Jonah week 4 Ingratitude

Re-cap Jonah chapter 3 , God had given Jonah a second chance and sent him back to the great city Nineveh an enemy of Israel and this time Jonah obeyed.

And on the Jonah entered the city he shouted to the crowds “ Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed” and the people of Nineveh believed Gods message and from the greatest to the least they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

Now well finish up in Chapter 4 to see what Jonahs response was.

READ chapter 4

Verse 1-3, Jonah was oddly angry as we all know he was a prophet and we can all assume that normally a prophet of the Lord would be pleased to see a group of wicked people respond in repentance butt Jonahs heart was hard towards the Ninevites. He wanted God to destroy them and then he shares why he didn’t want to go in the first place because he knew the Lord and he knew he was a God of mercy and grace and compassionate and filled with unfailing love. Its pretty interesting to see how Jonah enjoyed the mercy and love of God when he needed it and now is reluctant to share that with someone else in need of Gods mercy. Good thing God didn’t treat Jonah like he wanted God to treat Nineveh.

Verse 4-6 , SO now Jonah goes out to the East of the city to wait and see what God was going to do, and God so kindly makes a plant grow to provide shade for Jonah even though here we are agin God supplying something for Jonah that he didn’t really deserve. How many times has God given us something we didn’t deserve ? Salvation is the greatest undeserved gift ever given, we didn’t deserve Jesus on the cross , BUT God GAVE us salvation through the blood of Christ.

Verse 7 , Jonah valued the death of a plant that God had taken from him more than an entire city of people.

Verse 8-10 , The lesson from God to Jonah was clear, and we are to ask ourselves are we like Jonah? Are our values distorted , DO we wish death upon our enemies and the people we dislike while soaking up all of Gods grace that he offers all of man kind?

In Matthew 5: 43-44 Jesus says “ You have heard it said Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you!”

WE as followers of Jesus must begin to adapt to the teachings and instructions of Jesus if we truly want people to know him. I cant tell you about this God who has grace and mercy for you when I myself am incapable of showing compassion and love and forgiveness.