Best of Both WorldsBest of Both Worlds

““His divine power has granted to us all things His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to that pertain to lifelife and and godlinessgodliness, through the , through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,” (2 Pet 1:3 ESV)and excellence,” (2 Pet 1:3 ESV)

God’s Simple RequestGod’s Simple Request

…“…“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”me.” (Jonah 1:2) (Jonah 1:2)•ProdigalProdigal Prophet (Chapter 1) Prophet (Chapter 1)•PrayingPraying Prophet (Chapter 2) Prophet (Chapter 2)•PreachingPreaching Prophet (Chapter 3) Prophet (Chapter 3)•PoutingPouting Prophet (Chapter 4) Prophet (Chapter 4)

Big IdeaBig Idea

“…“…because God, by His grace and because God, by His grace and mercy finds pleasure and is glorified in mercy finds pleasure and is glorified in

saving repentant sinners, we His saving repentant sinners, we His people must find our joy and pleasure people must find our joy and pleasure

in actively being engaged in His in actively being engaged in His redemptive plan.” redemptive plan.”

Jonah 4:1Jonah 4:1

““11 But it But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.” was angry.”

Contrast to the great revival of chapter 3:10…Contrast to the great revival of chapter 3:10…

““When God saw what they did, how they turned When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.” (Jonah 3:10 ESV)not do it.” (Jonah 3:10 ESV)

Jonah 4:1Jonah 4:1

““11 But it But it displeaseddispleased Jonah Jonah exceedinglyexceedingly, and he , and he was was angryangry.” .” Jonah reacts with exceeding displeasure.Jonah reacts with exceeding displeasure.

– DisapprovedDisapproved and and offendedoffended, to an , to an extremeextreme degree degree– Anger, or slow kindling fire producing a Anger, or slow kindling fire producing a burningburning

sensation in the throatsensation in the throat

Jonah 4:2Jonah 4:2

““22 And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disastersteadfast love, and relenting from disaster.””.””This extreme displeasure was caused by, This extreme displeasure was caused by, according to Jonah, according to Jonah, God being God being GodGod! !

Why Did Jonah Hate the Why Did Jonah Hate the Ninevites?Ninevites?

Jonah, a prophet of God, did not understand, Jonah, a prophet of God, did not understand, along with his people… along with his people… 1.1.Israel, was the vehicle that God was using to Israel, was the vehicle that God was using to call a people to himself, not just Jews, but also call a people to himself, not just Jews, but also the gentle world. the gentle world. 2.2.They became very inward focused in their They became very inward focused in their understanding as to who has a right to God’s understanding as to who has a right to God’s mercy and grace.mercy and grace.

How Does God View the Wicked?How Does God View the Wicked?

““Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have have no pleasure in the death of the wickedno pleasure in the death of the wicked, , butbut that that the wicked turn from his way and livethe wicked turn from his way and live; turn ; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11 ESV)you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11 ESV)

Jonah 4:3-4Jonah 4:3-4

““33 Therefore now, O LORD, Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life please take my life from mefrom me, for it is better for me to die than to , for it is better for me to die than to live.” live.” 44 And the LORD said, “ And the LORD said, “Do you do well to be Do you do well to be angryangry?””?””……like Elijah's prayer (1 Kings 19:4), like Elijah's prayer (1 Kings 19:4), – self-righteous perspectiveself-righteous perspective– disgust with life because things didn't happen the disgust with life because things didn't happen the

way they thoughtway they thought

Jonah 4:5Jonah 4:5

““Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, sat under it in the shade, till he should see what till he should see what would become of the citywould become of the city.”.”Jonah still seems to be hoping that God's Jonah still seems to be hoping that God's Judgment will fall upon Nineveh, and longs to be Judgment will fall upon Nineveh, and longs to be there to see it happen.there to see it happen.

God’s Four Appointed Objects In God’s Four Appointed Objects In The Book Of Jonah…The Book Of Jonah…

““And the LORD And the LORD appointedappointed a a greatgreat fishfish to swallow to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17 ESV)three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17 ESV)““Now the LORD God Now the LORD God appointedappointed a a plantplant and and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad exceedingly glad because of the plant.” (Jonah 4:6 ESV)because of the plant.” (Jonah 4:6 ESV)

God’s Four Appointed Objects In God’s Four Appointed Objects In The Book Of Jonah…The Book Of Jonah…

““77 But when dawn came up the next day, God But when dawn came up the next day, God appointedappointed a a wormworm that attacked the plant, so that attacked the plant, so that it withered. that it withered. 88 When the sun rose, God When the sun rose, God appointedappointed a scorching east a scorching east windwind, and the , and the sunsun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint.” (Jonah 4:7–8a ESV)faint.” (Jonah 4:7–8a ESV)

Jonah’s ReactionJonah’s Reaction

““And And he asked that he might diehe asked that he might die and said, “It is and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”” (Jonah 4:8b better for me to die than to live.”” (Jonah 4:8b ESV)ESV)As long as the God’s mercy through the plant As long as the God’s mercy through the plant benefitted Jonah, he was benefitted Jonah, he was exceedinglyexceedingly gladglad. But, . But, rock his world with circumstances that no longer rock his world with circumstances that no longer benefit him, he wants to give up and benefit him, he wants to give up and diedie. .

God’s Wrap-upGod’s Wrap-up

““99 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” angry, angry enough to die.” 1010 And the LORD said, And the LORD said, ““You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it growdid you make it grow, which came into being in a , which came into being in a night and perished in a night. night and perished in a night. 1111 And And should not I pity should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their lefthand from their left, and also much cattle?”” (Jonah , and also much cattle?”” (Jonah 4:9–11 ESV)4:9–11 ESV)

God equates the level of comfort the plant God equates the level of comfort the plant provided Jonah with the level of comfort provided Jonah with the level of comfort sinnerssinners who who repentrepent of their sinful ways provided for of their sinful ways provided for God. God.

God equates the level of comfort the plant God equates the level of comfort the plant provided Jonah with the level of comfort provided Jonah with the level of comfort sinnerssinners who who repentrepent of their sinful ways provided for of their sinful ways provided for God. God.

So What?So What?

1.1. God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.relenting from disaster.

2.2. Because God is who He is, God pursues His Because God is who He is, God pursues His lost people relentlessly, and will stop at lost people relentlessly, and will stop at nothing until they are in His fold.nothing until they are in His fold.

So What?So What?

3.3. Life is not about us, it’s about God and His Life is not about us, it’s about God and His plan…not our comfort, but His glory…it’s plan…not our comfort, but His glory…it’s God’s “gig” not ours!God’s “gig” not ours!

4.4. We as God’s people must find our joy and We as God’s people must find our joy and satisfaction in being used by God for His satisfaction in being used by God for His purpose. purpose.