The Prophet Jonah

Group Leaders: please print off copies for group participants. Choose two or three Scripture readers for the night.

Opening Question: Has anyone used a certain memory device to memorize the order of the Minor Prophets? Have two or three people share their method with the others.

Read Deuteronomy 13:1-6

What are the criteria for distinguishing true from false prophets?

How did Jesus pass that test as the true, and ultimate, Prophet? Can you point to a specific passage in the Gospels that highlights this?

Read Deuteronomy 18:20-22

What are the criteria for distinguishing true from false prophets?

How did Jesus pass this test as the true, and ultimate, Prophet? Can you point to a specific passage in the Gospels that highlights this?

Read Jonah 1:1-3

Dr. Jack Collins writes that there are “3 characteristics of a prophet: 1/ direct personal communication from God; 2/ the message concerns the things of God, and his kingdom (in my terms, the corporate entity and its mission in the world); 3/ he faithfully recorded or uttered the revelation he received.”

How did Jonah meet the above characteristics? Which characteristic did he fail to meet?

Dr. Douglas Stuart notes that Old Testament prophets “considered themselves as occupying a divinely appointed societal office, correcting illegal beliefs and practices.”

Can you think of people in American society who have this sort of role? Who would they be? How are they like or unlike the Old Testament prophet?

Read Matthew 28:18-20

We are not all called to be prophets, uttering direct revelation from God. Try to describe the characteristics of the rank and file Christian based on Jesus’ commission to the apostles.

How is this different than having the role of a prophet?

Who can name the major roles that God has chosen for you to play in life.

Tell a story of when you sense that you have done a poor job fulfilling your role.

Tell a story of when you sense that you have done a good job at fulfilling your role.

Do you have joy in your heart about how God is using your service to him?