Jonah 4 - Plants and People

Jonah 4 – Plants and People

Introduction:  The book of Jonah can teach us a lot about ourselves.  Admittedly at one time or another, we find ourselves out of sorts with God and in some cases are going in the opposite direction as God would have us (Chapter 1).  After fleeing, we then find ourselves hitting rock bottom with nowhere to go but upward and onward.  We cry out to God in the midst of our despair and he sovereignly delivers us (Chapter 2). Some would also say that God is a God of the second-chance and that obedience is always easier the first time (Chapter 3).  By the time we reach Chapter 4, one would have thought that Jonah would have learned his lessons, but we see that God will use a simple plant to teach him a greater lesson about people.

Every person must have properly placed priorities

I.                   Anger and despair can hinder our priorities

a.       Jonah was angry with God over his sparing of Nineveh

b.      Anger is an emotion that can either be good or evil “Be angry and sin not”

c.       We see that in spite of his anger and intense hatred, Jonah prayed.  One commentator has stated that prayer is a safety valve for believers to express their frustrations and their complaints to the Lord.

d.      Jonah was frustrated that he was in despair and wished that God would take his life.

e.       When our priorities are not aligned with God’s, we often times will make rash or foolish statements.

II.                  The biggest lessons are learned from simple things

a.       A probing question – vs. 4

b.      Jonah went outside of the city and constructed a simple shelter to protect himself from the sun. 

c.       His purpose was “till he might see what would become of the city.”

d.      A prepared plant - that plant was used to “deliver him from his misery” (cf. 1:17 – prepared – refers to God’s intentionality)

e.       The plant was probably a castor plant, a shrub with large leaves

f.       God used a worm to remind Jonah of His sovereignty

g.      A rightful rebuke – vs. 9 God was dealing with Jonah’s inconsistency

III.             Earthly comforts are at best temporary

a.       As quickly as the plant grew, it was allowed to die

b.      The loss of a gift (the plant) becomes a lesson by emphasizing what and how much it means.

c.       God’s pity over Nineveh shows that people are a priority to God and they should be to us.

d.      Jonah had more pity on a plant than he did for people

Conclusion:  Where are your priorities?  Do you value people more than possessions?