“And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” – Jonah 4:9
When our son was in Kindergarten, he loved to watch the animated Christian series, “Veggie Tales.” As most parents know, children memorize and mimic lines from shows and movies they repeatedly watch at that age.
In P.E. class one day, our son was having a difficult time mastering a skill. Out of embarrassment and frustration, he exclaimed, “I would be better off dead!”
We received a concerned phone call from the school shortly thereafter. Worried staff heard his cry and hurried him into the counselor’s office for a talk and an evaluation. We humbly thanked the school staff for all they had done, and had to sheepishly admit that our son repeated a line he had heard from the “Veggie Tales: Jonah and the Whale” movie.
The situation gave my husband and me an opportunity to speak with our son about how and why his exclamation worried the school staff. In our son’s annoyance at his inability to quickly master a new physical skill, “I would be better off dead!” perfectly conveyed how he felt through observing the “Veggie Tales” version of “Jonah and the Whale”…
…for Jonah had allowed every implied injustice and every provocation to sink him to a dramatically low place.
When the story of Jonah is told to children, the focus tends to be on the whale (although the Bible refers to the “whale” as a big fish.) It’s a wonderful analogy to help children and new believers recognize that disobedience to God can have consequences.
But the continued focus on whether or not a fish could be large enough to swallow a grown man distracts from the deeper purpose of the story of Jonah.
Jonah was an Old Testament prophet of Israel. Nineveh was the flourishing capital of the Assyrian Empire. From a historical perspective, Israel and Nineveh were sworn enemies.
Jonah was chosen and called by God. “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:2)
Moses debated his calling because he did not feel he was a strong enough orator to speak on behalf of the Lord. But Jonah fled from God’s calling because he did not believe the wicked people of Nineveh were worthy of repentance or salvation.
Jonah decided to sail to Tarshish to flee from God. In Jonah 1:5, we learn that while a storm raged on the sea, Jonah was in a deep slumber below deck. Jonah literally lost no sleep over his decision to avoid what the Lord asked him to do.
Jonah asked the sailors to throw him overboard once he realized he was the reason for the storm, because of his disobedience to God. The great fish enters the picture in Jonah 1:17: “Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”
The entire second chapter focuses on Jonah crying out to the Lord for help. Jonah’s prayer centers around reminding God of His goodness, His power, and His mercy. Jonah tells God that wicked people cling to false idols, but that he recognizes his “salvation comes from the Lord.” (Jonah 2:9)
When God commanded the large fish to spit Jonah onto dry land, Jonah traveled to Nineveh as the Lord asked him to. In Jonah 3:4, we read, “Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Jonah’s message was convincing. The king and the people of Nineveh believed him; they fasted, put on sackcloth, and repented in response. (Wearing sackcloth was a sign of submission in Biblical times.)
In Jonah 3:10, we read, “When God saw what they (the people of Nineveh) did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.”
“But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.” (Jonah 4:1.) Instead of admitting that he did not believe the people of Nineveh were worthy of salvation, Jonah tried to turn the tables on God. He exclaimed that since God is merciful and benevolent and would have spared the people of Nineveh anyways, why uproot Jonah from his home and send him in the first place?
Jonah used this opportunity to make an excuse for his disobedience: “That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish.” (Jonah 4:2) Jonah is so distraught over the outcome of his circumstances that he asked the Lord to take away his life.
“Is it right for you to be angry?” God asks Jonah in 4:4.
Jonah does not respond, but rather ventured outside of the city and erected a shelter. God provided him with a shady plant to ease his discomfort, which made Jonah happy. When a worm ate the plant the next morning and the sun began to scorch Jonah, Jonah again asked for death.
“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. 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 4:10-11)
Despite his hardened heart, God showed mercy to Jonah. Although Jonah struggled to love others, he recognized and honored the Lord as the One True God. The Bible provides no other information about the remainder of Jonah’s life after this point. Whether Jonah remained a virulent man after Nineveh’s salvation is unknown.
If Jonah would end up depressed, bitter, and angry because he disagreed with God’s decision, why then choose Jonah to be a messenger in the first place?
I would venture that despite Jonah’s emotional immaturity, his judgmental nature, and his selfishness, Jonah possessed the spiritual gift of persuasion through speech.
With the power of his words, Jonah convinced the king and the people of a wicked city to repent and turn away from their sinful ways.
Nineveh needed Jonah. They needed someone who could deliver an urgent message in such a mighty way there would be no doubt of the power behind it.
God desired for the people of Nineveh, like He desires for all people, to have an opportunity for salvation. Over one hundred and twenty thousand lost souls resided there. God needed someone influential enough to convince an entire city that destruction was imminent unless they repented and changed their ways.
The story of Jonah reminds us that we cannot outrun God. For those of us who are Christ-seekers and Christ-followers, our disobedience to God has consequences. Our Father has specific promises for those who are obedient to Him.
“The Lord watches over those who obey Him…” (Psalm 33:18)
“We have confidence before God and receive from Him what we ask, because we keep His commands…” (1 John 3:21-22)
The story of Jonah reminds us that God created each of us with an amazing purpose and with unique spiritual gifts. We are encouraged to let our light shine before others so they may recognize God in us.
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
The story of Jonah reminds us that we, as fellow human beings, are not the judge and jury of the salvation of others.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way, you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2)
“For I (Jesus) did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” (John 12:47)
Very few of us will be called to travel to a distant and potentially dangerous region to preach about the Lord.
But there may still be small Ninevehs we are avoiding.
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:12-13)
“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:13-14)
“And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
For those who crave justice and fairness, knowing that God will show mercy and forgiveness to all sinners can be challenging. For we judge one another with a measuring stick. (“My sin may be bad, but it’s not as bad as theirs!”)
But God judges with a scale. On one side is an imperfect human, and on the other side is Christ, perfect and blameless. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23.) But graciously, for those of us who have given our lives to Christ, God does not see our sins when He looks upon us; He only sees His son.
“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Jonah may have possessed the talent which helped to save Nineveh, but God possessed the love for the people. The same love He has for us today.
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)