THE MERCY OF GOD

Jonah chapter 4

Proverbs 19:3 KJV 1900

The foolishness of man perverteth his way: And his heart fretteth against the Lord.

People will often blame God when what they have lived for comes up empty. “When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord” (Proverbs 19:3).When God’s children wandered about in the wilderness, He summed up their attitude as, “They grumble against Me” (Numbers 14:27). Quarreling with God is a baseline human characteristic.When hardships seem overwhelming, God is often a scapegoat. Job was in unrelenting pain, and his wife’s reaction was, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 2:9).When God blesses someone we wish he would curse, anger can erupt. God showed mercy to Nineveh, and “it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry [with God]” (Jonah 4:1).When men and women reap what they sow, they often harshly judge the One who rightly judges them. People “cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds” (Revelation 16:11).Hostility directed towards God often lands on His servants. For example, David and Jesus owned the words, “The reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me” (Psalm 69:9; Romans 15:3). The Gospels go on to bear witness to the continual animosity that Jesus faced – at His birth, throughout His ministry, and in His betrayal and death. “The world…hates Me because I testify about it that its works are evil” (John 7:7).

James 4:6 NKJV

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Four instances of bad advice

First, consider the argument that when we experience anger towards God we should not feel guilty about this, since God is the One who created us to have such angry emotions.

Secondly, we’re told by the secular press that we’re justified in being angry with Him since He often could stop bad things from happening but does nothing to stop it.

Third, we’re told that expressing anger with God should never be repressed since this would be hypocritical and undermine a mature relationship with Him.

Fourth, the argument is presented that we need to forgive God for what He didn’t do for us when we were in need.

Psalm 51:5 NKJV

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

I. Jonah was angry at God

Four instances of bad advice

First, consider the argument that when we experience anger towards God we should not feel guilty about this, since God is the One who created us to have such angry emotions.

Secondly, we’re told by the secular press that we’re justified in being angry with Him since He often could stop bad things from happening but does nothing to stop it.

Third, we’re told that expressing anger with God should never be repressed since this would be hypocritical and undermine a mature relationship with Him.

Fourth, the argument is presented that we need to forgive God for what He didn’t do for us when we were in need.

A. Inward focus

v.2

B. Self Grief

v.3

C. Hoping for the worst.

v.5

II. God’s unmerited Mercy

A. Call for reflection of the heart.

v.4

All three times in 4:4, 9, the infinitive absolute of יטֵ֖ב is followed by a qal form of חָ֥רָה used impersonally with the preposition לֽ, literally, "it was hot to" Jonah. When combined with the final word לָֽךְ (to you), God is asking Jonah is it good for you to be angry/enraged?

B. Help, even while out of God’s will.

v.6

C. Love enough to compel.

v.7-8

III. God’s eternal Mercy

A. God is long-suffering

v.9

B. He is merciful in-spite of our shortcomings.

v.10

C. God is merciful, even in our ignorance.

v.11