Jonah 4 - Attitude Adjustment

Introduction

Have you heard about the 3 guys in the fishing boat? Ichabod, Willie & Jay were on the middle of Marion Lake and not having much luck with their catch. Jay thought it was because Willie was using the wrong bait and his bait was repelling all the fish. Willie though the problem was that Jay wouldn’t keep his mouth shut and was keeping the fish away. Ichabod had had enough of their bickering so he slammed a huge hole in the bottom of the boat. Willie asked him, “Why did you do that!?” Ichy said, “Don’t worry, I put it in Jay’s end of the boat.”

We are living in days that are so hostile and angry that we don’t realize how our displeasure with others is hurting ourselves.

Jonah is wearing his emotions on his sleeve. V.1 describes him as exceedingly displeased and v.6 will portray him as exceedingly glad. There is no middle ground for this guy. When he decided to flee the word of the Lord, he headed as far as he knew to go in the opposite direction.

Jonah thinks he wants a god who does things his way. But if God lacked in mercy, He would not have sent a big fish to swallow him and give him a 2nd opportunity to obey. Jonah took advantage of his 2nd opportunity, but did NOT want God to give the Ninevites a 2nd opportunity!

TRANSITION: Chapter 3 ends with God delaying disaster and chapter 4 begins with Jonah’s response to that decision. We are introduced to…

Jonah’s Angry Pout (Jonah 4:1-4)

Inadequate understanding of God’s Mercy

1. Jonah allows displeasure to turn into anger. Displeasure is a repeated theme in this book and the Hebrew word is translated various ways.

In chapter 1, it refers both to the wickedness of the Ninevites (1:2) and to the calamity that befell the sailors on account of Jonah (1:7–8). Chapter 3 also uses it with respect to the evil ways of the Ninevites (3:10). The disaster that God intended to bring against Nineveh is also called ra’a’ (3:10; 4:2), as is the anger (4:1) and discomfort (4:6) Jonah experienced in the aftermath of God’s compassion[i]

2. Things are “not good” in Jonah’s world.

Jonah 4:2 ESV:2016

2 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.

Where else have we seen these words? Remember the Golden Calf when Moses came off Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34). The very fact that God did not destroy his people when they had disobeyed Him, prompted this song of Thanksgiving.

Now the prophet (who has experienced mercy himself in the belly of a fish) is angry that God is merciful! #Confused emoji

3. I’d rather die than watch God be merciful to “those people”

4. Who is it that defines “those people” for you? Race? Religion? Someone who preys on the vulnerable? Who is it that makes you think, “There is a special place in Hell reserved for ____.”?

I googled “that escalated quickly” and was provided 28,000,000 suggestions. So I tried “road rage” and was given 217,000,000 hits

5. Anger is irrational and Jonah (the guy who started this book and we though he was the good guy who was going to be the hero of the story. After all, he’s a prophet of the Lord.

This may have never happened to you, but I’m sure you’ve seen it in another family member – “I’m so angry I can’t see straight!”

6. Is it right for you to be so hot? Remember the events of the book: God spoke, Jonah rebelled, God showed mercy by sending a fish, THEN Jonah obeyed. In Nineveh: God spoke, the people turned from evil, THEN God displayed mercy. Jonah was the beneficiary of mercy BEFORE he repented, Ninevites only received mercy AFTER turning.

TRANSITION: Just as telling an angry spouse to “chill out” rarely works, God knows that talking to Jonah is not the remedy. He has to use an object lesson to help Jonah see how crazy he is being. The bulk of this chapter describes…

The Lord’s Attitude Plant (Jonah 4:5-10)

Inadequate rejection of personal comfort

3:1-3 and 4:1-6 Jonah refers to the Lord (YHVH), 3:5-10 uses God (Elohim). I believe Jonah uses different names because he thinks that God is somehow favorable to him (covenant keeping Lord), but is big scary God to the foreigners.

Too many Jewish people began to depend upon their genealogy as a basis for God’s favor (a problem that much of the New Testament will correct), totally independent of belief or morality.

God’s goodness will become something that Jonah begins to expect, rather than a blessing for which to be thankful.

A supernatural shade plant it appointed by God that grows quickly, Jonah enjoys it and his exceeding displeasure turns into exceeding gladness.

Some question why Jonah needed a shade plant if he already had a temporary shelter. If you’ve ever been in a tent that is exposed to the sun, and a tent that is covered by shade, you know that shade makes the tent much more comfortable.

5. God appoints a worm to make the plant wither, and to add an exclamation point, God appoints a scorching wind to cross the desert and blast near Jonah’s campsite.

6. In v.9 God asks Jonah what he loves more – the human Ninevites, or that crazy shade plant. V.9b reveals a stubborn child who refuses to admit his wrong ways, he claims he has a right to be angry at that vine.

The Lord’s Astounding Pity (Jonah 4:11)

The Lord calls out Jonah for his self-centered thinking and exposes the foolishness of being more concerned with shade than with sinners made in the image of God who need salvation. More concerned with his comfort than with their conversion!

We will wrap up this series next week with more application about what it means to have compassion for those who need Christ. But in our time remaining this morning I want us to think about what concern for our neighbors looks like.

Inadequate concern for our neighbors

· Faith - Ninevites

We saw in Jonah 3 that the people of Assyria turned from their evil. We don’t know if their turning was complete, because history shows that they will turn on Israel 20 years later and be disciplined by God in drastic measure.

But concern for neighbors means giving them the information necessary to make a good decision.

Jonah introduced them to the God of the Bible. Their choices would indicate if they would grow closer to Him or further from Him until the Messiah (Jesus) would come to fully take the wrath that they deserved.

TRANSITION: Centuries later the hostility would not be between the Israelites and the Assyrians, but between the Samaritans and the Jews. When good religious Jews asked Jesus about their neighbors we read…

Luke 10:29 ESV:2016

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus then told a parable about this foreigner who gave first aid and provided healthcare to a crime victim.

· Fitness – Good Samaritan

Luke 10:33–35 ESV:2016

33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

compassion for neighbors means seeking their fitness through first aid and hospitality.

TRANSITION: Jonah’s story ends with 4 unexpected words that I can’t ignore: and also much cattle

· Flourishing – much cattle

Back in 3:8 when confronted with their evil, the King instructed that the people and their belongings should become focused on pleasing the God of the Bible. This property that was important to the King of Nineveh seems also to be noticed by God.

God is compassionate on both the people (5x the population of Emporia) and their property. If people don’t have resources, they don’t flourish. If people don’t flourish, it becomes difficult to live the intended life of John 10:10.

The abundance of John 10:10 is not talking about financial wealth, it is only available when a good Shepherd lays down his life.

John 10:10–11 ESV:2016

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus is the good Shepherd who lays down His life for our abundance so that we can live out compassion for our neighbors in their faith, their fitness and their flourishing.

Conclusion:

We started this service by honoring those who are graduating from High School and are commencing to make decisions that will alter their lives and the lives of their communities.

As we end this service I am asking you to make a decision that will alter your eternity (by accepting Salvation in Jesus) and the lives of others in our community as we avoid the judgmentalism of Jonah and put on the compassion of Christ.

[i] Widder, Wendy. 2017. Jonah. Edited by Douglas Mangum and Elizabeth Vince. Lexham Research Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.