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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This is something I try to guard against and make a topic of my prayers. I do have to battle to keep my attitudes and feelings about extreme radical Muslims in line with Christ’s teaching.This is especially true in the last few weeks in light of the atrocities inflicted upon Israel by the Hamas regime. My natural inclination is to see harm come to those who desire to harm the United States, Israel and their allies. By prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit I will be able to think about each radical Muslim the way Christ would and see them as the lost that need salvation.
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My country is cosmopolitan with a high emphasis on mutual respect in her politics, and the inter-racial riots of 7 or more decades are but a dim memory. I do not consciously view any race the way Jonah viewed the Assyrians, but I wonder whether subconsciously I might still have prejudice against darker-skinned people by being less patient towards them? Jonah is a good book for me to reflect on the compassion of God for all peoples. (In fact, I have done a word study on the Hebrew word rahum, translated either as compassion or mercy in Jonah 4:2 and elsewhere in Scripture, to understand this aspect of God.)
#Jonah
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While still in South Africa there were many times in my life that I had similar sentiments for nations to the north. Over time, that feeling and despise disappeared, since I relied more and more on the Grace and Mercy of God to forgive and forget, and be grateful that I was still alive as was my family. I knew then in my heart of hearts that God would be the judge, it was not my problem anymore.
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Honestly I don’t feel hatred toward any particular country or people, not like Jonah did according to his story. But I don’t understand people who harbor hate towards gays, transgender people, Muslims, and other groups who are different from us. In the New Testament, Jesus taught (as did the Apostles) that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, take care of the less fortunate, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit in prisons to bring His light to all, and leave the judgment work to God, the Father. Judging others is WAY above MY paygrade, so I try to just follow His example. He lived with and loved sinners – those in true need of redemption – and taught them God’s Word, He even washed the feet of JUDAS who soon thereafter betrayed Him. I hope I never harbor the feelings that Jonah had – and if I ever do, guess I’ll need 3 days in a whale’s belly to get my act back together, too.
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My thoughts go immediately not to a people group but to the proponents of the current trend of pushing trans-genderism in schools and classrooms. I know that this type of preying on young and innocent hearts and minds is something that must anger God and it angers me as well. I feel a justifiable wrath against people who would seek to confuse children about their most basic identity markers. These people and Satan know that if we consume children with confusion about this most basic truth, then they will not even attempt to wrestle with finding their identify in Christ. This lesson reminds me that my job is not to be angry or vengeful. God will do that in his timing. And if these people are saved and repent, all the better. My job is to love them, to love the children whose lives they have devastated with their lies and to uphold the truth of God’s word concerning our identity. When God’s wrath does finally come, it will be perfect and it will be complete.
I am also constantly reminded in this day and age that for ideas like this to be this pervasive, Satan is being allowed to have his way. God is at work even now. He is setting up all the pieces. I will trust him as he sees the unseeable and knows the unknowable.
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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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The books show that God is God of the nations. He is concerned about the doings and the fate of all peoples. After all, He is their Creator, and Jesus has died for the sins of all the world. Although He will mete out punishment for sins, He much prefers that people will repent and receive eternal life through His Son.
I see how Jonah’s preaching was timely, and how one generation of Assyrians can be saved from immediate destruction by responding to his warning. I see hereby the importance and urgency of making the gospel known before it becomes too late.
#Jonah-Nahum
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God created mankind to have fellowship with a him but because of the failure to obey God by Adam and Eve, we could not have that intimate relationship any longer. But God, who is full of mercy and love always had a plan to get men back to a relationship with Him. That being said, we can see from the prophets Jonah and Nahum that God always will give any nation the opportunity to repent of their evilness (sin). If they do, He stays His hand of judgment but if they don’t, calamities will befall that nation.
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God reveals His concern for a lost world that He wants to redeem . His “hand is tipped” way back in Genesis 12:1-3 with the call of Abraham & His desire to see the nations of the world be blessed. His call to take the Gospel to the nations of the world ( The Great Commission) is given multitudes of times in the Scriptures both in the New Testament & in the Old. With the book of Jonah we see the lengths that God will go to redeem a people. He did not give up on Jonah ‘s need for obedience & His insistence that Jonah go to Ninevah. Today he is no doubt working behind the scenes in both the Muslim & Communist worlds. There is now a number (a growing number) of Muslims abandoning their faith & becoming believers . Then too, God’s working in China is of particular notice. God is still calling His people to respond to His command to disciple the nations.
With the book of Nahum, we see the anger of God finally released against an evil nation, (the ISIS of the day) and we realize that God’s patience has a limit . Therefore the need for us to reach out to those who are yet without God’s salvation., before God unleases His wrath. Which brings to mind the cruelty of Islam against those who choose to leave the Islamic faith , against those who are not of their faith in the first place, as the Koran , their holy book , commands, and the occasions of suicide bombings, & violent attacks particularly in Islamic lands. Then the cruelty of Communism both in the past and present reminds us that God’s patience is followed by His judgement ultimately, but before God’s judgement falls, they need to be evangelized.