Please refer to the Meditative Reflection article for today for a summary of thoughts regarding the Book of Jonah.
(1) Please look up 2 Kings 14:25 to get a sense of who Jonah is. He lived in the first part of the 8th century B.C.
(2) Factors to consider for him to go (the Hebrew word is to rise up, meaning to go immediately) to Nineveh (modern day Iraq) to the east:
a. How far does he have to travel?
b. What language might he have to speak?
c. Why would these proud Assyrians accept his words?
d. What other risks might he be taking?
e. How would you respond, if you were Jonah?
(3) What is the commission? If the city was so wicked, why should God care? Could He not just judge them from heaven directly?
(4) Instead, Jonah “ran away” (the Hebrew word is also “rose up”), boarding a ship at Joppa (a port city in the Mediterranean) and tried to head to Tarshish (likely Spain).
a. Why did Jonah run? Why did he wish to head to Spain, of all places?
b. Was he not afraid of the consequences of his action? And what might the consequences be?
c. Did he not care about God’s likely punishment of the Assyrians?
d. Compare his attitude with Abraham’s (in Gen. 18:22-33). What is the difference between them? What might be the reasons for the difference?
(5) The sailors on the ship are kind of like the crew members of today’s cruise ship, made up of people from many nations. Therefore, they all pray to their own gods.
a. These are supposed to be seasoned sailors. Why should they be so afraid?
b. How does the scene depict the typical relationship between pagans and their gods?
(6) With such a violent storm, how can Jonah fall into a “deep sleep”?
a. When you knowingly rebel against God, do you not experience an acute sense of peacelessness?
b. How then can Jonah manage to sleep so well, presumably totally oblivious to the storm which he definitely feels and knows its reason?
c. What does it say about his determination to face the consequence of his rebellion, no matter what? How hard is his heart at this time? (Refer to 4:1-3.)
(7) What would the captain notice of Jonah? Why would he care to wake him up?
(8) I think the decision and the outcome of casting lots might be prompted by God. However, is it right for us to play this “blame-game” whenever a severe disaster strikes our nation, our home or our church? When might it be justified and when might it not be? (Think about Job and what Jesus says in Lk. 13:4.)
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
本週我們按「五年靈修計劃」的讀經編排次序研讀舊約約拿書。請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
有關約拿書的獨特性，請參閱今天的「靈修默想小篇」。
(1) 請翻到列王紀下14:25看看經文怎樣論到約拿。那處顯示他活在主前八世紀時代。
(2) 神要他起來(即立刻之意) 往尼尼微城(今天的伊拉克) 去。
a. 他要走的路程有多遠？
b. 他能用希伯來語傳信息給他們嗎？
c. 這強國的人民會聽他嗎？
d. 他要遇什麼風險？
e. 如果你是約拿，你會怎樣回應神的差遣？
(3) 神給他的使命是什麼？這些人既是罪重及天，神為何不直接審判他們？
(4) 約拿真的「起來」，不過卻是逃跑，到地中海岸邊的約帕，要坐船到他施(一般相信是西班牙) 去。
a. 為何他要逃跑？為何甚至要逃到西班牙？
b. 他有否想到逃跑會帶來什麼後果？這些後果會包括什麼？
c. 他關注神可能會嚴辦尼尼微人嗎？
d. 試把他的態度與亞伯拉罕在創世記18:22-33所持的態度相比。他們有何分別？
(5) 船上的水手，看來與今天的遊輪一樣，是從多國而來的，故此有危難時，「各人哀求自己的神」：
a. 他們本應是善於航海的，為何會如此驚怕？
b. 他們當時的表現，可以給我們看到一般人求神拜佛的心態和與他們相信之神的關係嗎？
(6) 在如此厲害的風暴中，為何約拿竟然能「沉睡」？
a. 當你明知故犯背逆神的旨意時，心中能否有平安？
b. 約拿一定感受到如此厲害風暴的搖撼，也心知事出有因；為何他仍能「沉睡」？
c. 這正證明他的決心有多大，和他連神的管教也不怕的心。為何他會如此？(參4:1-3)
(7) 船主為何此刻會留意到約拿？為何要叫醒他？
(8) 我相信他們的掣籤和結果是出於神的。這是否說，每當禍殃臨到國家、家庭或教會時，我們要找出是誰之過呢？這樣的想法是否一定對？(見主耶穌在路加福音13:4所言，和約伯的遭遇。)
(9) 今天對你主要的信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你生命中？
The book of Jonah is unique in that the entire prophecy is written in the “third person”. Second Kings 14:23-25 states that Jonah was from Gath Hepher, about two miles northeast of Nazareth, and that he gave a prophecy which was fulfilled by King Jeroboam II (793-752 B.C.).
God commanded Jonah to prophesy against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, at a time when the power of the Assyrian Empire was resurgent and posed a threat to Israel. Jonah did not want to speak to Nineveh, likely hoping that God would destroy the city and its inhabitants. The book was written after Jonah returned from his mission and had time to reflect on its significance. It graphically demonstrates that God is willing to have mercy on all who seek Him in humility and sincerity. The repentance of the people of Nineveh postponed the destruction of their city for approximately 150 years, until 612 B.C.
Many critics dismiss the story of Jonah as a myth or fable, rejecting the miraculous element of the great fish. This simply shows their inability to comprehend the supernatural nature of the God of the Bible. Controlling one fish is not a great problem for the God who can cause the sun to stand still or divide the Red Sea. Jesus treated the book as historical fact, comparing Jonah’s experience in the belly of the fish to His own time in the tomb (Mt 12:40). Jesus also affirmed that the repentance of the Ninevites was genuine and contrasted their reaction to the indifference of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 12:41).
(Introduction to Jonah, The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible)
約拿書確有它獨特之處，全書是以第三者的身份寫的。列王紀下14:23-25告訴我們約拿是從迦特希弗，即拿撒勒東北兩哩那裡來的。他說的預言就應驗在耶羅波安身上(主前793-752年) 。
在亞述重新強大對以色列構造威脅時，神吩咐約拿向亞述的京城尼尼微發出責備和警告的預言；但約拿不願意服從。這很可能是因為他希望神會直接的毀滅該城和其中的居民。這卷書是在約拿完成這宣教旅程之後，有時間思想其重要性而寫成的。書卷非常生動的描述神願意向凡謙卑、誠懇尋求祂的人施憐憫。尼尼微人的悔改叫這城的毀滅得以延遲了150年(直到主前612年才被毀滅) 。
不少好批評的人認為約拿的故事全屬虛構，只是個神話，認為大魚(吞人)的神蹟是不可能的。其實，這是因為他們不能接受聖經的神那超自然的屬性。對那能叫日停住、分開紅海的神，要控制一條大魚實在是沒有困難的。耶穌是以歷史事實來看約拿書的。他把約拿在魚腹中的經歷與自己在墓中的時間相比(太12:40) 。祂亦證實尼尼微人的悔改是真確的，且用之來叫文士和法利賽人慚愧(太12:41) 。
(摘譯自The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible)
(1) The questions asked in v. 8 are most interesting.
a. What questions do they ask?
b. Should not one question of “what have you done?” be enough?
(2) Why does Jonah’s answer terrify them, resulting in their rhetorical question, “What have you done”?
(3) At this point, what options does Jonah have in facing his situation? What does his decision to ask the sailors to throw him overboard reveal about him?
a. Repentance?
b. Unrepentance?
(4) Why do the sailors not want to throw him overboard? Does it not rescue them form harm’s way immediately? Who might be more righteous?
(5) What have the sailors learned from this incident?
a. Before the calming of the sea, whom do the sailors pray to?
b. At the calming of the sea, whom do they worship?
(6) What lesson should Jonah have learned from this incident? Do you think he has learned it?
(7) The fact is, his first mission is now accomplished. Do you agree?
a. Is Jonah’s mission only to the Assyrians?
b. How does this serve as a precursor to Jonah’s mission to Nineveh?
(8) In what sense does Jesus liken himself to Jonah in Luke 11:29-30?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 眾人所問的問題甚為有趣：
a. 試列出他們七嘴八舌所發問的問題。
b. 為何在此危難之時，他們不單問「你作了何事」？
(2) 為何約拿的回答叫他們大大懼怕？
(3) 在這情況下，約拿可有什麼選擇？為何他選擇叫他們拋他在海中？這是悔過之舉？還是寧死不悔？
(4) 拋約拿下海豈不立刻叫災難過去嗎？為何他們不願這樣作？誰更為義？
(5) 水手們從這經歷學到什麼？
a. 在風浪未平時，他們向誰哀求？
b. 風浪平靜後，他們敬拜的是誰？
(6) 約拿從這經歷應學到什麼功課？你認為他真的領會嗎？
(7) 事實上，神已在他身上完成了第一個(宣教)使命，你同意嗎？
a. 尼尼微城是否約拿惟一的工場？
b. 這次的經歷應怎樣準備他面對尼尼微的使命？
(8) 在路加福音11:29-30，耶穌怎樣把自己與約拿相比？
(9) 今天對你主要的信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你生命中？
As a prophet that God has used to prophesy and prophesy accurately (2 Ki. 14:25), one would assume that Jonah must have possessed certain spiritual qualities that makes him a “man of God”. But from what we read in the Book of Jonah, we see a prophet who is well-versed in Scriptures (as his prayer in chapter 2 indicates) and yet is so bent on rebellion when God’s will happens to conflict with his own will.
His dislike or even hatred of the Assyrians is, of course, unthinkable (4:1-3), but more unthinkable is his resolve to disobey God at all costs. Such stubbornness can be seen in the fact that he is able to fall into a “particular deep sleep” in the midst of a mighty storm (T.D. Alexander, TOTC, Jonah, 103).
I believe all Christians do at times go through a period of disobedience. For those who genuinely love God, it has to be one of the most miserable experiences in one’s life. The lack of peace will be so acute that it will drive us into sleeplessness and restlessness. And this lack of peace is in fact a blessing in disguise, because it is induced by the Holy Spirit to nudge us back to our knees of repentance.
But Jonah is different. He is so determined not to obey the Lord that he would find a ship to set sail away from Nineveh of the east to the far end of the west (likely modern-day Spain). He is determined to flee from the presence of God, although he knows full well that he can never outrun the presence of God (Ps. 139:7-8). But this is his gesture to God of his determination to disobey.
So, as the storm rages, he, of course, knows it is no accident. By being able to fall into a deep sleep, he is showing God that he is determined not to obey Him, no matter what. He is prepared to die in the storm rather than to preach to the Assyrians. Most readers would be alarmed to read of such stubbornness and rebelliousness. Unfortunately, I have seen Christians who are bent on their rebellion, like Jonah. One such Christian even told me, “I know it is a path of death and destruction, but I don’t care.”
What can one do to a person whose conscience is seared?
As we continue to read in the book of Jonah, “With man this is impossible, but not with God, all things are possible with God.” (Mk. 10:27)
先知約拿既被神用作先知，他所發的預言也成真(王下14:23-25) ，我們就以為他一定擁有「神人」的靈命。但從書卷中我們看見約拿確是一位熟讀聖經的先知(他在第二章的禱告是明證) ，但在神的旨意與他的心意相違時，他竟然是一個硬著頸項叛逆神的人。
當然，他對亞述人的敵意或仇恨是叫人驚訝的(4:1-3)；但他不顧一切的拒絕順服神，更是不可思議。這樣的硬著頸項可以從他在極厲害的風暴中仍能「特別沉睡」可見(T.D. Alexander, TOTC, Jonah, 103)。
我相信我們總有不願順服神的時刻。至於那些愛神的人，這是一段極難受的時刻：心中失去那寶貴的平安，且往往叫我們寢食不安，難以入睡。這心中的不平安其實是變相的祝福，因為會因此被聖靈驅迫我們跪下悔改和認罪。
但約拿卻不是這樣。他定意要背逆神，甚至向相反的方向逃奔，以為這就可以躲避耶和華。他當然知道是走不出神同在的(詩139:7-8) 。他是以此舉叫神知道他的意已決，是不會更改的。
故此，當風暴驟起，他深知是神的作為，但他以沉睡再一次向神表示他是不計後果的，決意不回頭。他情願就是死在海中，也不去向尼尼微人發警告的預言。這樣的頑梗，真叫人驚訝。可惜的是，我遇過類似的基督徒，頑梗如約拿。其中一位更對我說：「我知這條是死路，但我不理！」
人又那有能力去幫助一個良心像已被烙慣的人呢！
幸好繼續讀約拿書，我們就看到「在人是不能，在神卻不然，因為神凡事都能。」(可10:27)
(1) Where does Jonah utter this prayer?
(2) The prayer may be divided into the following sub-divisions, like the structure of many psalms:
Vv.
2-3: God’s deliverance
Vv.
4-6a: Lament (of his plight)
Vv.
6b-7: God’s deliverance
V.
8: Confidence expressed
V. 9: Vow and praise
(3) Now that he is temporarily “spared” in the belly of a fish, consider the following:
a. What is going on in his mind?
b. Does he have any remorse? Should he?
c. What best describes his inner condition at this point?
(4) Vv. 2-3: God’s deliverance
a. What does he do when he is being thrown into the sea and sinking?
b. Since he asks to be thrown into the sea, is he prepared to face death?
(5) Vv. 4-6a: Lament (of his plight)
a. What does he attribute his plight to?
b. How dangerous is his situation under the sea?
c. Does he utter any words of repentance?
d. What does he mean by, “yet, I will look toward your holy temple”?
(6) Vv. 6b-7: God’s deliverance
a. How does Jonah address God in his distress?
b. What can we learn from him?
(7) V. 8: Confidence expressed
a. Why would he suddenly compare himself with the pagans?
b. Does it mean he has changed his mind toward the pagans?
(8) V. 9: Vow and praise
a. Why does he say, “But”?
b. What kind of a vow does he make and why?
(9) See how many first personal pronouns can you count in his prayers (i.e. I, me and my).
a. Do you think he is now ready to obey his mission?
b. What changes, if any, has this experience brought upon him?
c. Do you think he has learned to identify with God’s heart toward the idol-worshipping pagans of Nineveh?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
作為先知，約拿應是熟讀聖經的。約拿在魚腹中的禱告話語多是出自詩篇。這不是說約拿安坐魚腹中抄襲詩句，乃是在危難中自然地用合用的詩篇來道出心聲：
(1) 約拿是在什麼地方發出禱告的？
(2) 他的禱告像一般的詩篇可以作以下的分段：
a. 第2-3節： 神的拯救
b. 第4-6(上) 節：訴苦況
c. 第6(下)-7節： 神的拯救
d. 第8節： 信心之言
e. 第9節： 許願與讚美
(3) 約拿既在魚腹得暫時的蔭庇：
a. 他會想到什麼？
b. 他有悔意嗎？他應否有悔意？
c. 你會怎樣形容他的內心境況？
(4) 第2-3節：神的拯救
a. 約拿在被拋下海後，身體下沉時作的是什麼？
b. 他既膽敢叫人拋他下海，他是否真的視死如歸？
(5) 第4-6(上) 節：訴苦況
a. 他認定所遭遇的是出於誰？
b. 他在海裡的情景有多險？
c. 他有否在此說出認罪的話？
d. 仰望祢的「聖殿」是什麼意思？
(6) 第6(下)-7節：神的拯救
a. 在此他怎樣稱呼神？
b. 我們可以怎樣學效約拿？
(7) 第8節：信心之言
a. 為何他在此時提到外邦人？
b. 他是在憐憫他們，還是定他們的罪？
(8) 第9節：許願與讚美
a. 「但」是什麼意思？
b. 他許了什麼願？原因是什麼？
(9) 數數看，這禱告一共有幾多個「我」字？
a. 你認為他現在已準備好聽命順從神的宣召嗎？
b. 這經歷究竟帶來了什麼改變？
c. 你認為他現在了解神愛「信奉虛無之神的人」的心嗎？
(10) 今天對你主要的信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你生命中？
The
prayer by Jonah in the belly of a fish is most unusual in these ways:
(1) He experiences instant answers to this prayer. Verse 2 is likely a reference to the desperate cry he makes to God when he was sinking into the ocean. No matter how stubborn and determined one is to face death, no one really is prepared to do so, especially when he is sinking fast to the bottom of the sea;
(2) He knows God is forgiving. Although he knows full well that he is being chastised for his sins, God is a God of grace. As His children, once we turn to Him, He will listen, because He cares. As much as he is deep in the depths of the ocean, he knows that God is only a prayer away. So he says, “my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple” (2:7);
(3) But the amazing part of this prayer is that it is, in the truest sense, not a prayer of repentance. He never utters one word of confession. He never says sorry. He never tells God that he knows that what he has done is wrong and that he now is willing to obey! All he does is to cry for help;
(4) But the most amazing thing is that he has not changed his attitude towards the people of Nineveh. He still sees them as condemned idol-worshippers who “cling to worthless idols" (2:8), and sees himself as holier because he worships the “right” God (2:9); and
(5) If you care to count the number of 1st person pronouns (i.e. I, me and my), you can get a sense of how self-centered the whole prayer is.
The question is whether God has really listened to his prayer and rescued him as a result.
The rest of the story reveals that our God is indeed, as Jonah says, “a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (4:2). The only problem is, he fails to see that he is the one in need of God’s grace and compassion!
當細讀約拿在魚腹中的禱告時，我們看到這禱告的奇特：
(1) 他經歷到禱告蒙神立即的應允：
第二節似是他重述在水中下沉時向神呼求的情景。是的，不論人是怎樣口硬，口稱不懼怕死亡，但面臨被波浪洪濤淹滅之際，不懼怕才怪呢！
(2) 他知道神是位憐愛的神：
他雖然心知自己在被神管教，但他更曉得神是位恩慈的神。只要祂的兒女轉向祂呼求祂，祂必定垂聽，因為祂顧念我們。故此，約拿雖然身在海的深處，神卻是只有禱告之遙。他知道禱告已達到神天上的殿。(2:7)
(3) 這禱告特別的地方，乃在乎沒有半句認罪的話，沒有悔改的意味。約拿沒有對神說，我錯了。這禱告只有的是求拯救脫險的。
(4) 這禱告最奇怪之處，是約拿絕對沒有改變他對尼尼微人的態度；他仍視他們為「那信奉虛無之神的人」(2:8) 。他仍自覺比他們好，因他選擇相信那位真神。
(5) 其實，如果你數到這禱告中出現「我」字的次數，就可以看到這禱告是何等的「自我中心」。
你認為神是因為他的禱告而把他從深海中救出來嗎？
這故事的終結固然給我們看到，神果真是「有恩典，有憐憫的神，不輕易發怒，有豐盛的慈愛，並且後悔不降……災」的 (4:2)。但約拿最大的難處是在乎他看不見自己是極需要神憐憫的那位！
(1) After what should be a life-changing experience, being rescued by God in the belly of a fish, what should Jonah have done immediately in response to God’s gracious treatment of his rebellion?
(2) Why does God have to ask Jonah to go a second time? Should he not be the one who would immediately embark on his mission trip after being rescued?
(3) No one is indispensable. Why does God choose to remind Jonah to go? Why doesn’t God use someone else?
(4) If God can really send someone else to accomplish His mission, why then would God insist on calling Jonah again?
(5) The Bible only records one sentence that Jonah has said in his proclamation:
a. Would it be because that’s really all he has said?
b. Does it indicate that Jonah really never cared to introduce the Lord to the people, including who He is, His love and forgiveness?
c. What might his intention be for such a brief message?
(6) What is the immediate result of his proclamation? How can you explain this very unusual response from the people?
(7) From the response of the people and the king, consider the following:
a. How can we know that their repentance is genuine?
b. How sweeping is their repentance?
c. What is the purpose of their repentance?
(8) Does God really intend to destroy the people and their city? What does this reveal about God’s character and His plan of salvation through Jesus Christ today?
(9) What are the valuable lessons you have learned today about evangelism? List them out one by one.
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 經過了如此奇妙和震撼的經歷後，約拿算是險死還生。被大魚吐上陸地後，他立刻當作的是什麼？
(2) 為何神要第二次向約拿重提宣教的召命？他豈不應在獲救後自動的起來到尼尼微城去嗎？
(3) 我們都知道在事奉上，沒有人是不可缺的。為何神不另揀選一個聽話遵命的先知？
(4) 祂為何給約拿第二個機會？
(5) 聖經只記載約拿「講道」的一句話：
a. 你以為他是否真的只說了一句話？
b. 這是否顯出約拿根本不願意把耶和華和祂的憐愛和赦免告訴這城的人？
c. 你以為他只說了這麼簡短的信息，用意何在？
(6) 他的宣講帶來了什麼後果？你怎解釋這奇特的果效？
(7) 我們從百姓和王帝的反應：
a. 怎知他們的悔改是真確的？
b. 他們的悔改有多徹底？
c. 他們為什麼要悔改？
(8) 神是否定意要毀滅他們？這事情可以叫我們看到神那方面的屬性和祂藉著主耶穌所成就的救恩的什麼原委？
(9) 今天，你從這段經文對神所托，傳福音的使命有什麼提醒？
Although the Bible has not told us what happened immediately after Jonah was spit out of the belly of the fish onto dry land, one thing was quite certain ― he did not volunteer right away to go to Nineveh. The Lord had to speak to him a second time to ask him to rise up (i.e. to go immediately) and obey the mission originally given to him.
I have no idea where the fish spit him out, probably along the Mediterranean coast, and Jonah might have simply gone home. This was probably when God renewed His call to him.
From the rest of the book, we do know that Jonah has not really changed his dislike or even hatred towards the Assyrians. This explains why, even in his prayer, there was the absence of remorse, and also why he did not volunteer to resume his mission even after such a miraculous encounter of God’s grace.
But the key question for me is, why did God still renew His call to such a hard-hearted servant? I am very sure, if God has preserved some 7,000 people loyal to Him during the time of Ahab, He would have had many other prophets He could have sent to accomplish His mission in the time of Jonah. Why did He give Jonah a second chance?
I do not think that God was giving Jonah a second chance to prove himself or to succeed in the mission. As it turned out, God wanted to change Jonah into someone who would not only obey grudgingly to Him, but someone who would share and identify with His heart. In other words, He wishes His servants to be like Him.
In the testing of Abraham in Genesis 22, God has succeeded in molding him into someone who shares His heart, in that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son for God, just as God would sacrifice His only begotten Son for the descendants of Abraham.
I think I am right in saying that God is equally interested in (or perhaps even more interested in) molding His servant in knowing and imitating His heart than the completion of His mission.
聖經沒有告訴我們約拿被大魚吐出、著陸後立刻作的是什麼，但可以確定的，是他沒有立刻的動身前往尼尼微去。神是要再次呼召他，要他「起來」(即立刻的動身) ，他才聽命。
我不曉得大魚把他吐在那裡，相信是地中海的海岸吧。約拿於是動身回家去了。可能是在他回家後，神的召命再次的重新臨到他。
從約拿書的下半部，我們看到約拿基本上沒有改變他對亞述人的敵視和憎恨。這就解釋到為什麼他在魚腹中的禱告裡，沒有半句的悔意，以及為什麼在經歷神如此厚恩後，他仍不自動自覺的跑到尼尼微去。
不過，最令人不明白的是，為何神仍第二次的呼召這樣頑梗的僕人？如果在亞哈王的時代，神還有7,000人向祂忠心，相信在這時，祂一定有別的先知可差遣的。為何偏偏要死抓著約拿不放？為何給他第二次的機會？
我相信神不是給約拿第二次機會去證明自己，或是叫他至終能完成使命。主因乃是要他改變成為一個明白神心意的僕人，似神形像的先知。就像在創世記第22章神試驗亞伯拉罕，為要使他似自己的形像。結果，就如神甘願把獨生兒子賜給世人那樣，亞伯拉罕也願意為神獻上自己的獨生愛子。亞伯拉罕至終被模造成為有神的形像，更了解神的心的人。
故此，神看重的不單是使命的完成，更是祂僕人的模造，成為明白祂心意、學像祂樣式的人。
(1) Upon the repentance of the people of this city, what might the angels in heaven be doing? (Lk. 15:7)
(2) How different is Jonah’s response from the angels? Why?
(3) How can you describe an “evangelist” like Jonah?
(4) Why then is he willing to “obey” the second time?
(5) In what way is he like the older brother of the prodigal son (in Lk. 15)? In what way is he worse than the older brother?
(6) If you were the Lord, would you be hurt by Jonah’s answer in v. 3? How would you deal with a person like Jonah?
(7) How does God deal with him, instead? Why?
(8) How does Jonah answer the question posed by God in v. 4? What kind of an answer does he give through his action?
(9) Does Jonah know that it is God who has provided the leafy plant? How might he interpret God’s action in v. 6 at the time?
(10) Does Jonah know that it is God who has also caused the withering of the plant, the scorching wind and the blazing sun? How might he interpret God’s action? Does he get God’s message at this point? Why not?
(11) It is apparent that God’s objective lesson has not worked, so He has to bare His soul (so to speak) before Jonah:
a. What is the root problem of Jonah according to God?
b. Can you describe the heart of God with which He desires Jonah to identify with by calling him and giving him a second chance?
(12) Read John 3:16 and try to paraphrase these familiar words, substituting “the world” with the people of Nineveh.
(13) Who were the people of Nineveh then and who are they now?
(14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 你知道看到全城的人悔改時，天使在天上如何回應？(參路15:7)
(2) 當時約拿立刻的反應又是怎樣？為什麼？
(3) 你可以用什麼來形容像約拿般的「福音使者」呢？
(4) 既是這樣，為何約拿又願意改變初衷去接受這使命呢？
(5) 他與「浪子」比喻裡的長兄有何相似之處？相比之下，誰更可怕？
(6) 如果你是神，你的心會有什麼感受？你會怎樣處理約拿？
(7) 神又是怎樣處理約拿呢？為什麼？
(8) 約拿怎樣回答神在4:4的問題？
(9) 你認為約拿曉得誰安排一棵蓖麻來遮蓋他的嗎？他的「靜默的回答」是什麼？他因這棵蓖麻大大喜樂代表他是怎樣看事情的？
(10) 你認為約拿曉得誰安排蓖麻的枯萎、炎風和烈日的嗎？他又是怎樣看這事情呢？他領會神藉此給他的信息嗎？
(11) 似乎神用實物教材收不到果效，故此祂就直接向約拿陳明心意：
a. 神告訴約拿，他的問題是出於什麼？
b. 神藉再次給約拿機會是希望他能明白什麼呢？
(12) 請翻到約翰福音3:16。試把「尼尼微人」代入這句話中，看看神希望約拿所領會的是什麼。
(13) 約拿的故事對你主要的信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你生命中？
The patience that God demonstrated to Jonah was remarkable, to say the least. Repeatedly, Jonah remained stubborn and asked to die, if God would not destroy the people of Nineveh, in spite of their genuine repentance.
While I am at a loss to explain why Jonah, a prophet of the Lord, would harbor such hatred towards the Assyrians, I have come across Christians who hold grudges against people who have wronged them before, to the point that they could not rejoice over the repentance of their “enemies”.
I think one of the key problems with Jonah and those who are like him is their failure to recognize that they themselves are desperately in need of God’s grace. If we all get what we truly deserve, we will all end up in eternal damnation.
John Newton, sometime after he had penned the famous hymn, Amazing Grace, pointed out why he had found God’s grace amazing: It was not only that he did not deserve His grace as a wretched sinner, but also that His grace was “unwanted”.
Indeed, whether we wanted Him or not, He died for all of us anyway, pouring His grace over us, wishing that we might open our hearts to receive Him.
One writer likens the grace of God to the air around us. We are surrounded by air that seeks to permeate into our life, but it is up to us to open ourselves to take it in and have life.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16) The fact that we have made the choice to believe is His grace, His gift. (Eph. 2:8)
神對約拿的忍耐實在叫人驚奇。約拿如此頑梗，且多次求死，好像不迫使神毀滅尼尼微人決不罷休。連看見尼尼微人真心悔改他也不甘心。
雖然，我真不能明白身為先知的約拿為何也會心懷如斯的苦毒；但我卻遇見過這樣的基督徒，對「仇敵」心懷的痛恨，叫他們眼見「仇敵」真正的悔改時，心中卻無法喜樂，反而有「便宜了他們」的感覺。
我不敢論斷他們，但看到約拿和那些與他相似的信徒都忽略了自己原來也是極不好的罪人，是極需要神恩典遮蓋的人。他們忽略了，如果人是要得到當得的報應的話，我們都該死在地獄裡。
約翰紐頓在寫成他著名的「奇異恩典」詩歌後，在一次的講道中告訴會眾，他之所以感受到神的恩典是如此奇妙，不但是因為看到自己是罪大惡極不配得著神的恩典，更是因為臨到他的神的恩典，原是他所「不希罕」的。
是的，不論世人希罕與否，基督耶穌都已為世人死在十字架上，把祂的恩典圍困著我們；就如一位作家所言，如空氣一般的圍繞著我們，要進入我們心中，帶來生命和氣息。接受與否，卻全是我們自己的選擇。
「神愛世人，甚至將祂的獨生子，賜給他們，叫一切信祂的，不至滅亡，反得永生」(約3:16) 。事實上，我和你能決志和相信，也是恩典，也是神的恩賜。(弗2:8)