Jonah 4 is the chapter that generally turns readers against him and write him off as an ungrateful sod and unsaved. Maybe I am a Jonah advocate because this passage again shows Gods love and what we do to push God away. So lets get into the passage:
Jonah 4.1. But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this [a]what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore [b]in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.
Clearly Jonah spoke to God before he fled from home and he basically says “Yea, I told you so. I know you too well and know you are so merciful and full of grace that you will probably save them”
Jonah actually reminds me of the rich young ruler. The young man stated everything he had done then Jesus asks him to sell everything (the things that was holding him back from truly knowing God) and follow me. Jonah had hatred in his heart for the Ninevites and God was teaching him mercy, grace and forgiveness.
Jonah goes as far as to want to die and God says “do you have a good reason to be angry”. Interestingly this statement is repeated again later on. However, the context here is that God is asking Jonah “do you have a right to be angry” because I am merciful and full of Grace? I think we are all guilty of this thought in our life at one time or another. Have you ever been secretly angry when people who do “bad” or unjust things, never get punished. Or there is an injustice and it makes you angry.
You see, God works in a different realm. He loves people no matter their sin. He continually pursues us, so that we see his love despite. Even despite us pushing God away He continues to love us.
Anyway, Jonah leaves the city and goes to the hills that overlooked Ninevah. Maybe he was thinking I can watch those Ninevites turn back to their old ways and then see what God will do or perhaps he wants to see if the change in the Ninevites continues or Jonah wanted the chance to say to God “I told you so”. What do you think?
Nonetheless, he is planning to sit there for some time because he builds a rather inadequate shelter. So God in His mercy and Grace prepares a plant to cover his head as Jonah wallows in pity and misery. Jonah acknowledges this and is grateful for the plant. Isn’t it funny that he appreciates Gods mercy on him but doesn’t equate that to the mercy shown to the Ninevites. Maybe he was making a judgement upon who should receive God’s love. It is easy to do that but I remind myself that when I judge others I am thinking I am equal to God.
The next day God sends a worm which slowly withers the plant. Then the hot wind and sun beats on Jonah. So,in his misery he again wishes he was dead. Jonah also demonstrates more compassion and concern for the plant than he does for the Ninevites.
I get two messages from this event. Firstly, Jonah was really more concerned about being seen as a false prophet i.e. his reputation, rather than the saving of the Ninevites. In fact he was even more concerned about a plant than the Ninevites. Secondly, God loves us so much that he wants to experience His love without things in our life like pride that push God away. So God uses situations to draw us near to Him and remind us of the things that push him away.
It is easy to say “God is love” but when one experiences and contemplates God’s love that phrase has so much depth, meaning and fulfilment.
My Biblical Thoughts 