Jonah's anger and God's compassion (jonah3-4)

Jonah’s anger and God’s compassion

Jonah 3-4
Key verse 4:4,11

Happy New Year! May God bless all of you so that you can please him and live a life worthy of his grace. Probably, you are thinking about your key verses and prayers for this year. I think it is a good idea to set a direction first rather than just trying to pick up key verses at random. No doubt, we choose key verses to know God better and grow mature. How can we grow mature? How can our relationship with him grow deeper? I think, that has to do with how much we are synchronized with his mind and heart. And today’s passage teaches us well about his mind and heart.

In the previous passage, Jonah fled away from God in disobedience to His word because he was afraid that the Ninevites, the enemies of Israel, might turn to God at his message. But he was caught by a storm on the way and thrown into the sea. He experienced the power and pain of death and was helplessly dying. At that moment God appointed a big fish to rescue him. In the belly of the fish, Jonah realized that he was also subject to death and how painful and distressful it was. Then he looked upon Almighty God, who is in control, and confessed that salvation comes from Him alone. He deeply experienced God’s grace and presented his gratitude to him. But in today’s passage, Jonah is so angry. I have never heard about any prophets who were angry at God. Have you? Why was he so angry? What did God say to such an angry prophet? I pray that through this passage we may learn God’s heart toward the world and his hope for his people?

1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Now God commanded Jonah again to go to Nineveh and preach against it. This time Jonah obeyed the word of God. Nineveh was a very large city where 120,000 people lived. It took three days to go through it. Jonah took a day’s journey to get there probably from the place where he got out of the fish. As he arrived at Nineveh, he proclaimed God’s impending judgment on them, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Nineveh was the capital of Assyria and the people were ungodly and arrogant. Out of the blue, a stranger from a small country Israel dared to preach against them in the downtown. It must have been like preaching the gospel in a Muslim country today. Who would listen to him? He would be lucky if he were not beaten or killed by them. But their reaction came as a great surprise.

5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. 6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.

The fear of God struck them. They believed God and the destruction he threatened. All of them, from greatest and the least, fasted and put on sackcloth. They humbled themselves before God. Even the king of Nineveh took off his royal robes and covered himself with sackcloth, sitting down in the dust. He issued a proclamation that all his people and all animals should fast and that the people should call urgently on God and give up their evil ways and violence. They hoped that God would relent and turn from his anger with compassion so that they might not perish. How did God respond to them?

10 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.

Amazingly, God did not bring his judgment upon them. What did this show about God? As Jonah said later in 4:2, he is a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love. God showed his mercy even to such an ungodly people. So, anyone, any evil person can be saved if they repent.

How did Jonah respond to this?

1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 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. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Jonah was displeased with this. He was so angry that he even wanted to die. Why was he so angry?

Jonah hated Assyria. He thought that such a pagan country should be punished and perish; they should not even have any opportunity to avoid God’s judgment. But God was so gracious and compassionate that he would relent from sending destruction to them. That was why Jonah had fled away from God to forestall the worse scenario to him. But now his fear came true; hearing his message, the Ninevites turned to God and avoided God’s punishment! He could not accept what God did for them. It was unfair that his people Israel suffered from Assyrians whereas God saved Assyrians from destruction. From the perspective of justice, Jonah’s anger was understandable.

One woman lost her only son by a kidnapper. She suffered so much and hated the murderer. In deep sorrow, she came to believe in God and God became the only one she depended on. Then, she went to see her son’s murderer in prison. But she was greatly distressed when the murderer said he was happy because God forgave him. Her anger burst and she cursed God. Likewise, Jonah was burned with anger and could not accept what God did for Nineveh. It was unjust and unfair to him. We might have such a feeling when things go in favor of unrighteous or evil people. What if someone falsely accused you and you greatly suffered but the person were successful? Would you be okay or angry? In fact, this kind of thing is not uncommon while living in this world. How would you view and handle this kind of thing? Let’s see what God said to Jonah?

4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” (NIV)

God asked why Jonah was so angry. In other words, God was saying that Jonah had no right reason to be angry and furthermore his anger actually went against God’s will and desire. However, God did not rebuke Jonah but helped him to judge himself. It was like when God told Cain to examine himself when he got angry because God rejected his offering and accepted his brother’s. (Gen 4:6-7) God hoped that Jonah would accept God’s action of grace to the Ninevites. But Jonah did not answer, which showed that his disagreement with God was not resolved yet. And God did not say anything further, either. Then, suddenly the story changes to another scene where God dealt with Jonah’s anger in depth.

5 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.

Jonah went to a place east of the city, where he could look down the whole city, and then made a booth. He sat in its shade and waited to see what would become of the city. Probably, he still hoped that God would change his mind and punish Nineveh after all.

6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant 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.

Then, God appointed a plant and made it grow up over Jonah so that it gave shade for his head. Jonah was very happy with the plant. He found joy in the plant that eased his discomfort from the heat. SY loves plants. She put plants here and there, not only outside the house but also inside the house. She finds joy in looking at them. Probably, like her Jonah also looked at the plant every minute with a big smile and enjoyed it. Soon he came to have attachment to it.

7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 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.”

And then at dawn the next day God appointed a worm and it attacked the plant. Sadly, the plant withered. It was so disappointing to Jonah that his only joy disappeared. Worse still, when the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind. The sun blazed directly on Jonah’s head so that he was faint. He was so distressed and angry that he wanted to die.

9 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.”

God asked the same question as he asked in 4:4, which Jonah did not answer. This time, Jonah answered that he was very angry. He was really angry like Angry Birds. He expressed his anger about the plant and his sorry about God. He complained, “Why should such an innocent plant die? It is unfair and unjust. And I suffer now because of that.”

10 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.

The original word for “concerned” (חוּס: chus) here has three basic meanings: (1) to be troubled about, (2) “to look with compassion upon,” (3) “to show pity, to spare [someone from death/judgment]. (NetBible) Jonah had pity on the plant and was upset about what God did to it. Once again, the issue was Jonah’s anger. His anger was actually about what God did to Nineveh, not necessarily about the plant.

Jonah believed that God should do justice to the evil by punishing them and show goodness to the good and the weak. But God asked Jonah again, “Is it right for you to be angry?” He implied that Jonah was not righteous enough to judge the Ninevites or complain about what God did. Judging or showing grace is up to God’s sovereignty. We humans have no right to judge others. No one is righteous enough to condemn others. We should leave it to God because he is the only righteous one who can judge people. God is sure just. However, that is not all about God. God wanted Jonah to know God’s compassion as well.

11 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?”

Jonah was concerned about the plant that had died. He did not plant or grow it. How much more then was God concerned about 120,000 people in the city. To Jonah, they were enemies. But to God each of them was his creature to whom God bestowed his image. But they could not tell what was right or wrong. They were doomed in ignorance.

When I lived in College Park, one neighbor had a black and white dog. It was mid-sized and often wandered around unleashed. One day the dog bit a girl who was jogging. I heard that the dog attacked  another. So, the neighbors complained about it and the owner got a warning from the authority. I thought the dog should be removed. But one day I saw the dog walking with its owner. The owner really loved it, patting on its head. The owner loved even such a bad dog so much. How much more then about our children? Parents do not give up on their children even if they did bad things. Rather, parents have more compassion on their children as they get worse. Likewise, God the Creator has compassion on his creatures even if they are so bad. 120,000 are a lot. The tsunami that happened in Indonesia in 2004, took more than 120,000 lives. Though we did not know anyone there, our hearts were broken. How could God be pleased with the destruction of 120,000 lives plus many animals in Nineveh? And now the Ninevites repented at his message. God was sure happy not to bring destruction foolish to them. That is God’s compassion on humankind.

God’s compassion is well illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. The prodigal was rude, stubborn, extravagant, and hopeless. But his father still waited for him to come back. He was ready to welcome his prodigal son at any time. And when he came back in repentance, he was so happy that he restored his sonship and held a great banquet for him. The prodigal son represents all humankind, including Gentiles. And the father is our God Father.

God is compassionate. Judgment is not his ultimate purpose. He wants to save all people no matter who they are. (1 Tim 2:4) So, he also wanted to save even the Ninevites. If he deals with us according to his justice, no one can stand before him. Even Jonah himself could not have been saved. He sinned against God, disobeying God’s word. And then he faced the pain of death, which was the consequence of his sin in a sense. But he was saved by God’s grace not by his own righteousness. So were the Ninevites.

Why was he so angry? This is the key to understand because it is opposite to God’s compassion. Jonah was angry because of his self-righteousness, selfishness, and hypocrisy. Jonah was happy with his own salvation (ch. 2) but not with the salvation of the Ninevites. He was proud of himself as the covenant people and hated Gentiles. He was a sinner but he judged the Ninevites.

In fact, Jonah represented Israel. The reason God saved Israel from Egypt was not because she deserved it. No, she was not different from other pagans in God’s sight. But God had compassion on Israel and saved her. Another reason God saved Israel was that he wanted the people to assume the priestly role for other nations. But like Jonah, Israel thought that pagans, especially their enemies, must be punished. They failed to carry out God’s desire to save the world. Even worse, Israel herself was corrupt and did not repent at all.

God sent Jonah to Nineveh in part to shame Israel by the fact that the pagans they despised repented at the preaching of a stranger, whereas Israel would not repent though God sent many prophets. Ironically, Israel was destroyed soon after because she was self-righteous, selfish, and hypocritical. Likewise, when we do not learn God’s compassion, we easily become self-righteous, selfish, and hypocritical.

In that sense, our maturity and our relationship with God has to do with how much we accept and practice God’s compassion. Our joy also deeply relates to how much we have God’s compassion in us.

There may be some people we don’t like, even in the church. I disliked and judged some persons who I think did not deserve to serve the work of God. What made me angry was that they seemed to be blessed more than others while some sincere people suffered. It was hard to accept this. It was not fair. Meantime, I had an opportunity to support a child whom I did not know at all. Through this, God opened my heart wider and I could see God’s compassion on those in need and the world. I loved those who I thought were deserving – my Bible students and my children. But I was indifferent to others and even disliked some people in the church out of justice. Like me, it is easy to judge others. Yes, we should be just. But we should know God’s compassionating as well. By the way, who is righteous enough to judge others? Why are you angry with some others? Sometimes, our own justice rather can blind us and brings more troubles. Judging is God’s. God wants us to have his compassion. Learning and practicing God’s compassion will grow us truly mature as God’s children. That is why Jesus said in Luke 6:31-36,

31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

The work of God is to save people, not to judge people. And God’s compassion is the driving force for his salvation work. He knows who we are – how weak and sinful we are. We are stubborn and do not do right even if we know what is right. That is why God came down to us in flesh to show his justice and love, which was shown on the cross of Jesus.

We were saved by God’s compassion. God wants us to have compassion on any kind of people, even evil people, the people we don’t like or hate. We may have prejudice, preference, or hatred to some people. Or we may be indifferent to others, being concerned about ourselves only. But remember that we have been saved because God had compassion on us when we were his enemies.

Thank God for this New Year. We all want to grow mature. Our maturity truly comes when we have God’s compassion toward the world, especially those who do not know the gospel yet. I pray that we may learn more of God’s compassion this year. We may not have anger like Jonah’s, but we may have the same problems as Jonah’s – self-righteousness, selfishness, hypocrisy, plus indifference. If we were ignorant of those who are in need, what would God say to us? As he commanded Jonah, he is also commanding us to go and reach out to more people with God’s compassion, overcoming our prejudice, preference, and reluctance. Let’s pray that we may be after God’s heart to the world and extend our prayer and services to those are dying. May God bless you to fill your hearts with his compassion.

by David Yun