Jonah, The Proud Prophet

Jonah 4:1-11

INTRODUCTION: Long before Jonah’s heart problem was manifest for the world to see, it was clear in the eyes of God. Even though Jonah eventually outwardly did the will of God, God’s will was never accomplished in his heart. Jonah knew God and was considered God’s servant, but somewhere along the way, Jonah’s life became far more about serving self than serving God.

I. THE FRUSTRATIONS FOR JONAH (Jonah 4:1-9)

A. His Frustrations for Grace (Jonah 4:1-4)

1. The statement of Jonah’s anger (Jonah 4:1)
a. The witness of his anger—the Holy Ghost
b. The source of his anger
1.) It
2.) Referring back to the repentance of Nineveh (Jonah 3:5-10)
c. The extent of his anger
1.) It displeased Jonah exceedingly.
2.) He was very angry.
2. The expression of Jonah’s anger (Jonah 4:2-3)
a. Jonah’s prayer (Jonah 4:2)
1.) His prior knowledge
i. “Was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country?”
ii. “I knew thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.”
2.) His actions—“Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish”
b. Jonah’s foolishness (Jonah 4:3)
1.) “Take…my life from me.”
2.) “It is better for me to die than to live.”
3. The question of Jonah’s anger—“Doest thou well to be angry?” (Jonah 4:4)

B. His Frustrations over the Gourd (Jonah 4:5-9)

1. The retreat of Jonah’s anger (Jonah 4:5)
a. He went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city.
b. He made a booth.
c. He sat under its shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.
2. The increase of Jonah’s anger (Jonah 4:6-8)
a. God prepared a gourd (Jonah 4:6)
1.) God made it to come up over Jonah.
i. That it might be a shadow over his head
ii. To deliver him from his grief
2.) Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
b. God prepared a worm (Jonah 4:7)
1.) When the morning rose the next day
2.) It smote the gourd that it withered.
c. God prepared a wind (Jonah 4:8)
1.) When the sun did arise
2.) The sun beat upon the head of Jonah
i. That he fainted
ii. He wished in himself to die
3. The question of Jonah’s anger (Jonah 4:9)
a. God’s question—“Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?”
b. Jonah’s response
1.) I do well to be angry
2.) Even unto death

II. THE WICKEDNESS OF JONAH (Jonah 4:10-11)

A. The Plea for Compassion (Jonah 4:10-11)

1. God’s reflection upon Jonah—“Thou hast had pity on the gourd,” (Jonah 4:10)
a. For the which thou hast not laboured neither madest it grow
b. Which came up in a night, and perished in a night
2. God’s defense of His grace—“should not I spare Nineveh,” (Jonah 4:11)
a. That great city
b. Wherein are more than 120,000 that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand and also much cattle

B. The Missing Ending

1. No response
2. No reconciliation

CONCLUSION: The story of Jonah ends as it began, only more visible to our eyes. Somewhere along the way Jonah became convinced that what he wanted was superior to the will of God in the lives of others and the working of God in his own life. Let that not be said of us.