October 26, 2025

Repentance & Praise – Jonah 1:17-2:10

Ice Breaker

1. Read Jonah 1:17-2:10 as a group.
2. Have you ever felt like you were in a “belly of the fish” moment—stuck, isolated, or overwhelmed? How did you respond?

Loving God Unreservedly

1. Jonah 2:7, the prophet states that he “remembered the Lord” as he was close to death. What do you suppose he remembered about God?
2. Read Psalm 77:11–15 and Psalm 143:5–6. Why is it important to remember what God has done in the past? How have you been encouraged by remembering the ways He has provided for you?

Loving People Sacrificially

1. The miraculous nature of the events described in 1:17 often leads people to contemplate how Jonah could have survived three days inside a great fish. Perhaps a better question is “Why?” What purpose does the fish serve in the story?
2. Read Jonah’s prayer in 2:1–9 again, paying special attention to images he uses to describe his distress. How desperate is Jonah’s situation? Note some of the ways in which he describes his desperation.
3. In verse 9: What place should thanksgiving have in our lives? (Luke 17:16; Eph. 5:4, 20; Col. 2:7; Heb. 13:15)
4. Jonah concludes his prayer by triumphantly proclaiming, “Salvation belongs to the Lord!” (Jonah 2:9). In what ways do you see God’s salvation revealed in the book of Jonah? Compare Jonah’s and the sailors’ reactions to God’s deliverance (see 1:16; 2:9). What does this say about the scope and availability of God’s salvation?

Making Disciples Purposefully

1. How can recognizing our own 'fish experiences' help us relate to others who are struggling or lost?
2. What opportunities do you have to tell others about faith in Christ? Commit to sharing Jesus with that person this week.

Dig Deeper (optional/personal study) 

1. Research: Take time to compare the following Scriptures from Jonah and Psalms (Ps.):

• “my distress (2:2)” from Ps. 18:6 and Ps. 120:1
• “Sheol (2:2)” from Ps. 18:4–5
• “all thy waves and thy billows passed over me (2:3)” from Ps. 42:7
• “from thy presence (2:4)” from Ps. 139:7
• “upon thy holy temple (2:4)” from Ps. 5:7
• “the waters closed in over me (2:5)” from Ps. 69:2
• “my life from the Pit (2:6)” from Ps. 30:3
• “my soul fainted within me (2:7)” from 142:3
• “into thy holy temple (2:7)” from Ps. 18:6
• “deliverance belongs to the Lord (2:9)” from Ps. 3:8