Lesson 21: Dried Up Bones

 A Healthy Lifestyle for Your and Your Family

Lesson 21: Dried Up Bones

1. Jonah is the Bible character that is best remembered because he was swallowed by a great fish and spent three days in its belly. He was a reluctant prophet with an attitude problem. When God first called him to deliver a message to Nineveh, he refused to go and ran in the opposite direction. It was only after the experience in the fish’s belly that he went to Nineveh. What message did Jonah give to the city? Jonah 3:3, 4

2. The people of Nineveh repented and God didn’t destroy the city. How did Jonah feel about it? Jonah 4:1

3. In fact, he was so angry what did he ask God to do? Jonah 4:3

4. Jonah built himself a shelter and settled down to watch what would happen to the city. What did God prepare for Jonah? Jonah 4:6

5. Jonah was glad for the extra shelter, but what happened to it? Jonah 4:7, 8

6. Once again he began to wish himself dead and once more God asked him why he was angry. What did Jonah reply? Jonah 4:9

Jonah had a problem with hostility, self-pity, murmuring, and was easily discouraged. He tended to look on the dark side of everything. Today we would call him a pessimist. When things didn’t go just as he wanted, he would become morose and wish himself dead. But God didn’t give up on his reluctant, mixed-up prophet.

7. Elijah, another prophet, had a similar experience. What happened to him? 1 Kings 19:9, 10

God showed Elijah that He still cared for him, and that Elijah was not alone in his loyalty to God. 

8. How did the Assyrians go about trying to discourage and intimidate the Jews? 2 Chronicles 32:18

9. How can a negative, emotional state of mind affect the body? 

A. Jeremiah 6:24

B. 1 John 4:8

C. Proverbs 15:13

D. Psalm 102:5

E. Psalm 31:10

F. Psalm 32:10

G. 1 Timothy 6:10

H. Deuteronomy 28:65

I. Luke 21:26

J. Proverbs 12:25

K. 1 John 2:11

L. Hebrews 12:15

All of our emotions affect our bodies negatively or positively depending on the emotion. From love to hate, they trigger powerful reactions that affect blood chemistry, heart rate, the work of the digestive track and the immune system, in all the cells and organs of the body. Depression and despair affect the hormone levels of the body and if pronounced and prolonged, it has a negative effect on the cardiac (heart and blood vessels) system. These results are nearly identical for men and women.

10. What kind of sorrow is good? 2 Corinthians 7:10

11. Why is it good for a person to hope and wait for the salvation of the Lord? Lamentations 3:21-26

12. As we go about our duties each day, how should we approach each task? Philippians 2:14

13. What five reasons are we given for having the right attitude? Philippians 2:15

14. What did God say about the murmuring of the Children of Israel? Numbers 14:27

15. What word of caution concerning murmuring are we given? 1 Corinthians 10:10

People who murmur, complain, and find fault are miserable people and make everyone around them miserable. The Children of Israel in the wilderness are classic examples of chronic complainers. They weren’t happy with their food (Numbers 11:4-6); they were scared of the giants in the promised land (Numbers 13:31-14:1; Deuteronomy 1:28); they blamed Moses and Aaron (Numbers 14:2, 3), and they blamed God. By choosing to complain and murmur, they showed complete distrust of God and His promises to them. As a result, all those who were 20 years and older died in the wilderness where they wandered for forty years before reaching the promised land.

16. We are not to go up and down among the people as what? Leviticus 19:16

17. What kind of damage can a gossip do? 

A. Proverbs 18:8

B. Proverbs 11:13

C. Proverbs 16:28

D. Psalm 41:7

“And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not” 1 Timothy 5:13.

18. What kind of person is compared to one who takes a dog by the ears? Proverbs 26:17

Gossips are meddlers in other peoples’ business. They are flatterers (Proverbs 20:19), they cause strife (Proverbs 26:20), they will slander family members (Psalm 50:20). But God has promised He will not suffer them.

“Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer” Psalm 101:5.

19. Can what we say have an evil effect on others? 1 Corinthians 15:33

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” Ephesians 4:29.

“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” Proverbs 16:24.

20. How can it hurt others? Proverbs 18:8

21. How should we consider ourselves in relationship to others? Romans 12:3

“For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” Galatians 6:3.

“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth” Proverbs 24:17.

22. If someone has gossiped about us, or slandered us or started a quarrel, how should we respond? Colossians 3:13

23. What are we to do about those who dislike or hate us? Luke 6:27

24. What one other thing should we do? Ephesians 4:32

25. Why is it necessary to forgive? Luke 6:37

“But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses” Mark 11:26 

26. A man who finds wisdom and gets understanding is what? Proverbs 3:13

27. What are the attributes of a wise man? 

A. Proverbs 29:11

B. Romans 12:16

C. Proverbs 14:3

D. Proverbs 15:7

E. Matthew 7:24, 25

F. Proverbs 14:16

G. Proverbs 13:10

28. How does a wise man become unwise? Jeremiah 8:9

“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established” Proverbs 16:3.

Next Lesson: A Man Who Has Friends