Jonah 4:1-11 Sour Grapes
When Jonah saw the people of Nineveh repenting, he KNEW in his heart what God was going to do. Jonah was ‘eating sour grapes’; he was disgusted that God would relent on His judgment.
I was wondering about Jonah earlier and how he would know what the Lord did with the people of Nineveh. The king didn’t KNOW for certain if their actions of repentance would soften God’s hand. It appears that Jonah didn’t tell them God’s decision either. Jonah already KNEW in his heart what God would do, but he stuck around to watch.
Nineveh was given 40 days to get themselves in order. We aren’t told how long Jonah preached in the city, but he CERTAINLY saw the change in the people. This made him angry. For some reason, he wanted them punished. Watching them repent was like eating sour grapes; it left a bad taste in his mouth.
As Jonah watched the change in the people he prayed to God, NOT on the people’s behalf but on his own. “I KNEW IT ALL ALONG!” he shouts at God. This is EXACTLY why I didn’t want to come here in the first place. I KNEW You would forgive them and make ME look like the fool for saying judgment was coming! KILL me now! I don’t want to have to live to see this.” Apparently, Jonah didn’t want them forgiven.
God asked Jonah if he was angry. Jonah didn’t answer. He went outside the city to wait.
Just in case, Jonah made sure to leave the city before the 40 days were up. He didn’t want to be caught in the line of fire IF God decided to hold fast to His judgment. Jonah went outside the city and built himself a place to ‘watch the action’ from. He wasn’t going to leave until he knew one way or the other what would happen to this city God sent him to. Not because he cared about them but because he wanted to see them suffer.
While Jonah waited in the “booth” or lean-to he constructed, God decided he needed an object lesson. What better way to teach him than through a physical object lesson.
God caused a plant to spring up overnight to provide shade for Jonah during his vigil. Jonah was VERY pleased to accept the plant’s protection. I’m sure he stayed in the shadow of that plant ALL DAY. He would move as the sun moved, keeping himself cool all day. Did Jonah thank God for that plant, even once? I’m going to guess that he probably didn’t. He enjoyed its shade but thought no more of it than what it could provide for him.
Jonah only had the plant for one day, but he ‘got attached’ to it. Part II of his lesson was ready. God destroyed the plant overnight. When morning dawned and Jonah took a look around, he noticed that his plant was missing. He was not happy about it, but still, he sat down l to watch. That wasn’t enough to make him give up his vigil, yet. He was determined to stick around and watch what happened on day 40.
God wasn’t done with His lesson yet. Here sits Jonah. Angry that God would relent. Hot because his shade has been removed. And now comes a hot dry wind off the desert to ‘torment’ him! “That’s it! I’ve had it!!! Just let me DIE!”
God asks Jonah a question the second time. This time God got specific. “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” (verse 9b).
“Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die” (verse 9c). In other words, OF COURSE I’m angry about the plant. It was MY plant and You took it! I’m mad enough to chew nails and spit thumbtacks!!! You might as well kill me now! I don’t want to live in a world so unfair as this!!!”
“Seriously Jonah? ‘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’” (verse 10a). And NOW comes the ‘kicker’! “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?” (verse 10b).
Jonah was angry because God had pity on a people JONAH deemed ‘unworthy’. God said that they didn’t know better. This HAD to have struck Jonah right between the eyes, as God was showing pity on Israel who DID know better. Who had thrown away His love. Even Jonah had thrown away his relationship with God when he ran from God’s call. Was God prompting Jonah to remember how He had pity on Jonah, by making sure he survived his sin and came back in right relationship with God? Did Jonah ‘connect the dots’?
We don’t see Jonah’s answer or his reaction. We are left to ponder what we would do in Jonah’s place. Have we been angry because we se someone ‘blessed’ when we felt they didn’t deserve it? Have we been so angry with another person that we ask God to punish them? Bigger still, have we held unforgiveness in our hearts against another because we didn’t think they SHOULD BE forgiven; while still asking God to forgive our sins? Jonah was forgiven his. But he was angry when God forgave Nineveh.
Jesus laid it out plainly for His disciples, after teaching them to pray. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15). This one hits us ‘right between the eyes’ and I’m sure, has Jonah’s name hidden in it.
Father God, help me to forgive. Even those who NEVER ask for forgiveness. I’m CERTAIN they have NEVER treated me as shamefully as I have treated You; by laying ALL my faults on Jesus’ shoulders. Jesus even forgave the soldiers who were crucifying Him. NOT after they asked for forgiveness, but as they were still in the process. THAT’S LOVE!!! Let me show that kind of love too Father. NOT that I want to EVER find myself in a similar situation, but that I want to give forgiveness, even to those who are still hurting me.
