The story of Jonah is bittersweet. The city of Nineveh is exceedingly wicked the Bible tells us. So God calls Jonah to be prophet to them and tell them that if they do not repent of their sins God will bring judgement upon the city and destroy them. But who would want to go there? Nineveh was a place full of murder and theft, and all kinds of sin. So Jonah fled from God. He thought, just like Adam and Eve, just like us sometimes, that he could hide from God. But verse 4 tells us otherwise. Jonah sailed on a boat to Tarshish instead, and God sent a severe storm upon them. Jonah immediately recognizes God was punishing him and knew they would die if nothing was done. So Jonah had the people on the boat throw him overboard, and the storm ceased. Jonah was swallowed by a huge fish or whale, whatever it was. A creature sent by God to bring Jonah to Nineveh. Inside the fish, Jonah prayed and repented. He was spat out and went to Nineveh to preach of the coming judgement. The people of the city repented of their sins. Wonderful, right? Well, this is where the bittersweet part comes in. Jonah was angry. He thought God would judge them no matter what. He thought it was unfair for them to live. So in chapter 4 God makes this sort of lecture and the book ends on a question as if letting the reader choose what it right. God uses a plant to help with His point. Jonah sat in the hot sun, and after complaining to God, He grew a plant to shade him. Then it withered, and Jonah complained more. He says he has all the right to be angry, even to die. But this is where the big question comes in. God tells Jonah that he pitied the plant even though he didn't water it or do anything to make it grow. So He asks him rhetorically, should He not pity the city of Nineveh who's people did not know right from wrong. What do you think? Was Jonah right to be angry or even to disobey in the first place? Or was God right about pitying the city? The lesson I get from this book is that God loves the whole world, not just the Jews. Gentiles are cared for just as much as the Israelites. I also see that I cannot hide from God and that disobedience results in judgement. We do not learn what Jonah thought or did after that. But we learn more about what Nineveh did. In Nahum we learn that it disobeyed God and turned back to sin. In chapter 2 we read that God destroys them.
Friend, we are Gentiles. We do not deserve God's forgiveness. Even Israel lost that worthiness. But to both the Jews and the Gentiles He still loves and made a way of salvation. We were dead in our sins, unworthy to be His, but by the blood of Christ, we are made worthy!
Unworthy, But Made Worthy
I am a wretched man,
A sinner with a horrible stench,
No one for help, but He can!
I am not worthy to have love like a wrench,
A wrench that makes me, the bolt tighten.
Unworthy, unworthy of his care,
Unworthy, unworthy for sin to be a lighten!
Unworthy to be saved and His eyes stare,
The savior staring at me,
For the blood gave, me he bought!
How can this be!
When I fall, it is me he caught,
Unworthy, but He made me worthy!
By Daniel Swaim
We also learn that God's ways are different than ours. His thoughts as well. Jonah thought Nineveh deserved judgement, but God had different plans. Of course, Nineveh was eventually destroyed because they strayed from Him.
Your Ways
Your ways are not my ways, O Lord,
Nor Your thoughts my thoughts.
Your ways are love and mercy,
And Your thoughts of beauty and wonder.
But sin, bloodshed, shame, are all my ways,
Likewise, my thoughts evil.
But is it not Your hands that carry the clay?
It is my hands that are filthy with guilt and shame.
Potter, mold me into Your character.
My sin may be many, but Your mercy and love are infinite.
Help Your ways to be my ways,
And Your thoughts my thoughts!
By Daniel Swaim
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