Tuesday, October 7 – Jonah 4:4-8

Jonah was ridiculous in verses 1-3. He is an even more petulant child in verses 4-8. In a scene that feels like it could only come from a children’s book that teaches kids about controlling their anger, Jonah is mad and hot and sits on the outskirts of town hoping to watch some God destroy Nineveh à la Sodom and Gomorrah. It was hot and uncomfortable, so God raised up a plant to give Jonah shade. Jonah was “overjoyed” about the plant. But then a worm destroyed the plant, and Jonah became angry again, saying death was better for him. Jonah is seriously worse than a 3-year-old throwing a temper tantrum. I don’t know how God didn’t just vaporize him. I know I want to every time I read this story!

But if I take a step back from my frustration with Jonah, I realize how often we act like Jonah. Our emotions go to extremes over events that are completely out of our control. We are happy one day and angry enough to die the next. Before you throw your next tantrum, ask yourself the question God asks Jonah in verse 4: “Do you have a good reason to be angry?” Usually, the answer is going to be no. So, take a deep breath and realize how ridiculous it is to be angry about things like a plant that gave you shade.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%204%3A4-8&version=NASB

Monday, October 6 – Jonah 3:10-4:3

Jonah is upset that people were saved by God. That’s the headline. But why is Jonah upset? Two possibilities arise given Jonah’s prayer/outburst in verse 2. The first possibility is that God has made Jonah a liar. Jonah knew all along that God was not going to destroy Nineveh, so instead of obeying God, Jonah ran the other way so God could not set Jonah up to fail. In this first possibility, Jonah sees his prophecy as a failure because it did not come true. Never mind that an entire city was spared because Jonah warned them of their destruction. The destruction didn’t happen; Jonah thinks God duped him and made Jonah out to be a liar. So now, Jonah is cranky and mad enough to die.

The second possibility is similar to the first. Jonah knew that God was going to save Nineveh. Jonah wanted no part in saving Nineveh because he actually wanted Nineveh to be destroyed. Jonah did not want to give Nineveh the chance to repent, but now that he spoke the message from God, he was responsible for leading them back to God. And Jonah did not want this because he hates the Ninevites. He thinks the Ninevites do not deserve God’s grace. God’s grace should only be for Israel. It is possible that Jonah did not want the Ninevites to be saved because Jonah thinks he and his people are superior and more worth saving than those evil Ninevites.

No matter the reason, Jonah says he is mad enough to die because God saved Nineveh. And that is 100% the wrong attitude to have. We will continue to discuss Jonah’s ridiculous pity party tomorrow, but for today, know this. Jesus died for all people, and all people deserve a chance to hear the gospel and repent of their sin.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%203%3A10-4%3A3&version=NASB

Saturday – Sunday, October 4-5 – Exodus 34:6-7

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2034%3A6-7&version=NASB