Theory question 104
God's Divine Love(a) Relate the experience of Jonah as he fled from the presence of God to Tarshish (b) Give two moral lessons that could be learnt from his flight.
Show the model answer
(a) God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and cry against it (Jonah 1:1-2).
He fled to Joppa and boarded a ship to Tarshish (Jonah 1:3).
The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea; the ship was about to break up (Jonah 1:4).
The sailors cried to their gods and threw the cargo overboard; Jonah slept below (Jonah 1:5).
The captain woke him to call on his God (Jonah 1:6).
They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah; he confessed he feared the Lord and was fleeing from Him (Jonah 1:7-10).
He told them to throw him into the sea; they tried to row back, then prayed and threw him in; the sea became calm (Jonah 1:11-15).
The sailors feared the Lord and offered sacrifices (Jonah 1:16).
A great fish swallowed him; after three days and nights it vomited him onto dry land (Jonah 1:17; 2:10).
(b) Any two: no one can hide from God; disobedience brings trouble to oneself and others; God corrects His servants; we should obey God's call; confess wrong and accept responsibility; God hears prayer in distress.
Narrate Jonah 1–2, then two lessons.