Chapter 1- Jonah runs from God's request to deliver a message of judgement against the town of Nineveh. While on a ship God causes a violent storm. Sailors are fearful and confused. Upon discovering that Jonah is the cause, they ask what can be done to stop it. Jonah tells them to throw him in the sea. At first they ignore what Jonah says and continue towards the shore and I do not blame them. I would not want to throw someone into the sea knowing they would die. I would ask myself "What else can be done so that this man's death is not my responsibility?" In the end the sailors decide to throw him overboard and cry out to God "O Lord don't make us die for this man's sin. And don't hold us responsible for his death." (Jonah 1:14 NLT) As soon as they throw him overboard, the storm stops. In that moment, they receive God's mercy. The story says that they were so compelled by this that they "vowed to serve him." (Jonah 1:16 NLT)
Chapter 2- Jonah spends three days in the belly of a big fish. Three days in an unsavory environment would give you plenty of moments to reflect don't you think? In this chapter you hear directly from Jonah. He is praying and calling out to the Lord. He says "And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God's mercies. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone." (Jonah 2:7 NLT) Jonah's heart is now turned back towards God, remembering him, and prepared to be obedient. Right after Jonah says this he receives God's mercy and is released from the fish.
Chapter 3- Jonah goes to Nineveh and delivers the message of judgement. Upon hearing that in forty days their town will be destroyed everything changes for Nineveh. I find the first of God's mercies in this chapter to be in giving Nineveh forty days before destruction. Within that forty days the king of Nineveh believed God and decreed that " People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us." (Jonah 3:8,9 NLT) And with this degree and heartfelt actions, the end of the chapter shows that God extended his mercy and spared Nineveh destruction because he saw their hearts had changed.
Chapter 4- Jonah gets angry at God for being merciful. It seems that Jonah has yet another lesson to learn about God and his mercy. He admits that he knows that God is "a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people." (Jonah 4:2 NLT). But Jonah is angry that his prediction of judgement will not come to pass. It seems that Jonah's pride is hurt. It also seems to me that Jonah has put God in a box. His words say to me that Jonah thinks that his God should only extend mercy to the right people. However, God uses a plant to show Jonah the depth of his love for all people. He replies to Jonah " You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?" (Jonah 4:10,11 NLT) God's love and his mercy is extended to all that he created. He is ready to pour it on those who turn their hearts and ways towards what is pleasing in his sight.
Much of my memory of Jonah's story from my childhood Sunday school lessons focus on Jonah's disobedience to God. I always came away from that story with the thought "Oh you better obey God or he will give you some kind of consequence." I saw God as a powerful punisher. After reading today, I see him as a pursuing Savior, longing to spare us, redeem us, and extend us love and mercy. A Savior whose touch of mercy should inspire us to live a life changed for him.
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