When Things Don't Go Our Way

           The Hebrew prophet Jonah was instructed by God to go to Nineveh to warn its people that they were going to be destroyed if they did not turn to God.   Instead, Jonah ran in the opposite direction to escape from God.  Jonah was put back on God's course partly by being swallowed by a giant fish which returned him to land.  Jonah was successful in delivering his message to the Ninevites and getting them to repent and avoid God's wrath, but he was also resentful that God would save these evil people who were the enemies of Israel.  As he waited to see whether the city would be destroyed or not, God miraculously provided Jonah with a vine to shelter him from the blazing sun.   Jonah was happy to have this shade.

         But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered.   When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live."
Jonah 4:7-8 (New International Version)

        In this short book of the Bible, we see Jonah as a man who behaves in a stubborn and childish manner.  He tries to hide, he stomps and pouts when he doesn't get his way, and he becomes totally self-absorbed without gratitude for the good things he has received and angry when those he thinks are undeserving receive blessings.  Jonah was obviously missing something in the account given in this book and he clearly needed instruction from God.

         Jonah was not recognizing that God is God of all of the Earth and of all peoples.   God blessed the Israelites, but they did not hold an exclusive claim to God.  God's compassion is directed to all who repent, believe, and sincerely beseech his mercy.  God wanted to show Jonah that even the Ninevites could be worthy of His compassion just as all sinners are.   One of the steps in the learning process was to bless Jonah and then take away the blessing so that he would suffer.

         In another book of the Bible we read the story of Job, who reacts to this concept in a very different way.  Job loses family, home, property, friends, and health and eventually is much worse off than we ever see Jonah.  However, instead of insolent behavior toward God, he accepts his fate and continues to honor Him. 

         Job said:    "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart.   The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."
Job 1:21 (New International Version)

         Job got it, but when we see Jonah in today's episode we see that he has not.   Jonah was angry with God because God showed compassion to the sinful Ninevites.   And yet, Jonah has failed to see the compassion God repeatedly shows him after his disobedience and his lack of respect.  God saves Jonah from drowning by sending a big fish to carry him back to land; God saves Jonah from death inside the belly of a giant fish by causing the fish to expel Jonah onto dry land: and God shields Jonah from the discomfort of the hot desert sun by providing him shade.  Now God takes away the shade to provide a lesson.

        Jonah is going to have to have this explained directly by God, who has been extremely patient with Jonah.   Next week we will learn the lesson that God wants Jonah to understand.

       But this week we once again hear Jonah saying that he would rather die than deal with his suffering.  This leads me to a thought that may be going out on a limb a bit.  When I think about what Jonah says I think about people who are suffering with pain and sickness, or dealing with things that they find to be personal injustices, or have some other inner problem that might lead to the extreme measure of suicide.  Jonah is not suggesting that he is going to kill himself, but he wants to die because of what he is going through.

        I don't think that God wants any of us to suffer, but is there sometimes a lesson in suffering?  Do any of us have the right to end our suffering by taking our own lives?   Likewise, if we consider euthanasia, does anyone have the right to end another's suffering by ending their life?  I'm not talking about pulling the plug on life support, but I am referring to the direct action of killing another human being because they are suffering.  Should death be the domain of God alone?   I am not addressing the acts of killing in war or the death penalty, but some would show abhorrence to these actions, and yet condone acts of euthanasia or abortion.  Do we ever have the right to take a life because someone is suffering physically, emotionally, financially, or for any other reason?

 Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.


 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.


 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.


 The arrogant are attacking me, O God;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life—
men without regard for you.


 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.


 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
grant your strength to your servant
and save the son of your maidservant.


 Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.


Psalm 86:11-17 (New International Version)

Second Chances

        When Jonah disobeyed God's call to go to warn the people of Nineveh that they would be destroyed if they did not turn away from their wickedness, God showed Jonah that there was no way to hide from Him.  Jonah had boarded a ship to run far away, but after the journey had begun a huge storm threatened to destroy the ship.  Jonah was thrown overboard by the crew and swallowed by a giant fish where he remained for three days and three nights.  After Jonah's fervent prayers to God, the big fish vomited the reluctant prophet back onto the land.

       Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:  "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."
          Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days.  On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned."  The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
Jonah 3:1-5 (New International Version)

         God was not about to give up on Jonah.  Once again the Lord's command came to Jonah to go to Nineveh with the message from God.  We are not given many details about what the people of Nineveh were doing, but if we look at what is typical we can pretty well assume that they were involved with idol worship, immorality in many forms, and a general disregard for God's laws and almighty God Himself. 

          Nineveh was a city of over 120,000 people which would have been a very large city in that day.  It was a center of commerce and was a major influence in the world at that time.  The city set an example for society.   The destruction of such a great city would have been devastating.  However, a turning to God would have been a force in bringing many to recognize God's grace and mercy. 

          Despite his reluctance, Jonah successfully preached his message of warning to the people of Nineveh.  His message was so persuasive that he brought the people to their knees in repentance.  The Ninevites turned to God for the time being as a time of revival occurred in the city.

            So often we fail in our own lives as Christians, but God does not want to lose us.  God gives us many chances as we repeatedly fall into sin and come back on our knees in repentance.   Fortunately, we have the record of Jonah and the other prophets to teach us the lessons that God's people had to learn and relearn.  Even more importantly we have been given a redeemer in Jesus Christ.  We have been given the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  And like Jonah we have been instructed to carry this Good News to the ends of the earth to all who will hear.  We are sinners, but we are not doomed to eternal separation from God for He has given us a second chance through the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross.


The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.
Matthew 12:41 (New International Version)

Looking For Answers

       The prophet Jonah has been called by God to warn the people of Nineveh that they will be destroyed unless they change their ways.  Instead of heeding God's call, Jonah tries to run away in the opposite direction.   He boards a ship bound for faraway Tarshish.   The ship is beset by a huge storm that threatens to destroy the ship and kill all those on board.  The ship's crew begins to throw the cargo overboard in an attempt to save the ship and themselves.  The pagan sailors also begin to pray to their many gods.  While all of this is going on Jonah is in a deep sleep below deck.  The captain discovers Jonah and rouses him from his sleep.  The captain orders Jonah to pray as well.

       Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
       So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"
        He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."
        This terrified them and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)
Jonah 1:7-10 (New International Version)

         The casting of lots may have been somewhat akin to a drawing of names from a hat.  In any event, the outcome was the same--a name of the party who was responsible for this horrible storm was determined and that person was Jonah.  God had called Jonah and Jonah had tried to almost pretend he hadn't heard God.  But now on this confined environment of a ship on a stormy sea Jonah could no longer hide.  The captain found Jonah and asked him how he could sleep.  The captain wanted some answers.

         The frightened crew also needed answers.  They wanted to know who was responsible and Jonah's name coming up was surely not a coincidence--God's hand was in this.  God's call was not going to be ignored.  Now Jonah was in the hands of these men who needed to know who Jonah was and why they might be going to die because of him.  In this verse we read some of the questions thrust upon Jonah. 

        We also read another interesting fact:  The crew apparently already knew the answers to the questions they were asking Jonah because the verse says "he had already told them so".   The past glory of Israel was probably known to all of them and the reputation of the God of the Hebrews was also probably common knowledge.  Facing death the sailors were likely questioning their own faith and the power of this Hebrew God who controlled the seas.  In a way, their questions to Jonah were almost rhetorical.  These were questions that Jonah needed to ask himself.  Jonah needed to re-evaluate who he was and what he was supposed to be doing.  His actions of rebellion were going to not only destroy him, but also take the lives of the innocent crewmembers.

       How often do you take a personal inventory?  Who are you and are you doing what God wants you to do?   Have you ever made choices in your life that may be adversely affecting others?   Are you currently setting a bad example that may be leading others astray?


Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?
 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?
Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins?

 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.

 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say:
 "We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven.
 "You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you have slain without pity.
Lamentations 3:37-43 (New International Version)