Jonah: God’s Love For Sinners
By
Joey Hogan
| 9/3/2026 – Introduction |
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| Summary of the Book of Jonah 1- sin will always have consequences 2- God’s love is available to all sinners 3- we cannot hide from God 4- we serve a God of boundless compassion Jonah was believed to be written in 760 bc. The author of the book of is unknown. Jonah the name in Hebrew means dove. He was the son of Amittai. He is one of the 12 minor prophets. He was alive during the reign of the Assyrian empire. Assyrians were very cruel and their punishment was very harsh and included mutilation, flaying, massive rapes of women, stoning. Nineveh was very wicked, very crime filled, very brutal. Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian empire. Most scholars believe God chose Jonah to go to Nineveh for a few reasons: 1- to offer mercy to a very well known wicked city. 2- to demonstrate his compassion extends to all nations. 3- to let nineveh know that no matter the wickedness he still loved them. My top 4 favorite verses about Gods love: John 3:16 – For God so loved the world he gave his one and only son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Romans 5:8 – But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Psalm 103:8 – The lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in faithful love. Psalm 136:1- Give thanks to the lord for he is good and his faithful love endures forever. Jesus can meet you at the worst version of you and turn you into the best version of you. joshua broome GotQuestions.org |
| 9/10/2026 – Chapter 1:1-8 |
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| Summary of the Book of Jonah The God Who Pursues: Drifting from God’s calling doesn’t hinder His sovereignty; rather, it reveals His persistence in pursuing us… When Jonah ran away from the Lord, he probably thought he’d escaped an undesirable assignment. But before long, he found himself in an even less pleasant situation: taking a wild ride inside a fish. Two things stand out in this story: 1. Jonah’s determination to get away. Perhaps you’ve had the same struggle Jonah had: God’s plans don’t match yours. We can coast along, enjoying fellowship with the Lord until the day He asks us to do something we’d rather avoid. It’s an honest reaction, one more common than most of us admit. But when we run from what God is inviting us into, the distance we create costs us the peace and closeness we had with Him. 2. God’s persistence in pursuing him. What’s remarkable about this story isn’t Jonah’s resistance—it’s God’s refusal to give up on him. The Lord “hurled a great wind on the sea” (v. 4) and “appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah” (v. 17). These weren’t punishments; they were interventions. God pursued Jonah because He had something meaningful for the prophet to be part of, and He loved the people Jonah was meant to reach. When we drift from what God has called us to, He doesn’t abandon us there. He comes after us—not to condemn us, but to draw us back into the fullness of life with Him (Psalms 139:7-10). Jonah Gods love for sinners: Over the new few months we will be looking at Jonah verse by verse. Tonight we will start diving into Jonah 1:1- 8. Verse 1 Notice that God speaks directly to Jonah. Often times God would send an angel to deliver a message like he did with Mary and Joseph but then there are other times that God would speak directly to people. I am reminded of the prophet Jeremiah when God spoke directly to him in Jeremiah 1:4-5 which says The word of the lord came to me. I chose you before i formed you in the womb and I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations. God called and spoke directly to Jonah for the mission ahead. Verse 2 Notice in this verse the call of God. He calls nineveh great before he calls them evil. He notices and knows what they can be. He calls them a great city then he tells Jonah that yes their sin has come up before him. Verse 3 We see here that Jonah has a choice that he has to obey. He can obey the call of God or not. Jonah in this case choses to run the other way far away from nineveh . Jonah tries to escape God. We have to remember that God is omnipresent which means being present everywhere at the same time. No matter how hard he tried Jonah could not escape the presence of God. Verse 4 We see that God causes this storm to happen but why did God cause the storm? Josh Howerton a pastor I like to listen to said this about storms in our lives. He said that sometimes storms will happen in our life but why do they happen? God will send a storm to: 1. Correct us 2. Guide us 3. Lead us 4. Protect us Verse 5 Notice a few different things about these sailors: 1- They each cried out to their own god. Their faith was not in the one true God. 2- They are at this moment in full panic mode throwing the cargo off the ship. But what was Jonah doing? He was at the lowest of the lowest part of the boat and notice the bible tells us he fell into a deep sleep. Verse 6 We see here that the captain confronts Jonah and I believe he was not a bit too happy with Jonah. He was probably sad and frustrated because despite everything going on at this point we still have to remember a great storm is happening but we see the captain who I can only imagine how he felt toward Jonah. I have had a few of the Jonah moments in my life. Verse 7 We see now the sailors are casting lots but where else do we see this in scripture? When Jesus was on the cross the roman soldiers cast lots for his clothes. Lets jump to John 19: 23-24 for a moment: Verse 23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus they took his clothes and divided them into four parts with a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic which was seamlessly woven in one piece from the top. Verse 24 So they said to one another lets not tear it but cast lots for it to see who gets it. This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that says they divided my clothes among themselves and they cast lots for my clothing. This is what the soldiers did. Reference Psalm 22:18 the psalm of david which says: Verse18 They divided my garments among themselves and they cast lots for my clothing. And now back to Jonah. Verse 8 Now we see the sailors confront and question Jonah. I can imagine many emotions are going through them such as: 1. Fear 2. Anger 3. Sadness 4. Lot’s ofother emotions We see here when they question Jonah he has a choice. He can be honest or he can lie. What will your response be when you are questioned? GotQuestions.org |
| 9/17/2026 – Chapter 1: 9-17 |
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| Summary of the Book of Jonah Verse 9 We left off last week with the sailors confronting Jonah and i told you that Jonah had a choice to make in his life at this very juncture He could lie or he could tell the truth but we see his response and something stuck me as i was studying and putting my thoughts together and its something that a lot of people will do Jonah was running from God but still wanted to claim God Jonah was not all in. He only wanted God when it was convenient for Jonah and we do this to this very day . we want both sides of the coin and to be honest to this point Jonah and his actions were very lukewarm and we see what Jesus says about lukewarm believers in the new testament: Revelation 3:15-16 I know your works that you are neither cold or hot . i wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm and neither hot or cold i am going to vomit you out of my mouth Verse 10 I have 3 major thoughts for verse 10. 1- You need people in your life who will call you out when you are running. 2- Does your running from God even effect you or the people around you ? the sailors were more concerned with Jonahs actions than Jonah was and thats sad. 3- Have you been running for so long that it does not even bother you anymore? Verse 11 All the while why the sailors are trying to figure out how to punish Jonah the storm was still going on outside . God sent this storm to not only show hes in control but to also show the sailors that not only is he in control but hes a God of justice and nothing happens that God doesn’t allow to happen. I had a email from someone recently last week and they are fairly new to the christian and they emailed me a question which really made me stop and think they said If God is so good and loving then why did so many people lose their lives on 9/11? We have to remember that yes God is good and God is loving but God is also a God of justice and i am reminded of just a few verses on God being a God of justice. Isaiah 30:18 Therefore the LORD is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God. All who wait patiently for him are happy. Psalm 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; faithful love and truth go before you. Verse 12 Jonah is now confessing that he is to blame for this storm. You will never be free if you are not honest Yes its hard and its tough but once you let it all out the freedom you will feel will be way beyond what words can describe Brittni de la mora story – from broken to beautiful. Verse 13 Sometimes to get better in life the storms of life will get worse. Jerry falwell founder of liberty university and Thomas Road Baptist Church was always saying this and it rings true to every life. Often times in order for God to make a man he must first break that man. Sometimes the storms will get worse before your freedom comes. Verse 14 In this verse we see the Sailors call out to the one true God . we see their hearts turn to God and we see the realness of their prayer to God. Verse 15 We see that once they throw Jonah off the boat the storm stops. Sometimes in order for your storm to stop you need to cut some things out. What do you need to throw off your Boat for your storm to stop? Verse 16 We see these sailors and we see their change. When is the last time in your life that you were really real with God? When is the last time you got totally raw and real with God in your life? Do you only call out to God when things are bad or do you serve him all the time no matter what. Verse 17 Here we see a few things and i want to clear some common myths up on this verse. We see it said that God appointed a great fish not a whale like you were probably taught. We see that Jonah is in the fish 3 days and 3 nights. We will dive in next week to his prayer in chapter 2. Summary of chapter 1 How can i apply all of this in my life? 1- You cant run from God. 2- Your sins will always have consequences. 3- Your sins will affect others around you as well as yourself. 4- Sometimes God will speak to us in weird ways. GotQuestions.org |
| 9/24/2026 – Chapter 2:1-10 |
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| Summary of the Book of Jonah As we left off last week wrapping up in chapter we see where God had appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah . Tonight we are going to look at chapter 2 . its only 10 verses but we are going to pick it apart verse by verse. Chapter 2 Verse 1 – tells us what Jonah did in his time of distress. Where else in God’s word does it talk about praying in difficult times in our lives? Romans 12:12 – ‘Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. ‘ Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Verse 2 – God will answer his children who call out to him. His answer may not always be what we want or what we like to hear but i heard Johnthan Falwell say this in a sermon one time while preaching on Jonah and he said this: “100 percent of the time Gods answer is the best Answer” Notice 1 thing though. Jonah waited until he was inside the fish to start praying. Dont wait till you’re in the valley to start praying to God. Verse 3– Jonah is admitting his part and his fault in all of this. If we never admit our faults then we can really never be free. Admission is the first step to freedom. An old Amish proverb i read one time said it like this: “A wise man admits while the foolish man blames.” Verse 4 – Jonah is basically asking God: “God please dont forget and please have mercy on me.” Have you ever felt like God has forgotten you? Jonah feels a couple of emotions here: 1. Guilt 2. Shame 3. Worthlessness 4. Unworthy Verse 5-6 – Jonah here is fearful of his life because he does not know what will happen next. Do you trust God with your next step in life? Do you trust God to make the next move? Do you trust God? “It’s one thing to sing and talk about trusting God but it’s a whole other thing to actually do it.” – Louie Giglio Verse 7 – Jonah here is remembering how Great our God is. Jonah is remembering how Good God has been to him in his life. A lot of commentaries say at this point Jonah is dreading and ashamed of the fact that he ran in the first place. Why do we run and hide things from God when he already knows them? Verse 8 – There is only one true Love and that is Jesus. I am reminded of Isaiah 40:8 which states: The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever. Verse 9 – 2 Quick thoughts on this verse: 1 – No matter where you are in life you can always be thankful. 2- God is the ruler of everything and he works everything in order not the way we would want them but according to his will and his plan. Verse 10 – We see God at work again commanding the fish and the fish obeys. Wrap up of chapter 2: 1. Dont wait till your deep down in the valley to pray. 2. God is over everything. Do you trust him? 3. Always be asking yourself how can i be thankful today. 4. Trust God’s ways not your’s. GotQuestions.org |
| 10/1/2026 – Chapter 3:1-10 |
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| Summary of the Book of Jonah When we left off at the end of chapter 2 last week we see where God appointed the fish to vomit Jonah out. Tonight we will look at and dive into chapter 3 together. Verse 1 – We see for the second time in this book God calls out and gives Jonah the same command . we see that in this short 48 verse book of the bible God speaks twice to the prophet Jonah. John Jenkins a pastor I listen to a lot said it this way: When God tells you something once its mighty important. Just think of how important it is if God tells you the same thing twice! Verse 2 – God Gives him the same mission that he did at the beginning of chapter. God was not going to give up on Nineveh. God was in hot pursuit of the people of Nineveh. We also see here again Jonah has another choice to make – do i go or not? Just remember no matter how wicked the people are around you they are worthy of the Gospel. Verse 3 – We see this time that Jonah was obedient to the call the Lord had put before him. Where else in scripture do we see Guys being obedient to the Lord? 1. Moses – leading Gods people. 2. Noah – building the ark. My favorite example of this is found in Genesis 22:1-19 and is the story of Abraham. Will you be obedient to the call on your life ? Verse 4 – Day one of three on his journey we see Jonah delivering the message God told him to deliver. We are all called to deliver that same message today. Jeus told his disciples in Matthew 28:18-19 18 – Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” 19 – “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Verse 5 – We see here a couple of things: 1 – The people’s’ response to God. 2.- The people’s repentance of their wrongs. I know you’re probably asking what is sackcloth? 1. Sackcloth and ashes were used in Old Testament times as a symbol of debasement, mourning, and/or repentance. Someone wanting to show his repentant heart would often wear sackcloth, sit in ashes, and put ashes on top of his head. 2. Sackcloth was a coarse material usually made of black goat’s hair, making it quite uncomfortable to wear. The ashes signified desolation and ruin. 3. When someone died, the act of putting on sackcloth showed heartfelt sorrow for the loss of that person. We see an example of this when David mourned the death of Abner, the commander of Saul’s army (2 Samuel 3:31). Jacob also demonstrated his grief by wearing sackcloth when he thought his son Joseph had been killed (Genesis 37:34). These instances of mourning for the dead mention sackcloth but not ashes. Ashes accompanied sackcloth in times of national disaster or repenting from sin. Esther 4:1, for instance, describes Mordecai tearing his clothes, putting on sackcloth and ashes, and walking out into the city “wailing loudly and bitterly.” This was Mordecai’s reaction to King Xerxes’ declaration giving the wicked Haman authority to destroy the Jews (see Esther 3:8–15). Mordecai was not the only one who grieved. “In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes” (Esther 4:3). The Jews responded to the devastating news concerning their race with sackcloth and ashes, showing their intense grief and distress. Sackcloth and ashes were also used as a public sign of repentance and humility before God. When Jonah declared to the people of Nineveh that God was going to destroy them for their wickedness, everyone from the king on down responded with repentance, fasting, and sackcloth and ashes (Jonah 3:5–7). They even put sackcloth on their animals (verse 8). Their reasoning was, “Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish” (verse 9). This is interesting because the Bible never says that Jonah’s message included any mention of God’s mercy; but mercy is what they received. It’s clear that the Ninevites’ donning of sackcloth and ashes was not a meaningless show. God saw genuine change—a humble change of heart represented by the sackcloth and ashes—and it caused Him to “relent” and not bring about His plan to destroy them (Jonah 3:10). Verse 6 – Why did the king do what he did here and the way he did it? The king was sorry and he was in a state of repentance. Tim timberlake said it like this to his church one sunday: If we dont repent are we truly sorry? I want you to take that question this week and think and pray on it . Verse 7-9 – We see here the king issues a statement. 1- He is acknowledging the one true God / just as King Darius did in Daniel 6:25-27. 2 – He is telling the people to turn while there is still time to turn. If you’re still breathing then you still have a chance as every wicked one is worthy in the eyes of Jesus. 3 – in verse 9 the king is hoping that God would save them and not destroy them. Verse 10 – We see the grace and mercy of God show up to this great city . It reminds me of lamentations 3:22-23 which says: Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. So as we wrap up chapter 3 I want to point out 4 truths to you all: 1 – We serve a good and mighty God who is full of grace and mercy. 2 – If you are still breathing there’s still time to make things right. 3 – Who needs to hear the message you are carrying and what message are you carrying? 4 – Who are you following in your walk and who are you influencing ? GotQuestions.org |
| 10/15/2026 – Chapter 4: 1-11 |
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| Summary of the Book of Jonah As we left off last week we see Jonah as he is going through Nineveh and spreading the message that God gave him. We see God showed mercy to Nineveh and tonight we are going to wrap up our story and journey through Jonah. Verses 1&2 – We see Jonah becoming really furious with God because God showed his mercy to the city of Nineveh. We see Jonah and his anger are at a full display here because he’s mad God gave the people of Nineveh a second chance. Is there someone in your life that you’re mad at for getting a second chance? When I read about Nineveh, Romans 8 : 28 comes to mind and it says this: We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. God did not see Nineveh for who they were but he saw them for what they could be. Verse 3 – We see the pity party of Jonah continuing because he is still angry about Nineveh getting a second chance . I’m also reminded of Job because Job said something similar in Job 3:11-16: 11 Why was I not stillborn; why didn’t I die as I came from the womb? 12 Why did the knees receive me, and why were there breasts for me to nurse? 13 Now I would certainly be lying down in peace; I would be asleep. Then I would be at rest. 14 with the kings and counselors of the earth, who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves, 15 or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. 16 Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child, like infants who never see daylight? Verse 4 – We see God really ask Jonah a question that should hit home to all of us. We always have to remember God’s plan is the best plan. Verses 5-7 – God is showing Jonah that he allows to happen what he allows to happen or to put it another way lets look at Job 1:21 which says: 21- saying: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD. An old irish proverb puts it like this: Why be mad at the plant that isn’t even your’s anyway? Verses 8-11 – God is really teaching Jonah some key things during his season of anger: 1 – God allowed the plant to grow and God took the plant away. 2 – God is letting Jonah know that he loves Nineveh no matter how Jonah feels. 3 – God is showing Jonah who is in complete control and it is not Jonah. So as we wrap up this book of Johnah lets remember these truths: 1 – God still loves us when we mess up. 2 – God’s love is for even the most wicked heart. 3 – God’s grace and mercy is greater than your worst choice ever. 4 – God is a God of grace and mercy But God is also a God of justice. GotQuestions.org |