Today’s Devotion
Topic: Fleeing From God & His Word (Part 4)
(Self Assessment 199)
Background: Last week we studied Jonah’s prayer while in the belly of the fish. We also discovered that after 3 days and nights, the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah on dry land.
What will happen to Jonah then? Has he learnt the lesson finally that none can hide, let alone run, from the presence of God? Will he fulfil his promise while in the belly of the fish? Will anyone believe both his incredible story and the message from God he carries? To answer these and more, let’s get straight into our weekly Bible discussion.
Text: Jonah 3: 1- 10
1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:
“By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from His fierce anger so that we will not perish.”
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened. Amen
Questions:
1. How does verse 1-2 confirm that the calling of God is irrevocable, regardless of how stubborn we get?
2. What will be some of the most remarkable themes or lessons embedded in verses 3 and 4 to you?
3. According verse 5 – 9, how did the Ninevites receive the message of God? What is remarkable about that? And why in your opinion, is our generation growing more and more hostile to the message of salvation and repentance?
4. Why was the king of Nineveh a wonderful leader? What from him can our present day leaders learn?
5. Kindly explain verse 9.
6. Kindly read verse 10 again:
a) What does verse 10 say to you about God and also, about who He desires us to be?
b) What 2 main reasons made the Lord relent from destroying Nineveh and what can we learn from it?
7. What have you learnt from today’s Bible study?
NB: 31 DAYS TO THE “FOR JESUS BAND” (4JBAND) *SHIBAH* CONCERT AND *THE OUTDOORING OF THEIR LATEST TESTIFY ALBUM.* Date: Boxing Day, 26th Dec 2017. Venue: ICGC ADONAI TEMPLE, Westlands (Behind HAATSO junction) ACCRA. 3PM… Come with an expectation in your heart. You will never be the same.
*Read more about SHIBAH from GEN 26: 12- 33*
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