Jonah

Jonah thought he could run away from God when God asked him go to Nineveh. God’s hurling the storm, sailors tossing ballast from the ship, and Jonah being cast into the sea, he was swallowed by a big fish. Jonah prayed to God, God commands the fish to vomit Jonah out. God again asked Jonah to go to Nineveh. When Jonah proclaimed the message that God would destroy Nineveh the people and king of Nineveh repented. God changed his mind when he saw their change of hearts. Jonah was angry. He claimed that because he knew God was a merciful and gracious God, he had not wanted to go to Nineveh the first time. He then left the city and makes a shelter, waiting to see whether or not the city will be destroyed. Jonah 4:6-8 The Lord God appointed a tree, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the tree. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the tree, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” As God reminded Jonah, Jonah did nothing for the bush. He did not plant it, nurture it, labor over it. It came in the night and died the next. But, God created and cared for the people and animals of Ninevah because they were his children and creation. Response to God’s Mercy and Grace The sailors, captain, king, nobles, citizens of Nineveh responded to God’s mercy. They were saved. Jonah became angry. The challenge of the book of Jonah for unbelievers is to trust God and believe the gospel. The challenge for believers is to rejoice in God’s salvation and His goodness. God demonstrated His ultimate mercy and grace in sending His Son to die for our sins and rising from the dead so we might have life and enjoy His fellowship forever. This mercy is available for everyone.