Jonah 4:1-11

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to die in our place to give us life…and that abundantly! Thank you Jesus.

Jonah reluctantly followed Gods’ commands knowing In his heart that through the  words given to them, they  would change their ways, and they would be saved. He cared more about his pride and being right than he did about saving the lives that God loved. He was thinking in human terms, not Gods’.

God doesn’t want any of His creation to perish. He loves us so!!!!

Jonah 4:1-11

4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 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. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”

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

5 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. 6 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. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 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.”

9 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!”

10 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. 11 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?

Population estimates for the ancient city vary and depend on whether the surrounding countryside is included in addition to the city proper. The estimated population for Nineveh and its surrounding areas is around 300,000 for the seventh century bc, a century after Jonah. 

Much of the population of Nineveh lived in the countryside outside the city walls, farmers, herdsmen, and fishermen. The mention of a great number of animals indicates the reference is to more than those inside the city walls. The figure of 120,000 is reasonable for the city’s population. Most of the inhabitants  have no knowledge of God, indicating spiritual and moral ignorance. Faithlife Bible.

In contrast to God, Jonah had no compassion on the people of Nineveh. Jonah’s irritation belied the good news that the city would be spared. Jonah himself had just been spared God’s fair judgment, but he was unable to appreciate the parallel. Jonah himself had experienced the excellencies of God. Gracious and merciful may be rephrased as “marvelously gracious.” Lovingkindness can also mean “loyal love.” This is the same word that Jonah had used in his praise of God. One who relents from doing harm is a  recital of God’s blessed character, Jonah built on the revelation of the Lord to Moses. 

Jonah’s death wish came from disgust at the people’s repentance. Only a few days before Jonah had screamed for God to keep him alive. In his continuing stubbornness and lack of compassion, Jonah held out hope that God would judge Nineveh. This was God’s chief complaint against him.

The repeated use of prepared is a subtle reference to the sovereignty of God. The nature of this plant is unknown. Some have speculated that it was a castor-oil tree or a bottle-gourd vine. It may have been a species that grew especially fast. The Lord had rescued Jonah from drowning now He wished to relieve His prophet from the misery of the sun. 

The reach of God’s mercy to the undeserving is a theme that continued to elude Jonah even as he experienced it.

Jonah’s anger did not arise from a desire for justice but from his own selfishness. He continued to justify his rebellious attitude. And again, God was merciful. Pity describes an expression of deeply felt compassion. However, Jonah pitied himself more than the plant. The same word used to describe Jonah’s feeling toward the plant is used of God’s feeling toward the people of Nineveh. People are of more value than animals, and animals of more value than plants, but the Lord has a concern that extends to all of His creation. The Lord’s pity comes from His character. If Jonah could take pity on a plant, which is even less important than an animal, it only made sense that God would take pity on human beings, who are made in God’s image. The Book of Jonah ends on this note of contrast between Jonah’s ungracious heart and the kind heart of the Lord. NKJ BIble.

What all the saints make matter of joy and praise, Jonah makes the subject of reflection upon God; as if showing mercy were an imperfection of the Divine nature, which is the greatest glory of it. It is to his sparing, pardoning mercy, we all owe it that we are out of hell. He wishes for death: this was the language of folly, passion, and strong corruption. There appeared in Jonah remains of a proud, uncharitable spirit; and that he neither expected nor desired the welfare of the Ninevites, but had only come to declare and witness their destruction. He was not duly humbled for his own sins, and was not willing to trust the Lord with his credit and safety. In this frame of mind, he overlooked the good of which he had been an instrument, and the glory of the Divine mercy. We should often ask ourselves, Is it well to say thus, to do thus? Can I justify it? Do I well to be so soon angry, so often angry, so long angry, and to give others ill language in my anger? Do I well to be angry at the mercy of God to repenting sinners? That was Jonah’s crime. Do we do well to be angry at that which is for the glory of God, and the advancement of his kingdom? Let the conversion of sinners, which is the joy of heaven, be our joy, and never our grief.  Matthew Henry Commentary

 

Exodus 34:6  And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,