The Angry Prayer

The Bible says there is rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents. There must have been a lot of rejoicing on the day Nineveh was saved. Not only did joy fill heaven but we can assume Nineveh was filled with joy as well. There was one man who was not happy. In fact, he was angry. Tonight, we consider Jonah’s angry prayer.

v. 1 “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly”

What displeased him?

The fasting

The sackcloth and ashes

The prayers

The repentance

The turning from their evil way

But most of all 3:10 displeased him.

“God relented of the disaster that He had said He would do to them.”

Some have suggested that Jonah was angry because God made it appear he was a false prophet. His message was “Forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” That didn’t happen.

I don’t think that’s the case. A prophet’s message of destruction often hinged on whether a people repent or not.

“and he was angry”

I don’t think this was the first time he was angry. In chapter 1 he essentially quit his job as a prophet. It’s not a stretch to think he was angry there as well. You might ask why I think he was trying to quit. I think he quit because he could have stayed in Israel and simply not gone to Nineveh. Leaving Israel was a response of anger.

He quit on God

He quit on his family

He quit on Israel

He quit on Nineveh

Angry people often quit. Jonah tried but was ultimately unable to do so.

There is a subtle warning for us here.

We can do the will of God unwillingly. We can go through the motions. We can hang on.

God sees our heart. Doing the right thing for the wrong reason forfeits rewards. I don’t think Jonah got any heavenly rewards for his work.

Speaking of losing rewards, Paul says in 1 Cor. 3:15

“If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”

The question is not are we obeying God.

The question is are we obeying God willfully and joyfully?

Jonah was not.

v. 2 “And he prayed to the Lord”

We should be careful about speaking to anyone when are angry. We should be especially careful when we speak to the Lord angrily. Let’s look at what Jonah says:

“O LORD, is this not what I said”

Essentially, he says “I told you so” to the Lord.

Either Jonah thought this within himself, or he said it to the Lord, and it’s not recorded for us.

This is very revealing because it tells us why Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh.

Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and suppose that he didn’t want Nineveh to be saved because they were a military threat to Israel. If God wiped them out, then life would be easier for Jonah’s nation.

Even then it would mean Jonah was not trusting God. Would God not keep Israel safe?

“That is why I made hast to flee to Tarshish”

As I’ve said before Jonah left in a hurry. It’s likely he told no one. I believe he planned to start a new life.

Maybe Jonah thought if a prophet would not go to Nineveh, then God would have no choice but to destroy them. Perhaps this was his plan. Did he think he could outsmart God?

What we see next is a beautiful list of the attributes of God. It comes from Exodus 34:6-7. Some have suggested that Jonah did not know God and that is why he acted like he did. The truth is Jonah did know God and that is why he fled. Look at the description of God he gives:

A gracious God- loves those who do not deserve to be loved

Merciful- Like the love a mother has for a child

Slow to anger- unlike Jonah

Abounding in steadfast love- a covenant (committed) love

Relenting from disaster- willing to turn the wrath of God away

Jonah had great theology! He knew who God was. He wanted God to be one thing to him and another to others.

There is a warning for us here:

You can be called by God

You can have great theology

You can have spiritual disciplines (prayer)

You can marvelous spiritual fruit

But ruined by anger.

v. 3 He ends the prayer by asking God to kill him.

“Please take my life from me”

(Can’t help but notice he asks politely “please”)

This is the second time he has asked someone to kill him (1:12).

“It is better for me to die than to live”

Why?

The work is done.

He’s the most successful prophet to ever preach (judging by conversions).

Here’s the reason: He didn’t want to be attached to that.

He didn’t want anyone to rejoice.

He didn’t want anyone to pat him on the back.

He didn’t want anyone to mention it.

He would always be known as the prophet God used to save Nineveh. To him that was an insult.

Not only is Jonah not grateful to the Lord for sparing Nineveh. He isn’t grateful to the Lord for sparing himself either. God just resurrected him from the dead. Now it appears he wished he had not.

Let’s make this practical.

Some people are so deceived by their own emotions they don’t want the work of God to succeed.

They’re mad. They’re going to stay mad. No matter what happens they choose to be angry. This can affect a church.

People stop giving because they are angry.

People stop going because they are angry.

People stop encouraging others because they are angry.

People stop inviting people to church because they are angry.

People have an attitude because they are angry.

When something good happens at church they don’t rejoice.

When prayer is answered they won’t praise God.

When the Word is preached, they won’t say Amen!

Listen to me: Our emotions are not as important as the will and work of God.

Some folks get mad at the pastor and hope everything he does fails.

Some folks get mad at a group in the church and hope everything they do fails.

Some folks get mad at the general direction of the church and hope the church hits a roadblock.

The only word to describe that is evil.

In fact, it is a special type of evil to hope a work of God is not accomplished.

If you are happy with:

Low attendance

Few conversions

Disunity

Joylessness

The problem lies with only yourself.

Where should Jonah be?

He should be in Nineveh!

He should be celebrating!

He should be discipling new believers!

Instead, he is throwing a pity party for himself because he is mad.

v. 4 What a question the Lord asks Jonah.

By the way, I’m surprised at the Lord’s response. When Jeremiah showed out like this God threatened with his calling (Jeremiah 15:1-21). Again, we see God’s grace.

“Do you do well to be angry?”

How’s that anger thing working for you Jonah?

What’s the fruit of it?

Nineveh is still saved.

The will of God is still done.

You’re still alive.

Is Jonah’s anger helping him at all?

Think of all the joy Jonah was missing.

This was a time to celebrate. He chose not to.

He could rejoice over his own salvation.

He could rejoice that the Lord resurrected him.

He could rejoice that the Lord allowed him to continue as a prophet.

He could rejoice that God protected him as he preached in Nineveh.

He could rejoice that so many people were saved.

Rejoicing helps!

Our joy spreads.

Our joy glorifies God.

Our joy helps us grow in grace.

Our joy reminds us to be thankful.

Instead of joy Jonah chose anger.

Folks, anger will not help you. It will transform you into a bitter person.

Jonah’s prayer was different when God saved him (2:2-9).

It was humble

It was thankful

Jonah’s prayer changed when God saved Nineveh.

It was proud- I told you so!

It was angry.

Jonah felt sorry for himself. He did not feel sorry for the lost.

The will of God is bigger than you and me. God id doing more in this world than trying to keep us happy. If our eyes are fixed on ourselves we will always be angry.

Tak your eyes off yourself.

Put your eyes on God.

Put your eyes on others.

Put your heart on the will of God.