As part of our hermeneutics course in church, I was given this as an assignment.
Reading
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”
Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah,that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”
We come to this text here which is the final chapter of the book of Jonah. To give us some context to where we are, it is helpful to survey some of the things we can discover about Jonah. The only other place in the Old Testament where Jonah is referenced is in the book of 2 King and he is found in chapter 14. From there we gather that Jonah was a prophet serving in the northern kingdom of Israel during a time when Jeroboam II was king. Jeroboam plunged the nation into idolatry.
It is in this context that God asked Jonah to leave Israel to head to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria and enemy of Israel to preach. Jonah first rebelled but after God’s marvellous demonstration of grace towards him, he went and preached.
And the people of Nineveh repented but this did not please Jonah. Verse 1 in Hebrew literally reads “it was evil to Jonah as a great wrong.” Jonah was displeased at God’s demonstration of grace towards the Ninevites.
Main Idea
I suggest to us that the main idea of today’s passage is “God corrects the heart of his servants to truly understand His grace.”
Why do I suggest this? First of all why is there a Jonah chapter 4? The story could have ended with the Ninevites repentance and it would have passed off as a perfectly nice narrative. It is therefore special in a sense that we have this chapter to show us God’s heart towards his servants.
It is important for us see that Jonah knows that God is graceful towards his countries enemies. When Moses asked God to show Moses his glory, God told Moses that he will pass by but he will not show his face, because man cannot see God and live (Exodus 33:19-20). It is during this act of passing by that God shows Himself in a cloud and reveals himself and proclaimed “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands (of generations), forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin … (Exodus 34:6-7)
This same God that demonstrated grace towards Israel is now demonstrating the same grace towards Israel’s enemies and Jonah did not consider this to be a right thing. Jonah knows and understands God’s character seen in the way he repeats the words of Exodus 34 back to God. Jonah would rather die than see God display His grace towards Israel’s enemies. This is Jonah’s heart.
It is implicit that Jonah wanted God to display His judgment towards Nineveh . Verse 5 tells us that Jonah secures for himself a vantage point to observe what would happen to Nineveh. God then does something quite remarkable in appointing a shade for Jonah as he goes about doing this. Verse 6 tells us that Jonah is quite happy with the plant that was made available for him.
But then the plant dies at God’s instruction. And Jonah was then growing faint from the scorching east wind that God had also appointed. It is remarkable how much of nature is used by God throughout this book to influence this man’s lives. This is the extent God was willing to go to correct Jonah.
It is very evident in Jonah’s conversation with God that he cares more about this new plant that grew and died than he does for the Ninevites, for at the plant’s passing, the words that Jonah used echoes what he says earlier. If we take away the narrative we see that the conversation between God and Jonah earlier goes:
“It is better for me to die than to live.”
“Do you do well to be angry?”
And there is no reply from Jonah. And it repeats:
“It is better for me to die than to live.”
“Do you do well to be angry for the plant?”
“Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.”
God then issues a response to show his grace towards the Ninevites, explaining to Jonah that Jonah’s is capable of pitying for a plant that he did not grow, why is it then wrong for God to pity Nineveh?
The book ends here with no response and I think it is very deliberate. We are not told how Jonah responded but that is okay because the point here is not Jonah but God’s remarkable patience towards Jonah and showing Jonah a glimpse of His heart towards the Ninevites and helping Jonah fathom His grace towards people. God is intent on correcting His servant’s hearts to understand His grace.
What does this story have for us to treasure and apply?
Firstly, we too have a character who came and display God’s grace towards us. For we are like the Assyrians – deserving of God’s wrath and God sent His Son – Jesus to demonstrate His grace towards us. If you have repented, praise God for Jonah’s own country the Israelites under Jeroboam II did not repent despite the prophet’s ministry but it is the Ninevites who repented. Just as it was in Jesus’ ministry, many did not repent despite “something greater than Jonah” coming to them. If, therefore you have repented at Jesus’ preaching, there is much to give thanks for and much to praise.
But somewhere along the line we become like Jonah. Jonah, more than anyone, understands God’s grace towards Israel and is very uncomfortable with God’s demonstration of grace towards others. We may perhaps understand God’s grace through Jesus towards us and then be uncomfortable towards God demonstrating that same grace towards others. Do we also see God’s grace towards others “as evil to us as a great wrong” which is what the literal Hebrew sounds? I often remind myself the vilest person on this earth is not beyond the grace of God. The city of Nineveh is today none other than the city of Mosul, capital of the Islamic State whose trigger happy use of beheadings is truly detestable . No doubt Jonah felt that same sort of resentment towards the Assyrians. We do not have to go to Mosul to be uncomfortable with God’s demonstration of grace. It is in this church that we often feel displeased with God showing grace towards those whom we would rather God pour coals over their very heads. As the hymn goes, “The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”
On this side of the River (speaking to those who have been through this course), our understanding of God’s grace is so much more encompassing, so much bigger than Israel. Thus we have even more reason to be pleased at God displaying this grace towards others.
And lastly, in our study as Care Groups, we have been going through Phillipian where Paul writes – “if anything you think otherwise, God will show that to you.” Here in this book God’s control of nature – the mighty tempest of the sea, the security in the belly of the fish, the growth and death of the plant, the scorching sun and east wind. God controlled all of that to change Jonah’s heart though we are not told of his response. I suppose it is deliberately left blank for us to also ponder, why do we limit God’s grace so that it does not encompass those who hurt us, our enemies, those who have inflicted pain and misery and those whom we rather see die? God cared for Jonah’s heart and I trust that he cares for ours too .
I pray that we will move our hearts to be attuned to His grace and not just because we know it but share His heart for the lost.
Thank you for your time.
Reading
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”
Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah,that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”
We come to this text here which is the final chapter of the book of Jonah. To give us some context to where we are, it is helpful to survey some of the things we can discover about Jonah. The only other place in the Old Testament where Jonah is referenced is in the book of 2 King and he is found in chapter 14. From there we gather that Jonah was a prophet serving in the northern kingdom of Israel during a time when Jeroboam II was king. Jeroboam plunged the nation into idolatry.
It is in this context that God asked Jonah to leave Israel to head to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria and enemy of Israel to preach. Jonah first rebelled but after God’s marvellous demonstration of grace towards him, he went and preached.
And the people of Nineveh repented but this did not please Jonah. Verse 1 in Hebrew literally reads “it was evil to Jonah as a great wrong.” Jonah was displeased at God’s demonstration of grace towards the Ninevites.
Main Idea
I suggest to us that the main idea of today’s passage is “God corrects the heart of his servants to truly understand His grace.”
Why do I suggest this? First of all why is there a Jonah chapter 4? The story could have ended with the Ninevites repentance and it would have passed off as a perfectly nice narrative. It is therefore special in a sense that we have this chapter to show us God’s heart towards his servants.
It is important for us see that Jonah knows that God is graceful towards his countries enemies. When Moses asked God to show Moses his glory, God told Moses that he will pass by but he will not show his face, because man cannot see God and live (Exodus 33:19-20). It is during this act of passing by that God shows Himself in a cloud and reveals himself and proclaimed “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands (of generations), forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin … (Exodus 34:6-7)
This same God that demonstrated grace towards Israel is now demonstrating the same grace towards Israel’s enemies and Jonah did not consider this to be a right thing. Jonah knows and understands God’s character seen in the way he repeats the words of Exodus 34 back to God. Jonah would rather die than see God display His grace towards Israel’s enemies. This is Jonah’s heart.
It is implicit that Jonah wanted God to display His judgment towards Nineveh . Verse 5 tells us that Jonah secures for himself a vantage point to observe what would happen to Nineveh. God then does something quite remarkable in appointing a shade for Jonah as he goes about doing this. Verse 6 tells us that Jonah is quite happy with the plant that was made available for him.
But then the plant dies at God’s instruction. And Jonah was then growing faint from the scorching east wind that God had also appointed. It is remarkable how much of nature is used by God throughout this book to influence this man’s lives. This is the extent God was willing to go to correct Jonah.
It is very evident in Jonah’s conversation with God that he cares more about this new plant that grew and died than he does for the Ninevites, for at the plant’s passing, the words that Jonah used echoes what he says earlier. If we take away the narrative we see that the conversation between God and Jonah earlier goes:
“It is better for me to die than to live.”
“Do you do well to be angry?”
And there is no reply from Jonah. And it repeats:
“It is better for me to die than to live.”
“Do you do well to be angry for the plant?”
“Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.”
God then issues a response to show his grace towards the Ninevites, explaining to Jonah that Jonah’s is capable of pitying for a plant that he did not grow, why is it then wrong for God to pity Nineveh?
The book ends here with no response and I think it is very deliberate. We are not told how Jonah responded but that is okay because the point here is not Jonah but God’s remarkable patience towards Jonah and showing Jonah a glimpse of His heart towards the Ninevites and helping Jonah fathom His grace towards people. God is intent on correcting His servant’s hearts to understand His grace.
What does this story have for us to treasure and apply?
Firstly, we too have a character who came and display God’s grace towards us. For we are like the Assyrians – deserving of God’s wrath and God sent His Son – Jesus to demonstrate His grace towards us. If you have repented, praise God for Jonah’s own country the Israelites under Jeroboam II did not repent despite the prophet’s ministry but it is the Ninevites who repented. Just as it was in Jesus’ ministry, many did not repent despite “something greater than Jonah” coming to them. If, therefore you have repented at Jesus’ preaching, there is much to give thanks for and much to praise.
But somewhere along the line we become like Jonah. Jonah, more than anyone, understands God’s grace towards Israel and is very uncomfortable with God’s demonstration of grace towards others. We may perhaps understand God’s grace through Jesus towards us and then be uncomfortable towards God demonstrating that same grace towards others. Do we also see God’s grace towards others “as evil to us as a great wrong” which is what the literal Hebrew sounds? I often remind myself the vilest person on this earth is not beyond the grace of God. The city of Nineveh is today none other than the city of Mosul, capital of the Islamic State whose trigger happy use of beheadings is truly detestable . No doubt Jonah felt that same sort of resentment towards the Assyrians. We do not have to go to Mosul to be uncomfortable with God’s demonstration of grace. It is in this church that we often feel displeased with God showing grace towards those whom we would rather God pour coals over their very heads. As the hymn goes, “The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”
On this side of the River (speaking to those who have been through this course), our understanding of God’s grace is so much more encompassing, so much bigger than Israel. Thus we have even more reason to be pleased at God displaying this grace towards others.
And lastly, in our study as Care Groups, we have been going through Phillipian where Paul writes – “if anything you think otherwise, God will show that to you.” Here in this book God’s control of nature – the mighty tempest of the sea, the security in the belly of the fish, the growth and death of the plant, the scorching sun and east wind. God controlled all of that to change Jonah’s heart though we are not told of his response. I suppose it is deliberately left blank for us to also ponder, why do we limit God’s grace so that it does not encompass those who hurt us, our enemies, those who have inflicted pain and misery and those whom we rather see die? God cared for Jonah’s heart and I trust that he cares for ours too .
I pray that we will move our hearts to be attuned to His grace and not just because we know it but share His heart for the lost.
Thank you for your time.
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