everlasting life because there is no salvation in any name except the name of Jesus Christ.
As a child of God, saved by grace through faith in Christ, I must take the message of salvation to the lost, so that they will escape from eternal damnation or hellfire. I rely on the Holy Spirit every day to live a life of righteousness and one that pleases God as well as share the Good News of salvation with those living in sin.
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These books provide excellent Old Testament examples of God’s grace and mercy to show how deeply God wants to redeem us all. Sometimes people will refute the Gospel by saying the Old Testament is all “fire and brimstone”, but there are always multiple opportunities where God warns people and desires to preserve them before his judgement comes.
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These books show the extent of God’s divine love and mercy for the lost. As Christians, we are to love as Christ loved. The ultimate expression of that love is to share the gospel with those who are lost. God desires that all peoples are told of the hope that can be found in Jesus. No human can decide who can hear the gospel and who is not worthy.