by Ron Fast
Let’s take a look at an old favorite story. The story of Jonah and the big, mondo, Horkin-big fish. We can learn a lot about God from the story of Jonah. We can also learn a lot about us from this story. Very often we are just like Jonah. God tells us to do something hard, we say “No way God.” God takes us through lessons (sometimes very hard lessons) to teach us who He is and what He wants from us.
God wants us to look at Him and not at the thing that He has asked us to do. Sometimes when God asks us to do something, we imagine the task and how big it is. When we do this, we take our eyes off of God. God wants us to trust Him so that He can show us how powerful He is. So many times we’ve put God in a box, making him smaller and less powerful than He really is.
Let’s dig into this story and see what God has to say to us through Jonah.
The 10 Miracles in Jonah’s life
Read Jonah Chapter 1 before starting this study.
This study will be a little different than others. We will be looking at the 10 miracles that God performed during the story of Jonah.
Miracle 1 (Jonah 1:4):
Why did God perform this miracle?
Why do you suppose professional sailors would be afraid of this storm? (Since they were professional, I’m sure they were in lots of freakin’, honkin’, mondo, humongous storms.)
Saying “NO” to God:
Now that we have seen what can happen when we say “NO” to God, let’s get a little personal for a bit. Have you ever told God “NO” when He has asked you to do something tough?
What was the thing that you said “NO” to God?
Do you regret saying “NO”?
Did you ever go back and do the thing that God asked you to do?
Why did you go back and do the thing that you told God that you wouldn’t do?
Why do you suppose God never gave up on Jonah or the bad people of Nineveh?
Do you ever feel that God gives up on you when you do a face plant (i.e. make a mistake or sin big time)?
What is the one thing that you learned from this story?
Miracle 2 (Jonah 1:7):
The casting of lots in this story is sort of like throwing dice to get an answer for some question. Why do you think the lots fell on Jonah?
What does this tell you about God?
Miracle 3 (Jonah 1:15):
If I say that God is sovereign over all of nature, what does that mean?
Why was Jonah willing to throw himself into the sea?
What do you suppose Jonah was thinking after God calmed the sea?
Miracle 4 (Jonah 1:17):
Do you think that God created this fish out of nothing or do you think it already existed?
Miracle 5 (Jonah 1:17):
Picture yourself in the belly of this big fish. Imagine what it must have looked like and smelled like. What do you suppose Jonah was thinking while he was in the fish, besides, “I’ll never eat fish again”?
What did spending time in the big fish’s stomach allow Jonah to do?
What conclusion did Jonah come to while he was makin’ like fish bait and chillin’ in the whale’s belly?
Read Jonah 2:1-10.
How deep do you think that Jonah went before the fish swallowed him? (Hint: Look at verse 6)
Miracle 6 (Jonah 2:10):
What does this miracle tell us about God’s sovereignty?
How do you think that Jonah felt inside the belly? Read Jonah 2:1-2 to find the answer.
Miracle 7 (Jonah 3:10):
Read Jonah 3:1-10 before starting the following study.
What did God do after He did this miracle?
What does this say about God? This should be a huge comfort to all of us!!!
Miracle 8 (Jonah 4:6):
Read Jonah 4:1-8 before answering the questions below.
Why do you think Jonah reacted so badly when God forgave the people of Nineveh?
Was God done teaching Jonah yet?
Why did God provide this vine for Jonah?
Miracle 9 (Jonah 4:7):
This worm was on a “mission from God”. What was the worm’s mission? (i.e. What did God want the worm to do?) This is another sign of God’s sovereignty.
Miracle 10 (Jonah 4:8):
So do think God was mean by providing shade and then taking the shade away and then causing the wind and sun to fry Jonah?
What did God want Jonah to learn about Him through these last two miracles? (Hint: Read Jonah 4:9-11)
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Ron Fast is the author of G-TRAX Devo's, Biblical devotionals for youth. G-TRAX Devo’s are now available online at www.youthministrydevotionals.com in an interactive form with word puzzles, word search, and drop down lists answer formats. He has over 9 years of experience working with Junior High and Middle School students. His personal mission is “to make the Bible relevant to today’s youth”.