Jonah 3:10 -4:11 NIV
"When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant[c] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
"When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant[c] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
So many of us get mad at God when the wicked are not punished. When we don't get punished we think we deserved mercy and God was faithful. God's mercy is for everyone. God is no respecter of persons. What God will do for one He will do for everyone....that is everyone who calls upon His name and obeys His commands.
Think about this for a moment. Jonah was angry because the people took action on the message he preached! Really Jonah? Do you know how many of us preachers, share a message and no one listens and obeys, no one takes action? The people you gave the message to that was from God changed hearts and you go pout like a spoiled child? God still blessed him with a shade plant for his head and spoke to him. How many of us would have been so merciful? No me! Sorry to say God is till working on me. I am a work in progress. But, in the process He gives us what we need....not necessarily what we want.
ACTION STEP: Read the entire book of Jonah. Put yourself in his place. See God working for Jonah's good and the good of the lost people of Nineveh. God loves people and He wants to use us to love them, save them and forgive them of their sins just like he does. The choice however is ours to make. What we do with what God tells us is up to us. However, when we choose to disobey the people we hang out with start loosing stuff. The people on the ship had to start throwing things overboard. What loses is your disobedience causing others. Do you need to disconnect? Do you need thrown overboard? Has it come to that? Repent and get right with God and others. Do you care abut the lost? Then show it!
RSS Feed