Discussion Questions - Jonah 1:17-2:10

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READ AGAIN: Jonah 1:17-2:10

  1. What do you think is the primary thing that Jonah learned in chapter 1?
  2. Do you think the huge fish is a metaphor or a miracle? (v.17)
  3. Why do you think we are told that Jonah stayed in the belly of the fish for 3 days and 3 nights? (v.17)
  4. Why should we not focus in too much on the whale?
  5. “God’s mercy often comes through Judgement.” What might seem like a punishment for Jonah is actually what turned out to be the thing that saved him. How have you experienced God’s painful mercy in your own life?
  6. Jonah doesn’t speak to God until he’s inside the fish. (v.1) Do you find in your own life that you neglect to pray until you’re in especially bad situations?
  7. Why does Jonah say, in verse 3, “You hurled me into the depths?”
  8. Jonah is said to have “gone down” numerous times since the beginning of the story. Verse 6 is the first time that he says he comes up. Does this describe your own story in any way? Did God find you “at rock bottom?”
  9. We see that famous Hebrew word, hesed, in verse 8. It’s often translated love, mercy, goodness, kindness or some combination of those words. Jonah says, “those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love (hesed) for them.” Think through this claim for a bit. What does it mean to “turn away from God’s love?”
  10. “Salvation comes from the Lord.” (v.9) In what ways does this little phrase sum up the Book of Jonah & really the whole Bible?
  11. Jonah’s Psalm here in chapter 2 is beautiful. If this is all we knew of Jonah or had from him, we might think differently. What, within the Psalm, gives us reason to doubt that Jonah is fully repentant?
  12. Why is it the case that we are prone to want mercy for ourselves, but justice for others?