Jonah 4: God gives Jonah a lesson in Mercy

• v.1-4 Jonah complains
• v.5-8 The Lord lays on a practical example
• v.9-11 God explains to Jonah

v.1-4 Jonah complains

v.1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 

v.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. 

v.3 Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 

v.4 But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 

[Notes: Jonah embarks on a complaining session with the Lord saying he knew that God would forgive them so his going was a waste of time. Our course God not judging them was dependent on their repentance and that could only come once they heard Jonah preaching.  His grumpy, “I wish I was dead!” simply evokes a question from the Lord. [Activity No.10 of God]

v.5-8 The Lord lays on a practical example

v.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. 

v.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. 

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

v.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.” 

[Notes: Jonah isn’t sure about what might yet happen to Nineveh so goes outside the city and settles down to watch. Now the Lord makes a leafy plant grow up while Jonah is there [Activity No.11 of God] and Jonah is blessed by the shade. However, the next day the Lord has a worm chew the plant to make it wither and remove his shade. [Activity No.11 of God] and then sends a hot wind to make Jonah even more uncomfortable. [Activity No.12 of God].

v.9-11 God explains to Jonah

v.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.” 

v.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. 

v.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?”

[Notes: The Lord then questions Jonah about feeling angry [Activity No.13 of God] and Jonah simply reiterates – yet again! – that he wished he was dead. A seriously unhappy prophet! But God doesn’t leave him there, He explains what He feels about Nineveh which makes Jonah’s petulance appear what it is – petty by comparison! [Activity No.14 of God].

Additional Comment: The fact that there are clearly a number of what can only be described as miraculous elements to this story should not make us be distracted from the big lesson of this book, a lesson declared prophetically three times by Ezekiel: “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” (Ezek 18:23 – see also 18:32 & 33:11) This little book shows the lengths to which God will go to help that come about!

The book is presented in style as factual historical record and twice Jesus referred to it as such – Mt 12:39-41 & 16:4.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: