And Should Not I Pity?

Introduction

In this, our last sermon on the book of Jonah, I want to look at the final argument that ends the book. The story of Jonah is written like a Parable, although its events are historical. The first three chapters give us the story and the last chapter concludes it by this very interesting dialogue full of word play and irony. In the centre of it we see displayed in the life of one man the problems that Israel as a nation had the whole time. They were not following God, even to the point of shocking pagans with their wickedness. They kept getting disciplined from God and repented, but the repentance was always shallow. They were afraid of the nations around them instead of being confident in God and thus they compromised their relationship with him to try to save themselves. They didn’t trust God to keep them safe from enemies and so they had no desire to bring the Word of God to the world. This all concludes in this last dialogue with God asking that question, “do you do well to be angry?” In this question, God used Jonah’s anger to point out who Jonah, and Israel, really served: themselves. They desired a god who served them like they served themselves. This is true of human nature in general. The book ends rather obruptly with God asking another question, “should not I pity?” God’s words are meant to take Jonah out of his own world and help him see his situation logically and objectively, while his patience towards th e prophet continues until the abrupt and rather anti-climactic ending.

The Great City

A city great in numbers.

A city great in power and influence.

A city of great economic and polititcal significance.

Irony

The city that is not so great in God’s eyes.

Jonah is afraid of a city that he knows God can destroy any minute. Why won’t he trust God to preserve his people?

Don’t know their Right hand from their Left

Morally bankrupt

Morally ignorant

Ninevah is pathetic to God.

God has pity on the pathetic.

Should we not pity?

Pity for the lost.

Pity for enemies.

Our vantage point: God pitied sinner by becoming a human being like us. We should not pity from a lofty position because God doesn’t.

God is not please with self-righteous pity (Pharisee and Tax Collector.

How to show pity to a lost world:

Prayer

1 Timothy 2:1–4 ESV

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Kindness.

Compassion.

Gospel.