I Can See Clearly Now?

Backseat & Passenger Drivers

One thing I believe that every driver licence holder can agree with is the annoyance of backseat and passenger drivers! Have you ever been driving a car on a long trip and and you make your way into a bunch a traffic. You’re trying to make good time on your trip while not speeding and you have to maneuver around some cars and then there is someone in your car, not driving BTW, who has a better idea of what it takes to get there. Even though they did not agree to drive. They think you should have changed into the left lane when you went right, changed into the right lane when you got into the left, you should have sped up when you slowed down, slowed down when you sped up, and so on. Eventually you become fed up with their shenanigans and you have to set your wife, oops, I mean the backseat passenger straight! You tell them that you are the driver at the moment and you have control of the wheel! There are times when that is the solution and then there are others in which they just don’t understand or accept.

How many times do we try to tell God how to drive?

In today’s sermon Jonah starts another fire and he burns himself. God asks His prophet if it is OK for Him to be God. He then shows Jonah the difference in judgement. Turn your Bibles with me to Jonah 4

Jonah 4 ESV

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?”

What’s Going On?

Jonah 4:1–2 ESV

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.

Jonah knew God showed kindness so he fled…

Jonah knew that God was conscious of distress and sought to alleviate it, so he fled…

Jonah knew that God recognizes evil, has a tendency to delay punishment, so he fled…

Jonah knew that God had steadfast loyalty, so he fled…

Jonah knew that God had the capability to change his mind about disaster, so he fled...

He knew God was all of these things for His people but was not comfortable with it being applied to Nineveh type people.

Who God is doesn’t apply to...

homosexuals

racists

illegal aliens

rapists

sexists

adulterers

dead beat fathers

morally corrupt politicians

Jonah 1:9 ESV

9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

GOD IS FOR ME! GOD IS FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS!

Jonah’s Judgment (V3-5)

Jonah 4:3–4 ESV

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?”

God take my life! I would rather not exist than have you be a God to wicked people!

He tells God if you’re not gonna be the God I want you to be then take my life! I know I’m valuable to you!

His sorry but effective 5 word sermon saved a great city even though he didn’t give a method of salvation to the people! Jonah 3:4

Jonah 3:4 ESV

4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

“Once more forty days Nineveh will be destroyed”

God asks the question “Is it right for you to be angry?”

To be angry that I show kindness, want to alleviate distress caused by a recognition of sin within, that I delay destruction for a chance at repentance, that I am consistent in my loyalty and love, that I am willing to change my mind upon repentance? Is it right that you are so upset about my divine attributes!?!?!

Jonah 4:5 ESV

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.

Jonah goes out from the east of the city and make a shelter sitting in its shade waiting to see God fall in line with his way of thinking. He was waiting for the destruction of the city!

God’s Lesson (V6-11)

Jonah 4:6 ESV

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.

God appoints a plant

Something that must be cared for in order to survive.

While it must be cared for it is a source of pleasure to Jonah.

Jonah is very pleased because of this fast growing plant

Jonah 4:7 ESV

7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.

God appoints a worm

A worm did what it was supposed to do. It ate the plant. I believe that the adversary does what his name implies. He is adverse to the will of God. Opposed to his own interests

This worm does harm to the plant, causing a change reaction to it so that it may die

Jonah 4:8 ESV

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.”

To cause Jonah some actually discomfort, to teach him a lesson.

Jonah 4:9–10 ESV

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.

Do you do well to be angry about the plant? God says this to Jonah...

Jonah thinks so.. Being dramatic again…

God explains to him

You didn’t labor for the plant. (preparing soil, planting seed, watering)

You didn’t cause it to come into being…

It only had a day to live and it perished!

Jonah 4:11 ESV

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?”

God says “Should I not be troubled/compassionate about Nineveh”

It is full of people The people don’t know any better. They sin from a place of ignorance

And the cattle there may seem insignificant but I created them too! I love ALL of my creation

Conclusion

There’s nothing else said in the book of Jonah. I don’t believe this is about Jonah. I don’t believe this was meant for us to look at him or hear the message of the prophet Jonah. He started fires everywhere he went because he was not serious about his calling. He saw people who were unlike himself as being unworthy of God. This book is written for us to see US! The fire starters with a calling who fear God and keep His commandments!