Jonah 4:1-4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.… But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry, etc. This is not a wholly unexpected manifestation of character in Jonah. His was evidently a strange character, full of contradictory elements. A prophet of the Lord, who can yet run away from his work - influenced by high considerations in the main, yet yielding to a low desire for personal comfort - can sleep in a storm while pagans are at prayer - yet susceptible of profound contrition and repentance - frankly owns himself the cause of the storm - had ignominiously consulted for his comfort, but now generously sacrifices his life - in depth of his humiliation becomes wonderfully penitent, trustful, and obedient. Notwithstanding these contradictions, we should, perhaps, hardly have expected another outbreak of his lower nature, after so striking a Divine discipline and subjugation, and so remarkable a display of honesty, courage, self-sacrifice: it is a surprise to find him again quarrelling with God's appointment, discontented, hard, unmerciful, excited and grieved at the respite of Nineveh. There is a certain inconstancy in impulsive natures; there is a desperate activity of the lower propensities; hence our need of Divine guidance, a continual need - alone is able to keep the very best from falling. "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." I. JONAH'S DISPLEASURE. (Ver. 10 Proposed change of translation, making words to express grief rather than resentment, is hardly called for. Evidently Jonah lost self-control, and gave way to violent excitement. Here is another proof of the honesty of Bible narrative. It gives a faithful picture of human infirmity - "the law of sin in the members warring against the law of the mind." It would be a very untrue representation if faults corrected once, even by God, were represented as subdued forever. The most distressing experience of true Christians is the renewed activity of their infirmities and corruptions even after profound humiliation and true contrition. "Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me" (Psalm 19:12, 13). II. REASON ASSIGNED FOR IT. (Ver. 2.) God too merciful - his mercy on this occasion judged out of place. Jonah's truthfulness as a prophet seemed to be compromised; he was made to appear foolish in the eyes of men - the whole of the painful experience he had gone through shown to be unnecessary; he would have to return home without bringing word to his people of the great catastrophe by which they would have been compelled to regard God's will. Jonah finds confirmation of the thought that had influenced him at first - God too merciful to inflict great judgments; he seems to find a reason for his original rebellion, and, with irreverent honesty, vindicates himself before God. A very great aggravation of his sin, that what he disliked in God was his graciousness to sinners. The mood of mind which Jonah is represented as expressing openly often has a lurking existence, not less mischievous because half concealed. Mercy of God is sometimes thought to be excessive. So thought Jews when Gentiles were to be admitted to Christian Church. Possibly this transaction was designed to foreshadow that event - Jonah's strong feeling a foreshadow of narrow Jewish jealousy. On a wider theatre, man's terrible selfishness is apt to prevail even over all considerations of mercy; for instance, a merchant interested in fall of price of grain is apt to be grieved for good weather and plentiful harvest - the heir of a rich man (possibly of his father) disappointed when he recovers from serious illness - the heart is apt to grieve at the good of a neighbour, especially of a rival - some one has said, "There is something even in the troubles of our friends which is not altogether displeasing to us" - a state of war is sometimes desired because of impulse to be given to certain branches of trade: in all such cases, the aspect of selfishness is simply hideous - men may well shrink from looking at such pictures of themselves - yet such feelings are by no means uncommon. What surprises in case of Jonah is that, after showing himself a very paragon of self-sacrifice, the selfish feeling should have been so strong, and that he should have given such open expression to it. III. JONAH'S PRAYER. (Ver. 3.) He asked to be relieved of his life, which had become too burdensome to him. See here the sad prevalence of carnal spirit - no acknowledgment of higher wisdom of God, of the way in which good might be brought by him out of what seemed to Jonah to be evil. See, too, the sinfulness of a despairing spirit in servant of God - not unnatural in men of world - complications and miseries may arise which overwhelm - misery may be too absolute to bear, and every succeeding step may only aggravate it - dreadful condition of human spirit when absolute misery closes upon it, Such should never be the condition of a servant of God while in possession of his reason - sense of Divine providence, and assurance of protection and guidance should repel it - it is unbelieving men that ask, "Is life worth living?" Unbelief and suicide go together. Observe, in Jonah's case, effect of tolerated sin on his spiritual condition - he loses trust in God - does not see how God can save him even from himself - makes no such request, but only asks him to take away his life. Sometimes it seems so impossible to do right, that we are willing to give up all in despair. "If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" IV. GOD'S REMONSTRANCE. (Ver. 4.) Doest thou well to be angry? Oh the gentleness of the Divine method! - Jonah's thoughts are thrown in upon himself - no Divine denunciation, but Jonah made, as it were, judge in his own case, asked to sit over himself and say if his feeling was right. Resemblance of this to the method of our Lord - his way of putting questions, compelling thought, and constraining a just decision. See his method of dealing with Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:42). Facility with which God may judge us, by making us judges of ourselves. Difference of our actions as regarded by us, and as seen from God's point of view. It is from God's point of view their criminality is most clearly shown. Hence the sense of unworthiness we feel when we bend the knee, and pour out our spirit before God at night. The actions that at the time seemed right enough assume aspect of sin when looked at, as it were, with God's eyes. In the present case no such effect was made on Jonah; he himself comes before God in sullen, selfish spirit. Even God's question does not subdue him. Summing up the sins of Jonah's spirit in this transaction, we notice: 1. His limiting God. There was but one way, in his view, in which the right thing could be done. Nineveh must be destroyed. To that he had made up his mind, and his whole moral nature was shaken when it appeared that God had another way. 2. His refusing to believe in the efficacy of Divine forbearance. Rough methods of dealing alone are believed in by many - slaves treated with fearful violence - the terrors of the Inquisition brought down on heretics - offence of many at the clemency of Lord Canning after Indian Mutiny - Ireland must be scourged with fire and sword - scoundrels, said Carlyle, must suffer the unmitigated doom of scoundrels. God's methods more merciful - he seeks to win, to humble, to reclaim, to convert. 3. His readiness to sacrifice a vast community to carry out his own idea. His want of regard for human life - a common feeling of the time - in Jonah's view all that vast mass of life was not to be considered, provided a blow was struck that would vindicate his authority, and impress his people. 4. Impatience of spirit, giving birth to rash desires and prayers. Loss of self-control is a very humiliating experience in one who desires to be a servant of God. "He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:32). But "he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls" (Proverbs 25:28). How unlike Jonah was now to what he had been before! - W.G.B. Parallel Verses KJV: But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. |
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