But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Jonah 4:1-3.
Jonah the Prophet knew God and he did not like God’s dealings. He did not appreciate God showing favor to a very wicked people. As a matter of fact he so disagreed with God’s way of doing business that he risked his life by fleeing from God. Instead of obeying God, he decided to go on a cruise in the opposite direction from where God had sent him.
Well, as you probably know, it did not fare well for the legalistic prophet.
Jonah preferred to see 120,000 people wiped out and all the animals. God has a care for the animal kingdom. Noah’s ark was crowded with every reproductive pair of beasts.
And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? Jonah 4:11.
Nineveh was given an opportunity to repent and they took it. After the “swallowed by a big fish and spit out” prophet preached to them everyone including the king humbled themselves and turned to God.
And God accepted their apology.
Jonah did not want the enemy of his nation to even be given this chance to get right with God. He was not sure they would, but he was certain God would relent if they did. In the patriotic prophet’s eyes they deserved to be wiped out. Maybe. But….
For I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
What a great thing to know about God.
When you draw nigh to him, he will draw nigh to you. When you repent, he will abundantly pardon.
Ironically, Jonah himself had experienced God’s grace.
Jonah 2:1,2: Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,
2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
Jonah must have known about David.
Psalm 51:17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Another prophet, Jeremiah by name, had spoken in like manner.
Lamentations 3:22,23: It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Ah yes. Jesus touched on it too in the New Testament.
John 6:37All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Well, Jonah got one thing right.
Thou art a gracious God.
And Nineveh was saved.
You never know who will repent if they hear the message of God’s grace.
By the way, are you saved? -PJF-
Purpose! Ministries
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