The Merciful God

Session 5: The Merciful God (Jonah 3) shows how God’s justice flows out of His mercy as Jonah finally delivers God’s message to Nineveh. Despite Jonah’s reluctance, the people of Nineveh repent wholeheartedly, and God responds with compassion. This chapter reminds us that God’s mercy is steadfast and freely given, calling us to reflect His character rather than reshape Him into our own image.

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The vision of Ozark Christian College is to glorify God by evangelizing the lost and edifying Christians worldwide. The mission of Ozark Christian College is to train men and women for Christian service as a degree-granting institution of biblical higher education.

Classroom Instructions

Section 05

17:00

Lesson 05

SESSION 5: The Merciful God (Chapter 3)

Opening Considerations:

—Instead of allowing God to tell us who he is and therefore how we should look like him, we

instead make God into a portrait of ourselves.

—The justice of God flows from the mercy of God.

READ THE STORY

Verse 1 -

—The word of the Lord came…” A ______________________ of chapter 1.

—Verse 3 - A ____________ days’ walk. Jonah is expected to be in Nineveh as long as he

was in the belly of the sea monster.

—Verse 4 – Jonah’s prophecy is only _______ words in Hebrew.

—Verse 9 -“so that we do not perish:” This is the same word used by the______________

in Ch. 1.

—Verse 10 - God is referred to as Elohim ______________ times in this chapter alone.

HEAR THE STORY

— Zoom ____:_____________________________________

—God will not let __________________ slide.

—“There wickedness has come up before me” (1:2)

—Nineveh has found itself on the same side as Sodom and _________________ and the same side as _________________.

— Zoom ____:______________________________________

—The Ninevites’ repentance is:

— __________________________________

—Nehpakhet: Jonah’s prophecy allowed for two responses

— _________________

— Or _____________________ ___________________. _______________

RECEIVE THE STORY

—God’s mercy is both ___________________ and ____________________

—We must recognize that God ______________________ to show mercy, period.

—We must recognize that God ______________________ to show mercy, period. It can come in the form of retribution if we do not turn.

—We must recognize that God _____________________ to show mercy, period.

Discussion Questions for Reflection:

1.Why do people tend to view God in a way that reflects us instead of us trying to reflect God?

What are some contrasts you see between Jonah’s prayer in chapter 2 to the Ninevites’ in

chapter 3?

3.When you think of God as the God of mercy, what do you envision?

4.How can the church talk better about the hardness and softness of God’s mercy today?

The Merciful God Instructions