## God in Pursuit #4

## Jonah 4:1-11

We have been looking at the life and experience of the Old Testament prophet Jonah. All of us should be able to identify personally with Jonah. God called him to complete a specific task, and he chose to rebel against the Lord. God wasn't satisfied with Jonah's answer. He began to pursue him…even though Jonah tried to get as far away from God as he could, God loved him and pursued him through the storm, the sailors, and finally through the fish. When Jonah repented (turned around in his thinking and in his action) he obeyed God's will and went to Nineveh to preach just as God had originally told him. In chapter one, we saw Jonah running from God, in chapter two we saw Jonah running back to God, in chapter three we saw Jonah obeying God, and now in chapter four we see Jonah learning from God. Our view of God has been first His great patience, His abundant pardon, His mighty power, and now His compassionate pity.

Read: 3:5-4:3

I. Jonah's Complaint to God. v1-3

A. Jonah was very upset and angry. (1)

1. You would have thought that he would have been happy.

2. Many of the prophets wept as they delivered their message and no one responded.

3. Jonah witnessed one of the greatest events ever recorded in history.

4. He saw an entire city repent of their evil ways!

B. Jonah complained about the results. (2)

1. Many preachers tend to complain a little when they seemingly have no results from their preaching.

2. Noah preached for 100 years or more and only eight folks entered the ark

3. Jeremiah proclaimed the message of God for over 40 years and saw no visible results.

4. Jonah reveals here the real reason that he attempted to flee to Tarshish.

a. He knew God was a gracious and merciful God

b. He knew that God was patient with the sinful and disobedient

c. He knew that God would change His mind about destroying the city if they repented from their sins

d. He was aware of the character of God because he was a Jew.

e. God had proved Himself over and over to the nation of Israel.

C. Jonah begged God to let him die (3)

1. He simply could not reconcile himself to the gracious will of God

2. He would rather die than see God spare this enemy of Israel

3. The language here is much the same as we have seen before

a. From Moses when he was burdened by the unbelief of the nation of Israel

b. From Elijah when he was burdened and weary because the nation of Israel had forsaken God

c. From Jonah comes not an attitude of despair over a nation turning away from God, but an attitude of regret that a people turned to God!

II. God's curriculum for Jonah v 4-11

A. The gourd and the worm (4-7)

1. We find Jonah sitting down outside the city

a. He went out there still hoping that God would destroy it

b. He made himself a shelter out of branches and vines to keep out of the hot sun

2. God prepared a gourd to come up

a. This was probably a castor oil plant that is native to the area and has very large leaves, which would have provided plenty of shade

b. This made Jonah very happy

c. Note that seeing an entire city repent and turn to God did not please him-- but this trivial plant made him 'exceedingly glad'

3. God prepared a worm

a. The worm apparently ate through the stem of the vine causing it to wither in the hot morning sun.

b. Notice that God was the one who prepared both the gourd and the worm that destroyed it.

c. It was none of Jonah's doing

B. The wind and the sun (8)

1. God prepared the wind

a. It was 'vehement' or strong and harsh

b. It was from the east which was known for its scorching heat

2. Jonah had lost his shelter

a. The sun beat down upon his head as the scorching wind blew

b. It was so hot that he fainted

c. Again he tells God it would be better if he would just die!

3. We see Jonah feeling sorry

a. He felt sorry for himself

b. He felt sorry for the vine that withered and died

c. But he felt no sorrow for the souls of the people of Nineveh

NOTE: God used a preacher, who didn't care for the people, to bring salvation to a lost and dying city-God will bless-the message of His Word.

C. God explains the object lesson (9-11)

1. He reveals Jonah's anger (9)

a. He asked Jonah if what happened to the gourd was making him angry

b. Jonah said he was so upset over it he wanted to die!

Note: When God asks questions; it isn't because He is looking for information…He uses questions to reveal things to us!

2. He reveals Jonah's shallow concern (10)

a. Jonah had pity upon the gourd

b. Jonah had no part in the development of the vine or in the destruction of it

3. He reveals the mind of God (11)

a. If Jonah was justified in being so concerned over a vine that he had no part in, then

b. How much more was God justified in His concern over the souls of the people in Nineveh?

c. This was His creation -- and He loved them and pitied their lost condition.

d. The destruction of the city would be devastating for there were over 120,000 children. (cannot discern)

e. God seemed to say to Jonah, "If you aren't concerned with 500,000 lost souls--at least think of the children and the cattle!'

Now, tonight you may be saying to yourself, "Thanks pastor, that was a great story…shame on that selfish, rebellious, prejudiced, angry, preacher Jonah!" But if you are thinking that or something similar, then you are missing the thrust of this message!

(James 1:23-25) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: {24} For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. {25} But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

When we look into the Word of God, James says it is like looking into a mirror. We see a reflection of what we are, and of what we should be. We get so concerned and upset over such trivial matters. We'll sit and watch some silly movie and tears will well up in our eyes, but we seem so unconcerned when we look upon the multitudes without Christ. We get so excited over some sports event that lasts for just a few minutes, and are unconcerned over reaching lost souls who will exist throughout eternity.