Pity Party Prophet and God's Heart - Jonah 4

Introduction

We have been following Jonah the past few weeks and we come to the conclusion of the journey. Jonah, a prophet from the northern Kingdom of Israel was commanded by God to go to Nineveh. He went in the opposite direction and took a ship bound for Tarshish and in his mind away from God. Yet, God doesn’t stay in a box. On the Sea God sent a storm and nearly caused the ship to sink. Jonah was the reason for the storm and he told the sailors to throw him into the sea. This act calmed the storm and changed the course of these men’s lives forever. Jonah being in the sea would have drown, but God sent a large fish that swallowed him. He became humble while in the fish and for the rescue and when God caused the fish to vomit him on shore God told Jonah to go to Nineveh again. This time Jonah listened and went and preached the message of God’s judgment was coming in 40 days and the people responded by fasting, putting on sackcloth and sitting in ashes. The King and the nobles even did this and they were genuinely asked for repentance, because God relented from the disaster. Jonah 3:10 “Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.” So Jonah should be happy that God spared the life of these people right? These people that were great at torture as we looked at last week. Well we will see if Jonah’s poor attitude that had been moved slightly in the fish has changed his ways.

Jonah’s Response and Prayer

Jonah 4:1–3 NKJV

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”

God had forgiven the people of Nineveh after He had seen their heart and that they repented of their evil. Yet, Jonah’s response is very much a drama queen and a pity party.

The Hebrew word talking about great / exceeding displeasure is the same Hebrew word used in Jonah 1:2 ““Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.”” and Jonah 3:8 “But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.” to describe the evil of Nineveh. Jonah is his own worse enemy. He is angry.

We have a second prayer of Jonah in this book. This time we get more reasons or excuses to why he didn’t go. Last week I mentioned one of the “reasons” he might have gone is the torture that the Assyrians were doing, but we see here that Jonah has another reason as he prays. There must have been some dialogue with God before he fled to Joppa as he says:

When I was still in my country this is what I said

This is the reason I made haste to go to Tarshish

You are a gracious and merciful God

God is slow to anger (big nose)

Abundant in lovingkindness (steadfast love)

Relents from doing harm or causing disaster

Jonah is giving some characteristics of God. He is gracious and merciful. Yes, He will punish wrong doing and judgment and He is holy. He is slow to anger and has lovingkindness.

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Romans 2:1–4 NKJV

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Jonah is angry had God sparing these Gentiles, yet his attitude is evil just like the people he wants destroyed.

He is so mad he just tells God: Kill me! It is better for me to die than to live! (Much drama and bitterness)

God’s Response

Jonah 4:4 NKJV

Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

What right do you have to be angry? How can you justify being angry?

Think about all that God had done for Jonah. He used this person to call these people to repentance, even despite himself. He had saved him from the storm and sea. Yet, Jonah is here being a drama queen.

How often do we think our angry and bitterness is justified. Well, God didn’t do this for me. If God was so good, why did He allow this to happen to me. I know I am guilty of this.

The Plant

Jonah 4:5–6 NKJV

So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

So Jonah in his bitterness goes out of the city and sits on the east side of the city. He makes a shelter (booth) to watch to see if there are fireworks. Maybe some fire and brimstone like for Sodom and Gomorrah.

Whereas the King of Nineveh in Jonah 3:9 “Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?” wonders if God will spare them, Jonah wants to see them destroyed.

Bitterness and Revenge will eat you up from the inside and it will destroy you.

That is why we should give it over to God. Deuteronomy 32:35

Deuteronomy 32:35 NKJV

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’

Romans 12:19 NKJV

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Matthew 5:21–26 NKJV

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Despite Jonah’s bitterness, angry, and vengeful heart, God still loves him.

Jonah 4:6 NKJV

And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

God prepares a plant (just like He prepared the fish) for Jonah.

Many believe it is the castor oil plant.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

Possibly the castor oil plant, a gourd that grows quite rapidly in hot climates. This plant grows to a height of 12 feet and has large leaves.

God did this to give him shade from his misery. Jonah is very grateful or thankful for this plant. It can get quite hot in this region. We were thankful for AC buses and water that helped us get relief in Israel. Jonah is out in the heat with this lean two and now he gets this plant that gives shade.

The Worm/Wind

Jonah 4:7–8 NKJV

But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

God had prepared a great fish, God had prepared this plant, and now God had prepared a worm that would eat this plant.

It damaged the plant and it withered away.

This all happened as the morning was dawning. Then God prepared / appointed a vehement or scorching east wind.

He goes faint and wishes to die again.

God’s Lesson

Jonah 4:9–11 NKJV

Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?

Jonah had more pity on this plant and was so worked up over this, yet he didn’t care about the souls of the people of Nineveh.

How often do we major on the minors or make mountains out of molehills? We like to do this just like Jonah. We can criticize Jonah for the choices he made, but we are so often like him.

God showed Jonah that Jonah cared more about the plant that he didn’t plant or cause to grow.

Should not God have pity on this great city of Nineveh?

120,000 people who cannot discern between their right hand or left. Whether God is talking about the total population or some believe is the children of the city.

Shouldn’t God care about His creations that He created in his image despite where they lived? God is not willing that any should perish.

Conclusion

That ending should give us pause. There is no response from Jonah. No answers back or what happened to him next. Yet, how would we respond? How do we respond? If the Taliban were Nineveh and you were asked by God to tell them about Jesus, would you? We are often asked to do so much less, yet even that we don’t do. God wants the world to be saved. Apart from Jesus Christ they will not. We are the witnesses proclaiming His free gift.