Question 1

Who is Jonah in this passage and what is his role?

Accepted Answer

Jonah is a prophet, already used to hearing God’s voice, who is called to carry a hard message. God speaks to him directly and sends him to Nineveh, a large and wicked Gentile city, to cry out against its sin. Jonah’s role is to be God’s messenger, a kind of herald who announces that God has seen their evil and that judgment is near. He is not sent to speak his own thoughts, but to pass on what God says. His reaction, however, shows how even a prophet can resist God’s command.

Question 2

What does it mean that the word of the Lord came to Jonah?

Accepted Answer

When it says the word of the Lord came to Jonah, it means God clearly spoke to him and gave him a specific command. This was not a vague feeling or idea, but a clear message with instructions: get up, go to Nineveh, and cry out against its wickedness. The phrase also reminds us that Jonah already knew God’s voice and had served as a prophet before. God’s word here is not just information, but an order that calls for action and obedience from Jonah.

Question 3

Why was Jonah sent to Nineveh, that great city?

Accepted Answer

Jonah was sent to Nineveh because it was a large, powerful city filled with great wickedness. God says their evil had “come up” before him, meaning their sin had grown open and bold, like a stink rising to heaven. Even though Nineveh was a heathen city, far from Israel, God still cared about what happened there. He sends Jonah to preach against their sin and warn them of coming judgment. This shows that God sees the behavior of all nations and is not limited to one people or place.

Question 4

Why did Jonah try to flee from the presence of the Lord?

Accepted Answer

Jonah’s attempt to flee from the presence of the Lord means he wanted to get away from God’s special call and the work God had given him. He knew he could not escape God’s eye completely, but he seems to have hoped that by leaving the land and going far away, he could get out from under this assignment. Fear, dislike of the mission, and not wanting God to show mercy to a foreign, wicked city all seem to be behind his choice. His running shows how the human heart can push back against God’s will.

Question 5

What is the significance of Jonah going down to Joppa and paying the fare to Tarshish?

Accepted Answer

Jonah going down to Joppa and paying the fare to sail to Tarshish shows how settled he was in his choice to run. He does not just think about fleeing; he takes real steps, spends his own money, and joins others on a ship headed in the opposite direction. The details remind us that it is possible to find open doors and easy paths even when we are disobeying God. Circumstances looking “favorable” do not prove we are in the right. Jonah’s journey down to the ship pictures his turning away from both his duty and his dignity as a prophet.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about God’s character?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God sees human wickedness and cares enough to act. He notices the sin of a distant, powerful city and sends a prophet to speak against it, which shows both his justice and his concern for people beyond Israel. It also shows God as the one who calls and sends; his word comes with authority and purpose. At the same time, when Jonah runs, we see that God’s plans are not easily set aside by human refusal. Even in Jonah’s disobedience, God’s presence and purpose will still reach where he intends.

Question 7

How does Jonah 1:1-3 speak to people who feel like running from God’s call?

Accepted Answer

These verses hold up a mirror to anyone who wants to avoid what God is asking of them. Jonah knew what God wanted, yet he chose the opposite direction and used his time, money, and effort to get away. His story shows how easy it is to let fear, pride, or dislike of God’s plan lead to active running. It also hints that running is pointless, because God’s presence and purpose reach beyond our escape routes. For readers today, it gently presses us to face God’s call instead of spending our energy fleeing from it.

Question 8

What was happening in history when God sent Jonah to Nineveh?

Accepted Answer

At this time, Nineveh was the great city of the Assyrian empire, known for its size, strength, wealth, and violence. It was not part of Israel and did not worship the true God. God’s sending of Jonah to such a city is striking, because prophets were usually sent to Israel first. The mission shows God reaching out to a foreign, powerful nation whose sin had grown very great. It sets up a sharp contrast between this pagan city, which will later respond quickly, and Israel, which had long resisted the prophets sent to it.

Jonah 1:1

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

Jonah Flees from the LORD

metadata.crossReferences

Jonah 1:1

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

share.title

share.allVerses

share.verseWithContext

share.currentVerse

Jonah Flees from the LORD

metadata.crossReferences