Sermon Tone Analysis
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Emotion Tone
Anger
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Analytical
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Extraversion
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Introduction
We have finally come to the last chapter of the book of the prophet Jonah.
Here’s what we have learned so far:
Chapter 1 - we learned the importance of following the call of God upon our life.
Jonah rebelled against God’s calling to preach to the people of Nineveh.
Chapter 2 - We learned that repentance is the way to be right with God.
Although Jonah rebelled against God, he repented, he asked for forgiveness, even inside the belly of the large fish.
Chapter 3 - We learned how the preaching of God’s word can bring revival to a whole country.
The Ninevites repented, they abandoned their evil ways and sought God’s forgiveness.
God responded by pouring out forgiveness over the people of Nineveh.
We are now at chapter 4 where we will consider:
Jonah’s anger
Jonah’s misplaced priorities
God’s sovereignty
I. Jonah’s anger
I. El enojo de Jonás
Jonah has preached a message of destruction through the course of almost 40 days.
His message was simple:
Jonah
However, God used this message to change the hearts of the Ninevites.
These people who were amongst the most violent, most wicked, most brutal people on the face of the earth were reached through the preaching of God’s word.
In fact, this is still how God changes hearts.
God changes hearts through the preaching of the Gospel.
It is for this reason, that we must pray that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached from our pulpits.
The man of God must declare God’s word: not jokes, not stories, he is not there to entertain.
He is there to declare the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
God has relented from his anger and would no longer destroy the city of Nineveh.
Jonah’s reaction is almost unbelievable:
Never in my life have I preached, and seen 120,000 repent from their sins.
Jonah saw it up close and personal.
He was used by God to bring these people to saving faith.
What is his reaction?
He is angry!
Not only is he angry but he disapproves of what God has done.
Jonah disapproves of God’s forgiveness.
Jonah, a mere mortal, a mere human disapproves of what the Almighty has done in showing forgiveness to the people of Nineveh.
It is as if Jonah thinks God has made a mistake in demonstrating mercy to these people.
Jonah is about to break down before the presence of God and reveal the real reason why he was not willing to go to Nineveh.
Jonah is expressing the real reason why he did not want to go to Nineveh.
He knew God is a merciful God.
He knew God is compassionate.
He knew the God of Israel would forgive those who humble themselves and ask for forgiveness.
As a prophet of God he knew the Old Testament scriptures very well and understood how God had shown mercy and grace to Ruth the moabite and Rahab the prostitute.
He knew how God had shown mercy to Adam after sinning in the Garden and King David after committing adultery and murder to cover it up.
The real reason why Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh is he knew there was the possibility that the people would hear the message, repent, and God would turn his anger away.
Jonah could not fathom that God would forgive them and that they would be counted amongst the people of God.
Jonah would rather die than continue seeing how these people had been spared from certain destruction.
Why would somebody think like Jonah?
Why would Jonah be so offended at the fact that God would show mercy to these people?
He may have been a racist believing the hebrews were the only ones worthy of God’s mercy.
He may have been overly nationalistic thinking that only Israel had the right to the land.
He may simply not have cared for anyone else but himself.
II.
Jonah’s misplaced priorities
II.
Las prioridades equivocadas de Jonás
God confronts Jonah and asks whether he has a right to be so upset.
Jonah goes to the outskirts of the city to see if God may change his mind and decide to destroy the city.
It is almost as if Jonah had this perverse desire to see the city destroyed by God.
It is almost as if Jonah wished evil upon these people.
Let us examine ourselves and pray that we never commit the same sin as Jonah.
Let us never desire the destruction of any anyone, no matter how evil they may be.
It is good and right to desire justice but it is never right to desire the destruction of others.
So, Jonah awaits the destruction of the people.
He has made for himself a simple shade in order to shield him from the hot sun.
Jonah is about to manifest what he really cares about.
Jonah 4:6
The Lord has tenderly provided a leafy plant for Jonah so that even though he is waiting for the destruction of the people, God is allowing Jonah to be shielded from the sun.
However, ultimately God has a plan.
Notice Jonah’s reaction at God’s provision.
Jonah is overjoyed that the Lord has provided shade for him.
Jonah goes to sleep.
God is at work and sends a worm that basically kills the plant to the point that it withers away.
Not only that, but now God has sent a scorching wind.
Jonah awakes to find the withered plant.
Jonah awakes to feel the hot sun upon his head.
It is very possible that at this point Jonah was suffering intensely from the glaring sun, the high temperatures, thirst/dehydration to the point of experiencing heat stroke.
He simply wants to die.
He cannot believe what is happening.
Not only has God not destroyed Nineveh, but now he is the one that is suffering!
God confronts Jonah once more.
Jonah feels he is 100% justified in his anger.
Jonah feels he is justified in being angry at God for not destroying the people of Nineveh.
Jonah feels he is justified in being angry at God for allowing the plant to be destroyed.
Jonah feels he is justified in God sending him on such an absurd mission.
Jonah is not acting like a man of God should act.
He is acting like capricious child.
Jonah’s priorities are absolutely misplaced.
He cares more about the plant that withered away during the night than all those people who God just spared.
Jonah
III.
God’s mercy and sovereignty
III.
La soberanía y misericordia de Dios
Jonah chapter 4 ends with the voice of God.
Verse 10 and 11 are a record of God’s last words to Jonah.
God has the last word.
God wants the rebellious prophet to realize how much more compassion he had a for a simple plant.
Plants have no souls.
Plants have no intelligence.
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