Jonah Gets Hot

Pray & Intro:

Why didn’t the book of Jonah end at chapter 3? B/c it isn’t just a human invention, but rather ultimately written through the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s part of God’s Bible. If it was just a man-made story, it probably would have ended at chapter 3.

God calls Jonah to a specific ministry, but Jonah runs away from God b/c he doesn’t like the Ninevites. Trying to escape God’s presence doesn’t work out too well for Jonah, though, and he ends up acting less like one of God’s people than the pagan sailors, who are forced to throw him in the sea b/c God is chasing Jonah down. Then God has mercy on the drowning Jonah, appointing a great fish to swallow (Jo-Jo-Jo-Jo) and preserve his life. (Yes, you heard correctly.) From the belly of the fish Jonah gets his head straight, thanks God for saving him, and commits to obedience. Given a second chance, Jonah preaches a forceful warning message to Nineveh, and they seize the opportunity for repentance, which results in the greatest revival of all time b/c God responds to their repentance by relenting of disaster (b/c he is a merciful and compassionate God). End of story, and what a good story it is.

But then there’s chapter 4. It might seem strange (even downright wrong-headed) for Jonah to be so displeased by the success of his preaching (or more appropriately getting to be a tool in God’s hands while God changes people’s hearts). Jonah gets hot (angry) that Nineveh repents and hot at God for relenting. Jonah resents the mercy of God extended to others. It’s Jonah chapter 4 that makes this historical narrative what it is.

Most other prophetic books focus on the prophecy itself, but this one on the prophet. That’s because God displays for us the need to change Jonah’s heart in light of God’s own heart. And it is in response to God’s character and will that each of us (who are the same kind of human as Jonah), need to examine… and then alter our hearts.

Let’s read how God deals with the prophet’s hot-headed reaction to God’s compassionate heart, delving into the depths of Jonah’s heart.

Jonah 3:10–4:11 ESV

10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. 1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 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. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?” 5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

Jonah’s heart pours forth. (And he explains it, defends it, tries to justify it.)

God confronts Jonah’s heart. (With questions… and with an object lesson.)

Then we must let God question our hearts today, and every day.

Jonah’s heart pours forth.

Luke 6:45 (ESV) The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Jonah gets HOT.

(burning – livid, fuming)

a. Haven’t you ever been mad beyond reason? (out-of-your-head mad) (He’s angrier than Bobby Knight on a losing streak, angrier than your wife when...) – That’s Jonah.

b. The irony is in neon lights: What should be the hope of all people (and leave Jonah praising the great and glorious name of God) is what makes Jonah unreasonably angry. “It was exceedingly evil to Jonah.” When Jonah should be basking in the glory and grace of God to repentant sinners…

Jonah rails against God.

– Jonah’s prayer is one of ranting and raving at God… for being God.

a. First, is it ok for Jonah to rant at God? (no… and yes) – A question about prayer: Shouldn’t you come to God in whatever frame of mind you are in? Where else do you turn?

b. Irony? – Jonah’s previous prayer, purposefully paralleled in the book for comparison, was thanking God for his mercy. Now he’s railing at God for his mercy.  Jonah not only knew the compassionate character of God in his head but had experienced God’s mercy first-hand. – Isn’t it odd how we often defend ourselves MOST vehemently when the truth of our own wrongness is stabbing our ego?

c. The general thrust behind Jonah’s prayer: Lord, I know how you are. But just don’t be like that this time b/c it doesn’t fit MY agenda. (He wanted GOD to change!) Mad at God for being God. (angry with God for His sovereign grace) – So good for me to see what’s going on in my heart when I’m angry.  I want my kingdom my way, and I want it now. – Is there not soooo much more at stake? (Than “Your Best Life Now”?)

Wrong-headed (hearted) response to (what seems like) right theology

(Theology UN-applied becomes twisted theology.)

a. An important word about theology (understanding of God) – Right theology is not an intellectual pursuit. It’s in every action, thought, choice, and attitude. (Your theology is reflected in your cereal bowl.) – We must submit every area of our life to the living God who desires to transform us into vessels for honorable use and not dishonorable. God doesn’t want only your head and your hands, he wants your heart.

b. Jonah’s confession is magnificent, and yet so “wrong.” – Confessing the compassionate character of God (see Psalm 103:8-14) [You can even be so right that you’re wrong.]

c. What Jonah agrees with God about: Nineveh is a wicked city. God miraculously rescues rebels. It’s in God’s nature to be gracious and merciful. God would act according to his character with Nineveh. God is sovereign (ultimately responsible for the outcome), which is why he take his gripe to God.

d. What they don’t agree about – Jonah’s Self-justification (this is why I disobeyed). Prejudice (others have less value than me – loses sight of being the same before God). Arrogance. (Questioning the infinite wisdom of God.) – Jonah had a better design for God’s glory than God himself.

e. Your theology is problematic when God starts building outside the plot you set for him. He’s not working inside your parameters. (He’s coloring outside the lines!) – (Are you manipulating your theology to fit your lifestyle?) (Where does nationalism cross the line?)  Know your bias! (then let God change it)

f. It’s a battle for control of your life, especially your heart. – The essence of wisdom is to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and not lean on your own understanding” (Prov. 3:5ff)

God confronts Jonah’s heart.

(with questions and an object lesson) – After all of this, God keeps pursuing Jonah’s heart for Jonah’s good.

God’s line of questioning

(the question, purpose, and response)

a. The question – When Jonah would rather die than see God be merciful to those dad-blasted Assyrians from Nineveh… “Jonah, do you do well to be angry?” (The answer was as plain as the fish smell on Jonah’s robe: no. And Jonah knew it.)

b. The purpose – (Dave Guzik) God likes to ask us questions, (not to make us look like the idiots that we are, but) because they reveal our heart. It also puts us on proper ground before God, because He has every right to question us, and we owe Him answers.

· Where are you? Who told you that you were naked? What is this you have done? (Gen. 3)

· Where is your brother Abel? What have you done? (Genesis 4:1-26)

· What have you done? (1 Samuel 13:11) [Samuel to Saul]

· Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? (2 Sam 12:1-31) [Nathan to David]

· Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? (Isaiah 6:1-13) [God to Isaiah – Here am I. Send me.]

· Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:1-28) [Jesus to the disciples]

· What do you want Me to do for you? (Matthew 20:1-34) [Jesus to two blind men]

· Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss? (Luke 22:1-71) [Jesus to Judas]

· Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9:1-43)

c. The response from Jonah. – No answer. Jonah doesn’t budge (in his attitude). Instead he goes to find a place away from everyone to pout and watch. – Jonah’s stubbornness (refusing to change even when you know you’re wrong) is problematic b/c his anger turns to bitterness (constantly angry attitude, walking anger). Illust– Leave something un-cleaned, and it becomes stuck, ingrained.  Jonah doesn’t simply rant, he rots in it.

God’s object lesson

(about His sovereign grace)

a. God’s shades Jonah (with a fast-growing plant) from discomfort (“evil,” same word used repeatedly, with different nuances: evil, disaster, displeasure, discomfort) – Jonah has repeated his folly, only worse this time. And yet God is merciful to Jonah STILL!!!

b. Jonah’s pleasure – What made Jonah happy (exceedingly glad)?  Displeased with God for rescuing perishing souls, but his pleasure is in a plant. (Does this not do anything for you to expose the selfishness of your own heart?)

c. When God changes comfort to suffering.  God appoints a worm (to kill his plant), and a scorching east wind (to make it impossible for Jonah to escape). – To what end? So that Jonah will got hot again (literally and figuratively), for Jonah learn and change.

d. God would be perfectly justified in punishing Jonah, but that isn’t what he’s doing. He’s using this suffering as an object lesson to refine Jonah, to change his heart.

Same song, second verse

Another question from God and response from Jonah.

a. Or the same question (Do you do well to be angry?), but over a plant for Pete’s sake.

b. The last thing we hear from Jonah – Yes, I’m right. (Ay, yay, yay. We all know we can be this slow to learn sometimes.)

God applies the object lesson to Jonah’s heart.

(the last thing we hear from God)

1. You’ll pity a plant, that you didn’t work for and had not part in making it grow, and is just a plant (which also explains the irony in the final question regarding a reference to cattle).

2. But you don’t pity the city, a race of perishing people? – for which I, the God whom you fear and serve, have labored in love, for which I have caused to grow by my grace, whose souls do not quickly perish but live for eternity.

3. Jonah, don’t you see that you have a problem? Don’t you see that your heart is not in line with mine? —> When your heart doesn’t match my heart, you’re wrong. One of us does need to change, Jonah, and it isn’t me.

Conclusion:

‘It’s your move.’ – How will I respond?

(Ending the book with a question.)

1. We need God to shape our wants, our desires. God is working on Jonah. God wants to change your heart for the lost, as he wants to change any skewed desire of your heart.

2. “God can use people who do right things for wrong reasons.” (Piper) But that’s not good. It’s not what God wants. God wants your heart. God wants YOU. (God’s overall plans cannot be thwarted, but heaven forbid that he should do it without my heart. God, do this thing in spite of the feebleness of my hands, in spite of the frailty of my mind, but never let me be used in spite of the faithlessness of my heart.) Don’t be a Jonah!  God had appointed Jonah. He wasn’t being a good ambassador. He obeyed God’s message and even method (of delivery), but he did not model God’s heart.

3. “Do you find yourself trying to ignore certain matters concerning God's attributes and actions so that he will fit into your mold?” (Phil Newton)

4. God doesn’t meet you half way. You must come to him on his terms alone. The Lord alone is God. He wants you to see him as he is… and adore him for it. He wants you to love what he loves. To love his character and to emulate it. God wants to be the sole treasure of your heart.

PRAY

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