09.08.21
Jonah and the LORD
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. (Jonah 4:1)
We have been looking at the Book of Jonah by chapter. In the first chapter we found Jonah in a ship, running from the LORD. The second chapter found Jonah in a fish, turning back to the LORD. In chapter three he was in the city of Nineveh obeying the LORD. His simple message to a wicked people: “Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” through the work of the LORD, brought the king and the people to at least an outward repentance.
We now find Jonah, in chapter four, alone with the LORD. Perhaps it would have been nice if the book had ended on a high note at the end of chapter three, but what we need to realize is that the book is about the prophet, not about Nineveh. God’s main aim has been to control His servant as He has been able to control the weather, heathen sailors, a fish, and even a great city. God desires to bring His wayward servant back to a right relationship with Him. Since Jonah is writing this book, this must have happened.
As noted in our opening text, Jonah is angry with the situation. Here are Jonah’s words to his God (2, 3): O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that You are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and you repent of evil.
Jonah was a Jew and he wanted the Assyrians to be destroyed for all of the cruelty they had inflicted on his own people. He was patriotic, but he was also self-righteous and proud. He had some problems, but as we have seen throughout the book, Jehovah is a God of mercy and grace. Jonah noted this in his prayer.
The LORD gave Jonah a probing answer to his prayer (4): Do you do well to be angry? This question was designed to cause Jonah to think. Sadly, the question did not soften Jonah’s heart. He went outside the city, made himself a little booth and waited to see if God would reign down fire upon Nineveh.
Little did Jonah know that this booth would become a second schoolhouse for him. In the fish Jonah learned that God is omniscient and powerful. In the booth he will learn that God is compassionate and merciful.
The LORD prepared a gourd, or a vine, to miraculously grow to give shade to Jonah (6). Jonah, a man of strong emotion, is exceedingly glad for God’s provision. One’s character is often clearly shown by what makes them sad or glad.
Once again, God acts. This time God sent a worm to destroy the vine (7). He also prepared a wind which beat upon Jonah and caused him to faint to the point of wanting to die (8).
This brought about another conversation between Jonah and his God. While Jonah was all wrapped up in his own discomfort and his desire for judgment, the God of grace was concerned for the souls of perhaps one-half-million people in Nineveh (9-11). To this point Jonah does not understand the depth of God’s love and mercy. Elsewhere, God tells us through the prophet Ezekiel that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turn and live.
Of course, if you do not know the Savior, you need to come to Him. If you know the Savior, perhaps you need to ask yourself a question: Do I really care about other people or am I more concerned about my own comfort? There is a lost world that desperately needs the Savior.