Jonah 4:1-11: Jonah Told God How He Felt

Jonah 4: Jonah Told God How He Felt.

Verse 1: [Jonah 4:1-11: But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry]. Jonah was hoping to see destruction but saw a revival.

Verse 2: “I.” Jonah acknowledged God. Jonah talked to God, prayed to God, complained to God, and repented. [And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil].

Isaiah 55:8-9: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Verse 3: Jonah is throwing a pity party. His problem is of the heart. [Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?].

God provided for Elijah. [I Kings 19:4: But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers].

Jonah’s Place of Learning. Jonah was hoping that God will change His mind and destroy Nineveh. God is going to passionately deal with Jonah. [Jonah 4:5: So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city].

Verse 6: Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. [And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd].

Moses murmured against God. [Numbers 11:10-15: Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness].

Elijah questioned God. [I Kings 19:5-7: And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee].

Grace abounds. God blesses us always. He chastens us when we need it. [Romans 5:20: Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound].

Jonah got upset when the gourd withered. God set the record straight. [Jonah 4:7-11: But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?].

The only thing that matters in life is being obedient to God. Do His will and His work. [Ephesians 6:5: Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart]. Are we more concerned about ourselves?