"But the Lord replied, “Have you any right to
be angry?”"
Jonah 4:4 (NIV1984)
The book
of Jonah leaves us hanging. Did Jonah repent of his unforgiving, callous
attitude towards these people whom God had compassion on? We don’t know!
I can understand
Jonah’s anger. The Assyrian people did terrible things to the Jewish people.
Historians and rock carvings tell us that the Assyrians took torture of
captives to a terrible level. No doubt Jonah’s hatred of the people of Nineveh
was based on some of these atrocities.
If you think that I am being harsh by
using the word hatred, read through the book again; I think the word aptly
describes his actions and attitude. Instead of marveling at the power of the
good news of repentance in these pagan’s lives, Jonah preferred death to seeing
these people spared. Instead of rejoicing that God is a compassionate God who
loves all people, Jonah became angry.
Friend, what a sad state this man of God
was in! He was trapped inside a bad attitude! This question is one we should ask
ourselves, when we find ourselves begrudging God’s mercy on certain
individuals. The answer is, 'I have no right to be angry, I have been forgiven
myself, and am but a fellow sinner saved by the grace of an all-loving God!'
Friend, the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son, was in the same
trap as Jonah. Beware!
May we, this day, accept this trustworthy statement of
Paul, Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1
Timothy 1:15)
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