Minor Prophets LIII: Jonah And The Whine

"But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah 4:1-4

Surprisingly we see Jonah is rather displeased with the mercy and grace of God. Jonah knew that God would be gracious and compassionate and Jonah became indignant. In doing this he shows his heart and mimics the general attitude of Israel at large: self-centered and self-interested with little regard or total disregard of God and his mercies. What is truly ironic is Jonah’s anger. God commands Jonah to do something to abate God’s anger. In commanding Jonah to do something to make this happen, He in turn becomes irate. It is probable that Jonah knew from Hosea and Amos that Assyria’s success and survival meant Israel’s doom. To me, Jonah’s behavior is rather amazing. He is trifling with God. This is insane.

Jonah actually has the gall to make the question-statement, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish.” In essence, he was being overtly sarcastic with God. Jonah did not want the Ninevites to survive. If Jonah knew that God would forgive then he knew what type of God he was dealing with in terms of attributes. He pushed his luck and got away with his sarcasm and surly attitude only because God was indeed forgiving and slow to anger in view of Jonah’s capriciousness. Jonah is lucky he wasn’t vaporized on the spot or turned into a pile of cinders where he stood. Praise God for being forgiving.

Because God allowed Assyria to continue to exist because they did repent solicited a suicidal request from Jonah for God to kill him. Emotionally Jonah was in a downer because God relented of His intended path of punishment. He still wanted Assyria thrashed or to be given a “beat down” but it wasn’t going to happen…so he pouted like a child that is told no by his Father.