WK 45 JONAH III: THE UNHAPPY MISSIONARY

JONAH III: THE UNHAPPY MISSIONARY
SCRIPTURE LESSONS: JONAH 4:1-11
JONAH 4:11 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.
2 He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to tar shish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.
3 Now, O LORD, take away my life, it is better for me to die than to live.”
4 But the LORD, replied, “Have you any right to be angry? “
5 Jonah went out and sat down at a place east o the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.
6 Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine.
7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered
8 When the sun arose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live. “
9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you have a right to be angry about this vine? “ “I do,” he said.” I am angry enough to die.”
10 But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.
11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city? “

INTRODUCTION
In response to the preaching of Jonah, the people of Nineveh turned to God in repentance. The people were therefore spared the impending judgment. That should have caused Jonah to shout “Praise the Lord “instead Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry (Jh 4:1). He launched into prayer to complain to God. In the prayer Jonah revealed why he had fled to tar shish. He acknowledged God as a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity (Jon 4:2). In other words Jonah was saying to God, “I knew you would do this. I was sure you would manifest your love to the Ninevites in such away that they could resist you.” After all that Jonah had been through and his experience of the love and mercy of God, one would have thought that he would not fail show concern for those who needed a life changing experience with the Lord.

Why Jonah Complained
Prejudice and selfishness blinded Jonah’s spiritual vision, causing him to complain against God rather than praise him. Such a negative attitude could only result in a state of depression and misery which caused the prophet to pray: Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live (Jh 4:3). He would rather die than to live to see the Ninevites pardoned by God. It was quite obvious that Jonah had broken fellowship with God because of his prejudice and anger

In the days following the revival in Nineveh. Thousands had repented and turned to the Lord, but spiritually they were newborn babes who needed guidance and teaching in spiritual and moral matters. They were like sheep without a shepherd. Jonah was the shepherd but he had deserted them in that crucial time of need. He settled outside the city in the little shelter he had made, apparently to wait and see what would become of the city. In spite of the revival, Jonah was hoping that God would pour his judgment on the city. By following his selfish desires Jonah still expected doom for the city.

Misplaced Affection Jonah
He was more concerned with his comfort zone than the fate of the city. Jonah’s selfishness led him to have compassion for a vine which grew up overnight and died overnight. Just because it had sheltered him and made him comfortable and glad, he became more concerned about it. Jonah’s affection had been misplaced. The Lord compared Jonah’s compassion for the vine with his own compassion toward the people of Nineveh. The prophet should have realized that Nineveh was not just a plant springing up overnight, but a great city with people and even animals precious to the Lord.

The Ninevites experienced God’s fatherly compassion and concern which extended even to animals. The commission God gave to Jonah displayed his mercy and passion to the Ninevites, and God’s final word to Jonah emphatically proclaimed his concern for every creature. Really God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires rather that they turn from their ways and live (Ezek 33:11: 18:21-23).

Jonah and his countrymen traditionally rejoiced in God’s special mercies to Israel but wished only his wrath on their enemies. In the end God rebuked such heartless and selfish attitude and declared his “gracious benevolence”. The mercy, as well as the sovereignty of God is projected.

Why Jonah was angry
Some claim that Jonah was angry because
His experiences had brought him to the point of nervous exhaustion and extreme irritability.
The salvation of Nineveh meant the future destruction of Israel.
Jonah’s pride was hurt, his dignity offended. God had made a fool of him and he had become a laughingstock.
His reputation as a prophet was irreparably damaged. Surely he would be called a false prophet, a liar, a deceiver, and would be ridiculed and denounced for prophesying something which did not occur.

In spite of the above suggestions it may be concluded that Jonah’s anger was caused by the frustration of his own will. It was his own anger that made him miserable. He was angry that God would have compassion on an enemy of Israel. He wanted God’s goodness to be shown only to Israel not to Gentiles.

THE WORD IN OUR LIVES
One cannot help feeling sorry for Jonah. It seems ridiculous to see the prophet of God in grief and dejection because an ungodly nation had turned to the Lord. But this sin is not uncommon today. There have been instances of rivalry and cold war between evangelists and pastors. One becomes disturbed because the other is being used in greater way to lead souls to Christ. Sometimes some pastors become jealous of one another as God seems to exercise a greater measure of usefulness through one man than he does through another. We are familiar with instances of lay men and women on fire for God, winning souls for Christ, while others stand back and criticize.

At the root of all this is the sin of jealousy. Jonah was jealous because the people of Nineveh, who had been hated and despised by the Jews for their extreme wickedness and idolatry, were now standing equal with the Jews in their worship of the one supreme God. It is difficult to understand why a true follower of God can be jealous because an unbeliever has come to believe and serve the Lord. Jealous stamps out concern for others, leaving room only for love of self. The jealous heart is completely insensible to the love of God. The heart devoid of God’s love is without a burden and concern for the lost. It has no vision or purpose. The Lord Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) and so soul winning must be the principal interest of all believes in Christ.

Consider the appeal of the following hymn: MHB 338 CAN 99
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.

Discussion Questions
Compare Jonah’s attitude with that of the attitude of the older son in the parables of the lost son in Luke 15:11-31. What are the similarities? Assess the prevalence of this attitude in the church.
Why do some believers become jealous when God’s favour is poured on those who in their thinking do not deserve it? How can we avoid this?
The story of Jonah ends with God’s concern for the great city of Nineveh (Jonah 4:11). What is the implication of this for ministry in the urban areas?
Discuss what your church or bible study group can do about the salvation of the people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, who live in your village, town or city.
Today’s lesson teaches also that Christians should rejoice in all that is good, even if it does not benefit them directly. Give examples of such instances in the life of your church or community.

BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION
This week think about an unbeliever in your community. Pray for the person, and share with him/her what Christ means to you. Discuss your experience with your study group.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Monday Jonah 4:1-11
Tuesday Ezekiel 18:21-23
Wednesday Ezekiel 33:1-11
Thursday Psalm 37:1-10
Friday Luke 15:1-7
Saturday Luke 15:8-10
Sunday Luke 15: 11-31