What Just Happened? – Part 3

Jonah Reading Reflection Questions for Teens 

1. What did God tell Jonah to do? 
2. Why did Jonah run away? 
3. Jonah tried to get away from the presence of God. Is this possible? 
4. What was the result of Jonah’s disobedience? 
5. Why do you think Jonah was able to sleep through the storm? 
6. What did Jonah do to make God let Him out of the fish. 
7. How long was Jonah in the belly of the fish? 
8. What made the people of Nineveh repent? 
9. How long did it take for the people of Nineveh to repent when Jonah started preaching? 
10. Where did Jonah get his forty-day deadline from? 
11. Why was Jonah displeased? 
12. If Jonah knew so much of God’s grace and compassionate heart, why was he so surprised that God did not destroy Nineveh? 
13. What parts of the Jonah story surprised you?

Review

93 billion Light Years and Counting

God is not asking you to deny how you feel, but to honor how He thinks:

• Isaiah 55:8–9 (ESV): ⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. ⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Jonah’s Attitude

Seeing the President from God’s Perspective

Does God Rig Elections?

• Romans 13:1 (ESV): ¹ Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Our Way of Being Right Is Inherently Flawed

• Romans 3:10–12 (ESV): ¹⁰ as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; ¹¹ no one understands; no one seeks for God. ¹² All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

We Need to be Constantly Reminded of God’s Thoughts

• Psalm 1:1–2 (ESV): ¹ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; ² but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
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• Ephesians 5:18 (ESV): ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
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• Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV): ²⁴ And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
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The Limitations of Our Personal Ethical Standards

• Isaiah 5:21 (ESV): ²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
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• Proverbs 26:12 (ESV): ¹² Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
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• Proverbs 3:7 (ESV): ⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
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• Proverbs 12:15 (ESV): ¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
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• Proverbs 21:2 (ESV): ² Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.
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Lord, Show Me Your Ways!

• Psalm 139:23–24 (ESV): ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! ²⁴ And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
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• Psalm 119:12 (ESV): ¹² Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes!
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• Psalm 119:18 (ESV): ¹⁸ Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
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• Psalm 119:24 (ESV): ²⁴ Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.
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• Psalm 103:7 (ESV): ⁷ He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
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• Psalm 25:4–5 (ESV): ⁴ Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. ⁵ Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
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© Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2024