Topical Bible: Anger: Jonah, Because the Gourd Withered

◄ Anger: Jonah, Because the Gourd Withered ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical narrative, the account of Jonah provides a profound exploration of human anger, particularly in the context of divine compassion and human expectations. Jonah, a prophet of God, is best known for his mission to the city of Nineveh, as recorded in the Book of Jonah. His anger, especially in response to the withering of a gourd, offers significant insights into the nature of anger and its spiritual implications.

Context of Jonah's Anger

Jonah's mission to Nineveh was marked by reluctance and resistance. Initially, he fled from God's command to prophesy against the city, only to be swallowed by a great fish and subsequently delivered to fulfill his task. Upon delivering God's message, the people of Nineveh repented, and God relented from the destruction He had planned for them. This act of divine mercy displeased Jonah greatly, as he had anticipated and perhaps desired the city's downfall.

The Withering of the Gourd

After Nineveh's repentance, Jonah withdrew to a place east of the city, where he constructed a shelter and waited to see what would become of Nineveh. During this time, God provided a gourd (or plant) to give Jonah shade and comfort, which pleased him greatly. However, God soon appointed a worm to attack the plant, causing it to wither. The subsequent scorching wind and sun left Jonah faint and filled with anger.

The Berean Standard Bible records Jonah's reaction: "When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint and wished to die, saying, 'It is better for me to die than to live.'" (Jonah 4:8). Jonah's anger was not only directed at the loss of the gourd but also at God's mercy towards Nineveh.

Divine Response to Jonah's Anger

God's response to Jonah's anger is both corrective and instructive. He questions Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" (Jonah 4:9). Jonah insists on his right to be angry, even to the point of death. God then contrasts Jonah's concern for the gourd, which he neither labored for nor caused to grow, with His own compassion for the great city of Nineveh, which had more than 120,000 people who could not discern their right hand from their left, as well as many animals.

Theological Implications

Jonah's anger over the withered gourd serves as a mirror to his earlier anger over Nineveh's deliverance. It reveals a heart more concerned with personal comfort and expectations than with the broader scope of God's mercy and compassion. Jonah's anger highlights the human tendency to prioritize personal grievances over divine purposes and the challenge of aligning one's heart with God's will.

The narrative invites believers to reflect on their own responses to God's actions, especially when they conflict with personal desires or expectations. It underscores the importance of understanding God's character as compassionate and merciful, even when His actions defy human logic or preference. Through Jonah's account, the Bible teaches that anger, when misaligned with God's purposes, can obscure one's understanding of divine grace and hinder spiritual growth.

Nave's Topical Index

Jonah 4:1,2,4,9
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

"Nineveh, that Great City"
... gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of ... good wrought by the preaching of
Jonah in Nineveh ... this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 22 nineveh that great.htm

Scriptural Poems; Being Several Portions of Scripture Digested ...
... gate; and many there be that Enter therein: because strait is ... God I know, Of tender
mercy, and to anger slow, Of ... and ease him of his grief; And Jonah was right ...
/.../scriptural poems being several portions.htm