Having read the book of Jonah several times, I find it interesting how many lessons one can get from this short, 4-chapter book in the Old Testament. God is great like that. It shows how His love, compassion and forgiveness are always there no matter how men react to it.
It bothers my soul to see so much hatred and anger displayed by people towards each other simply because of differences in opinions. We are letting our emotions determine our actions in way too many situations. It is time to turn our country over to God and pray for His mercy for the sins of us all.
The Presidential race is on and dominates social media as well as the news outlets. Each positive article is followed by ten negative ones, making it hard to know what to believe. Government corruption is being exposed on both sides while Christians, police officers and others face the wrath of protestors and haters on a daily basis. All this, while our biggest enemy, Isis, is getting closer and closer to our shore.
Jonah was a prophet whom God chose to send into the city of Neneveh to preach to the corrupt people there. He was to warn them that unless they repented from their wickedness God would destroy their city in 40 days. However, Nineveh was an enemy Jonah did not want to see saved, so he refused and went the opposite direction. God did not let him escape however and caused him to be thrown overboard. Then, as he was about to be drowned and fought the fierce waters, clinging seaweed and other underwater obstacles, he was tossed into the belly of a huge fish. Realizing that God had provided this reprieve, Jonah began to pray for forgiveness and agreed to do as God had commanded.
Nineveh was a large city that took three days to cover but on the first day of preaching the people began to listen and repent. At last, God chose not to destroy them. Jonah’s reaction to their response was anger. He asked God, “Didn’t I say this would happen? That’s why I ran away. I knew you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and would do them no evil. Therefore, Lord, take my life from me. For it is better for me to die than to live.”
The Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”
Then Jonah went to the east side of he city and made himself a shelter and sat under it so he could observe what happened to the city.
The Lord prepared a gourd (vine) and made it to come up and shade Jonah’s head and relieve his grief. Jonah was very glad to have this gourd. Then, God prepared a worm and when the morning came the worm had eaten through the gourd and it withered. The wind blew and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head till he grew faint. He said again, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
God said, “Do you do well to be angry about the gourd?”
Jonah answered, “I do well to be angry enough to die!”
The Lord said, ” You had pity on the gourd, yet you didn’t labor or make it grow…and it came and went overnight. Should I not then spare Nineveh, a city of one hundred and twenty thousand people that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand….and also much cattle?”
Did you see the many lessons I mentioned here? First, Jonah learned that it is not wise, nor even possible, to run from God. He knows where we are and what we’re doing at all times. Second, we learn how God sometimes saves us from our own self-destructive ways. Jonah could have drowned but God kept him safe inside the fish’s belly.
In the prayer Jonah prayed while inside the great fish, he said: “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” Jonah was angry at the people of Nineveh because they had forsaken God and worshipped pagan gods and idols. They were a vicious people who tortured their victims. He wanted them destroyed. This is much how we look at Isis today. I think, like Jonah said, when we see so many evil deeds done and people turning away from God, we become angry and forget the mercy God showed to us when we were saved. We must show this same mercy for our enemies and pray for their salvation as well as that of our own countrymen.
God prepared a gourd….several times I hesitated when I reached this point in the story. Exactly what lesson did God have in mind when He made the vine to provide shade for Jonah…. then He made a worm to destroy it? All this did was increase Jonah’s anger and reinforce his desire to die. It says that “Jonah was exceeding glad about the gourd,” so we know he appreciated it. The Lord pointed out that Jonah had pity on the gourd, something he neither worked to create or made grow, so why be angry?
Perhaps we need to be reminded sometimes exactly who is in charge here. We are sometimes given blessings that we appreciate but don’t bother to take care of, so they are taken away. Perhaps our priorities are not in order. God wanted Jonah to understand that he had nothing to do with the gourd growing or dying. It belonged to it’s creator, God, so therefore with it, as well as with the city of Nineveh, God had every right to do as He pleased. His compassion for the people determined His decision.
Many Christians today are living in dread and fear…and even anger….as so many horrific events take place. Many cry out for Jesus to return and take us away from the horror. Like Jonah, they are angry and frustrated to the point of desiring death. But wouldn’t it be better still if we pray instead for revival and restoration….for God to use us as His instruments of peace to turn the church back to Him?
Remember, whoever becomes President, Jesus is still King….and He has the power to destroy or to heal. Let’s remember too, the lessons of Jonah, pray for God’s mercy and help and get busy doing our part…spreading the good news that Jesus saves. His power is stronger than any enemy we face and even if they destroy our bodies our souls are safe in the shelter of His everlasting love.
