What About You? Jonah Conclusion

Jonah 4:4, 10-11
4 And the LORD said, “Do you do well to be angry?”

10 And the LORD said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” (ESV)

Questions to Consider
1. What is the story of Jonah about?
2. What can you learn from Jonah’s story?

Food For Thought
Is the story of Jonah just about his encounter with the fish?

The story of Jonah is about you. It’s designed to make the reader think about their own life, their own thoughts, and their own deep-hidden resentments. As beautiful a picture as salvation through the belly of a whale is, it’s only a minor part of the story. Why did Jonah end up in the whale in the first place? He tried to run from God. Why did Jonah run from God? Because he didn’t want God to save the Ninevites. Jonah’s inward disposition, his inner “evil,” becomes the focal point of the story.

How great is it that the God who created us still cares enough to be involved in our lives? The message of Jonah is that we too should care for people. We should see others as God sees them. Jonah had to learn the hard way that his attitude was not aligned with God’s attitude.

Moment of Reflection
1. How do you view other people?
2. How do you view other people who no one else likes?
3. What can you do to change your attitude?

There are of course many things we can do to have an attitude like God’s. Here are just a few suggestions:
1. Pray for God to give you a heart like his.
2. Understand your position as a sinner saved by grace through the death of Christ.
3. Think of people you struggle to have compassion on/love/be friendly towards.
4. Plan one practical thing you can to do change (e.g. maybe just giving someone a call).

Closing Prayer
Father, help me to learn from Jonah, and help me to be like you. Amen.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey

Next week we’ll be starting a new series on Ephesians. Won’t you join us? (And invite a friend to join us too!)

What A Way to End

Review of Jonah 3 and 4

Questions to Consider
1. Did Jonah do what he promised while he was in the fish?
2. Now at the end of the story, how would you describe Jonah?

Food For Thought
We said at the conclusion to chapters one and two that Jonah is inconsistent. Has he changed? No, I don’t think he has. Not only have we seen Jonah’s true colors (his disdain for the Ninevites), but we’ve seen that he still says he wants to die but complains when God tries to help him live.

If you’re puzzled by the way the narrative ends, you’re not alone. The story simply stops after God asks Jonah a question. What did Jonah say? What happened to the Ninevites? We’re not told in the story. For most of us, that leaves us in angst. We must remember: that is the point. The narrator leaves us in suspense of the outcome because he wants you to stop and reflect on your own life. God is still asking us, does he have the right to have pity on his creation?

Of course God is justified in his actions, but is Jonah? No, I think we can all see the fact that he missed the point God was trying to make. But are we justified in our actions? The story of an inconsistent prophet ends abruptly, forcing us to take stock of our own lives. And tomorrow, this is how we will wrap up the entire book.

Moment of Reflection
1. If you were Jonah, what would you have done differently?
2. If you had the opportunity to “coach” Jonah through his lesson, what would you tell him?

Closing Prayer
Father, help me begin to examine my own life, and give me the courage to change those things which will need changing. Amen.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey

The Pouting Prophet

Jonah 4:4-11
4 And the LORD said, “Do you do well to be angry?” 5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.

6 Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.”

10 And the LORD said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” (ESV)

Questions to Consider
1. What did Jonah do after God relented?
2. Why did God send the plant?

Food For Thought
The narrative now focuses solely upon Jonah. After walking out to a hill overlooking Nineveh, Jonah builds himself a hut and waits for God to do something. But God didn’t do anything to the city, he gives Jonah an “object lesson” by means of a plant. The plant was designed to ease Jonah’s “discomfort.” This is the same word used throughout the book which also means “evil,” leading us to conclude God doesn’t want to just ease Jonah’s physical pain (the blazing sun) but God wants to deal with Jonah’s inward evil (his resentment).

Jonah has “tried” to die several times already. But here, he is upset again because his God-given shade doesn’t last. It would make sense-if Jonah wanted to die-to stand in the sun, but to be upset about the lack of shade only demonstrates Jonah’s lack of consistency. The stage is set for God’s final lesson.

God made the plant. God made the worm. God made the great city of Nineveh. The plant is small. The worm is small. The great city of Nineveh is big. See the irony in Jonah’s statement? Jonah did nothing about the plant, but he is upset when it’s gone. God has every right to be upset about the prospect of something as great as Nineveh-which he made-being destroyed. Unlike Jonah, God cares for his creation and he desires their obedience and repentance.

Moment of Reflection
1. Do you value the things God values?
2. If you asked those close to you, what would they say?

Closing Prayer
Father, I admit my priorities are often misplaced and I fail to love those whom you love. Help me to think, feel, and especially act just like you. Amen.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey

Finally Some Answers

Jonah 4:1-3
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” (ESV)

Questions to Consider
1. What was Jonah’s response to God’s act of mercy?
2. Why did Jonah respond this way?

Food For Thought
That narrator has kept us guessing as to why Jonah fled the call of God back in chapter one. But no more. God’s graceful act of forgiveness triggers deep anger in Jonah. Ironically, Jonah now prays to God and complains about the present situation. Why did Jonah try to flee from God’s call? Because Jonah knows who God is.

Jonah understands God’s character is one of mercy, slowness of anger, and love. God is described the same way in other Old Testament passages (e.g. Psalm 86:15; Joel 2:13; Micah 7:8). But Jonah does not praise God for these attributes. Instead Jonah views these attributes negatively in relation to his present circumstance. Jonah uses these qualities in almost a mocking fashion. Jonah didn’t respond to the call because he wanted God to destroy the Ninevites. Jonah’s strong prejudice has muddied his character. Jonah knew if he preached to the Ninevites (which he finally did), and the Ninevites repented (they did), chances are God would relent of his disaster (yep, he did).

Jonah is so upset, he wants to die. The last time Jonah wanted to die (chapter one), he changed his mind when it actually came to dying. God is not through with Jonah; he’s got more to teach him.

Moment of Reflection
1. Do you harbor ill feelings towards others? Do you wish others would fail?
2. If God was to work in that person’s life, how would you feel?

Closing Prayer
Father, I admit I fail to love as you love. Help me to examine my heart and show me how to live and forgive like you. Amen.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey

From the Bottom Up

Jonah 3:5-10
5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. 6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. (ESV)

Questions to Consider
1. Who was the first to respond to Jonah’s message?
2. What was the king’s attitude?
3. What did God do?

Food For Thought
Leadership is often about setting an example that those you are leading can follow. But when Jonah preaches, it is the peasants who respond first. Word spreads quickly about the prophet preaching imminent destruction in the city and it reaches the king. We might think the king would have reacted harshly (and perhaps violently) to a message like this. But instead, the king follows suit and repents himself.

Furthermore, the king makes it mandatory that everyone (including the animals) repent. (Can you imagine your dog lying around in ashes and wearing a brown paper bag?) The king’s attitude is often found in the Old Testament. “Who knows,” he says, “God may save us… or he may not,” (see 1 Samuel 14:6; 2 Samuel 12:22). The theme of “evil” shows back up again (remember our discussion in chapter one). Will God forgive the Ninevites for their moral evil?

God forgave even these wicked people. The stage is now set for the final showdown in chapter four. We will see just how “great” a city Nineveh was, and the real reason God sent Jonah to preach.

Moment of Reflection
1. When God calls, do you respond? Always?
2. If you asked your wife, a friend, or your family, would they know you’ve responded to God’s call on your life?
3. Think about your relationships (as father/husband/son/friend). Are you able to lead others in responding to God?

Closing Prayer
Father, help me to not only respond to your call, but to lead others in following you as well. Let me lead well and encourage my family to have faith in you. Thank you for the forgiveness you gave through the death of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

By: Curtis W. Lindsey