The other day I wrote about Jonah’s fear of God and how he tried to run away from his fear when God had asked him to go to the City of Nineveh and tell them how God was upset with their wicked ways. But instead, Jonah had tried to run away, God showed his anger of Jonah’s disobedience by bringing up a great storm that put the lives of not just Jonah but others in harms way and the other men began asking about, “why we deserved this? What did we do to anger God so much?” Jonah had spoken and confessed to the men that It was because he, himself, had disobeyed God by not doing what was instructed to him. Jonah then told the other men to throw him overboard and leave him to the mercy of the seas. God then sends a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And after three days, when Jonah thought that all hope was lost, he began praying to God, “I cried out and you heard my voice when I asked for your help.” God then gave Jonah a second chance and once freed from the belly of the fish, Jonah proceeded to the city of Nineveh and delivered God’s Message. After which that Message to Nineveh was received, the entire population of Nineveh, including the King, poured out to the Lord, their sins and wicked ways, fasted and asked of forgiveness from God. In return, God also gave all the people and creatures of Nineveh and second chance.
Jonah Chapter 4:1-11
In today’s scriptures, Jonah prays to God, not out of Love but rather out of anger. Jonah begins by telling God, “This is why I was running away. I knew that you, Lord are a gracious and merciful God, who is also slow to anger, abounding in kindness repenting of punishment.” Basically saying, if you were going to forgive the Ninevites anyway, why then did you need me to be your messenger. Jonah then says to the Lord “So now, Lord, please take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” But the Lord asked, “Are you right to be angry?” Jonah then set out East of Nineveh and built a hut and waited to see of what would happen to the city. The Lord then provided a gourd plant to give shade over Jonah and relieved him of any discomfort in which Jonah was delighted.
The next day, however, God had provided a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered and died. God provided a scorching east wind; and the sun beat down upon Jonah until he became faint. Again, Jonah wished for death saying to the Lord, “It is better for me to die than to live.” But God asked Jonah “Do you have a right to be angry over the gourd plant? Jonah replies, “I have a right to be angry – angry enough to die.” Then the Lord said to Jonah, “You are concerned” over the gourd plant which cost you no effort and which you did not grow. In one night, it came and in one night it perished. God goes on to aske Jonah, “And I should not be concerned over the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot know their right hand from their left, not to mention all the animals?”
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