One mad preacher

The Lord answered, “What right do you have to be angry?” –Jonah 4:4 (GNT)

I see way too much of myself in Jonah. Way too much. When Jonah was given a specific assignment from God, he ran the other way. In a moment of extreme desperation, he humbled himself and worshiped. Then he grudgingly obeyed God, but he didn’t like it. With the exception of asking to be tossed overboard to save his shipmates, Jonah consistently showed himself to be obstinate, spiteful, self-serving, and angry.

Based strictly on what is recorded in scripture, he preached angry. Jonah disagreed with God that Nineveh needed any warning whatsoever, but once there, he relished delivering his message of doom. In fairness, Jonah was not alone in his fear and loathing of the Assyrians. They were well-known for their brutality, and Jonah thought they deserved whatever punishment they had coming.

Jonah started through the city, and after walking a whole day, he proclaimed, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!” –Jonah 3:4 (GNT)

Then something unexpected happened. The people of Nineveh repented and God held back His judgment. Jonah was extremely angry. “See, God, you made a liar out of me, just like I knew you would!” It almost seemed he was more concerned with looking foolish than whether or not the Ninevites survived.

His assignment complete, and God’s immediate business with Nineveh done, Jonah could have gone home. He didn’t. Instead, he built a makeshift shelter east of the city to see what would happen next. Why? Just guessing here, but I think Jonah expected the Ninevites to backslide on the commitment they’d made, at which point God would have to lower the boom. Wouldn’t He? Jonah wasn’t going to miss that show! But wouldn’t you know it – it was hot and boring waiting for Nineveh to get blasted. “Wait, what’s this? A leafy plant providing some relief! Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!”

But at dawn the next day, at God's command, a worm attacked the plant, and it died. After the sun had risen, God sent a hot east wind, and Jonah was about to faint from the heat of the sun beating down on his head. So he wished he were dead. “I am better off dead than alive,” he said. –Jonah 4:7-8 (GNT)

Once again, Jonah became angry. “Angry enough to die!” he exclaimed. Though he had had nothing to do with the introduction of the plant, his comfort and convenience had been disturbed. And that’s pretty much where Jonah’s story ends, with Nineveh standing, Jonah cursing, and God shaking His head.

The story of Jonah and the fish make for an exciting Sunday school lesson. There are themes of God’s mercy, God’s sovereignty, God’s provision, God’s patience. But another story of Jonah may be, “Don’t be a Jonah.” How often have I second-guessed God, especially in the area of who is worthy of His mercy (as if any of us were). How often have I resisted His leading? How often have I worshiped in moments of crisis, only to become frustrated when the time came to serve? How often have I valued my own reputation, comfort, and convenience over obedience? How often have I been angrily obedient, under compulsion, rather than joyfully serving with a trusting heart? Once again, I find myself in need of the tax collector’s prayer.

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” –Luke 18:13 (NIV)