Forsaken Jonah 4:1-11

About 3 weeks ago, I was on a very different kind of mission trip, serving at a rodeo in Montana. I could tell a lot about what took place there, but I’m amazed at what serving in a different context exposes in my heart. It’s easy to love and show compassion for the people of Guatemala; in some ways it is shockingly more difficult with the people in Montana. But it turns out, God’s heart is the same! What would it look like if I had the heart of God towards the lost?

-Jonah Forsakes the Compassion of God

I. Jonah is Angry at God’s Mercy vv. 1-4

When we pick up Jonah’s story, he is confronting an awful truth: God has relented from HIs proclamation

God shows mercy to the Ninevites as they repent and believe His Word

This “displeases” Jonah and he grows quite angry

Jonah, once again, fails to not make this all about himself, and how he feels and thinks about the matter

Jonah could have been satisfied if God had punished Nineveh!

Jonah makes an accusation against God:

He uses God’s character as an excuse for his own disobedience

He takes words of praise for God and hurls them back at HIm as an insult

Exodus 34:6

[6] The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, (ESV)

3. Jonah reaches a desperate and dark place; he would rather die than live in a world where God has this kind of mercy for sinners!

TANTRUM The generosity of God displeased Jonah exceedingly and he slashed with angry prayer at the graciousness of the Almighty. “I told You so,” he screamed. “I knew what You would do, You dirty Forgiver. You bless Your enemies and show kindness to those who despitefully use You. I would rather die than live in a world with a God like You. And don’t try to forgive me either.”

-Thomas John Carlisle “You, Jonah”

II. Jonah is Angry at God’s Justice vv. 5-8

God attempts to teach Jonah a lesson; if he is angry at mercy, perhaps he should receive justice

If all of this seems like a bit much, it should

Jonah has already received extravagant mercy and now he is upset that God is showing mercy to others

Frankly, Jonah has received no punishment at this point; only rescue.

God allows him to experience a small bit of justice through a gourd vine

Jonah sits outside the city in a booth, waiting to see what will happen

God grows a vine in the night to shade him and give comfort, a wonderful blessing

Then, in a single night, he takes it away; Jonah is left to suffer in the sun and the wind

Truthfully, this is less of a punishment and more of a minor inconvenience, but Jonah responds with anger here as well

Jonah does not want to live in a world where God is merciful to the Ninevites and he does not want to live in a world where God is just to him!

It turns out that Jonah cannot be satisfied with anything that God does!

Matthew 11:16–19

[16] “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

[17] “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

[18] For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ [19] The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” (ESV)

III. Jonah Misses God’s Heart vv. 9-11

God asks a question again of Jonah and reveals the disconnect:

Jonah wants grace for himself and justice for others

This is not the heart of God at all; He has compassion on all people and desires for all to come to repentance

This is the question we have to go home with: do I share the compassion of God?

On a trip like this one, we have the opportunity to share the compassion of God and it is a beautiful thing!

However, that compassion is no less needed as we return to our homes

That person we are least interested in loving is in the crosshairs of God’s compassion, if we would be willing to share it

What would happen if we loved like Jesus does?

COMING AROUND And Jonah stalked to his shaded seat and waited for God to come around to his way of thinking.

And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs in their comfortable houses to come around to His way of loving.

-Thomas John Carlisle (You, Jonah)