Jonah’s Anger and the Lord’s Compassion

Jonah 4:4-11 “But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” ⁵ Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. ⁶ Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. ⁷ But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. ⁸ When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.” ⁹ But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” ¹⁰ But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. ¹¹ And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Jonah was angry at God. He complained, the very nature of God being compassionate and slow to anger that he himself was glad to be a recipient of, is now a bother for him as God extends that same kindness and mercy towards the Ninevites. Jonah was angry to the point of saying, take my life. He found it better to die than to live.

How does God respond? With a heart probing question? “Is it right for you to be angry? Take note that the Lord does not even address Jonah’s request to die, He does not treat Jonah as he deserves. Ironically God is dealing in a kind, loving and forgiving manner, the very same things that Jonah is objecting to when God does so with the Ninevites.

Self-Reflection: Just as God places a question before Jonah, compelling him to reflect on his own emotions for him to become aware of the attitude that lies within. God often does the same with us to bring to our awareness what lies within our hearts.

Jonah deciding not to answer God’s question, goes to the east of the city and sets himself up there to watch what will happen to Nineveh. It appears he still harbors hope that God will destroy the city. Meanwhile completely overlooking the sin within his own heart that God is bringing to light.

Self-Reflection: Jonah felt entirely justified in what he thought. Similarly, we can have moments of being convinced that our opinions are correct. However, may we not ignore the moments when God challenges our heart’s attitude reminding us that His ways are just and above ours, even when they may not align with our sense of fairness or understanding.

God responds to Jonah through a live illustration. He provided shelter to Jonah through a vine, and Jonah was happy about it. This is the first instance we see Jonah happy in this book. He was not happy when God told him to go to Nineveh and when they repented. Jonah’s anger at God sparing the Ninevites and his happiness about the vine – both were about self. When God destroyed the vine and ensured that it was hot for Jonah without any shelter, Jonah once again complains to God and says it would be better if he would die.

Jonah was more concerned about the vine living, about his comfort than for the people of Nineveh to be saved. God through the illustration of the vine, reminded Jonah that if he could care so much for a vine, how much greater is God’s care for people. God showed Jonah that all he received from Him was not earned but an extension of God’s love for him. In the same way, how can we demand God’s mercy for ourselves and God’s justice for others when none of us are worthy.

The book closes with a question, we have no idea how Jonah responds. The point is not what Jonah said or did, if so, we would have it. The point is what we as the hearers are going to do. Examine your own heart and attitude and ask yourself – How will you and I respond? Jonah is a mirror into our hearts and lives; we want from God, we receive the mercy and grace of God but are resistant to have the heart of God for others. We may be well versed with God’s character and yet fall short in showing His compassion towards others.

Some wonderful Nuggets of truth we gleaned through this entire study :

God’s sovereignty over everything. His plans and purposes prevail.

His patience and love for all people. God knew the exact number of people in Nineveh .

As there was revival in Nineveh, God was with Jonah, He was not with the 99 so to speak but with the one. God did not give up on the Ninevites or Jonah, in the same way, Jesus relentlessly pursues each of us.

When God is disciplining us – He is very much still with us – He never leaves or forsakes us.

He cares about kingdom work but also very much about the ones who are doing the work. We see this beautiful juxtaposition of the work of salvation and sanctification.

And He works out our good and bad choices in ways that only He can.

With this we finish our Study through the book of Jonah. I hope you have been blessed by this study. Thank you to each one of you for joining me here, I am very grateful.

God Bless.