Jonah 4:9-11 For They Know Not What They Do

Jonah 4: 9-11 For They Know Not What They Do

[9] But God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?" And he said, "Yes, angry enough to die." [10] Then the LORD said, "You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. [11] And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?"

What is happening in this story? I love the story of Jonah for many reasons. I think the main reason is that I can identify with Jonah so much. God asks him to go in one direction, and he goes the other. God tells Jonah to warn the terribly sinful city of Ninevah that if they don’t change their ways and turn to him he will destroy them. Jonah is surprised and disappointed that they repent and God shows mercy. He wanted to see justice done. He got angry, angry enough to die! That’s pretty angry. God tries to teach Jonah by sending a bush to provide shade for Jonah in the hot sun, then lets it wither and die. Jonah whines about the poor little bush and his hot head. God confronts him with “You are concerned about the bush…should I not be concerned about Ninevah, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons
( foolish though they may be) and also many animals?” The book abruptly ends there.

How is this happening in the world today? – Recently someone I know was railing about the stupidity of such and such a group, and the futility he felt about the current political races. He had much to support him, including ridiculously designed negative and inflammatory ads accusing every opponent of everything from lying to little old ladies to harboring terrorists. I found myself saying that I didn’t trust any politicians. I remember in the sixties when a large group of my generation decided to turn on, tune in, and drop out. Let’em all go to the devil! It’s what they deserve, we say to each other. But then I remember: They is US.

It’s really easy these days to take an arrogant, holier than thou position to all the craziness we witness. Pretty soon, if we’re not careful, we become brittle and bitter, like the two old grouchy muppets in the balcony, skeptical about everything and everyone. That’s IS the safest position to take. That way no one can make a fool out of you, right?

Jesus taught us to love our neighbor as ourselves. How can we do that and remove ourselves from our fellow human beings, even if we do think they are stupid? God warned Ninevah, and surprise surpise: They listened! They repented, including especially their king. Then God had mercy on them and saved them. Jonah was furious. Where was the justice? The justice was in the love, and the love came first.

Should I not be concerned about Ninevah, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons and also many animals?

How is this story my story? – Eternal God, I can see myself in Jonah, and I can see myself in the people of Ninevah. We talk of your wrath, but you send forgiveness. We deny you and pollute your creation, and you send grace. We forget you and you send your son. We kill him and you send resurrection. We resent your justice, until we are the recipients of it. Thank you gracious creator, for your love that is unearned and poured down on us like cooling waters.