Frustrated And Forsaken

Jonah 4:1-11 FRUSTRATED AND FORSAKEN I. THE DISPLEASURE OF THE PROPHET. 1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. A. He Was Displeased With The Results Of His Preaching 1. He had preached Faithfully ie.what God told him to preach. 2. He had preached Fearlessly Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 3. He had preached Fruitfully Nineveh Repented (Mission Accomplished) B. He Was Displeased With The Repentance Of Nineveh C. He Was Displeased With The Response Of God (2) - "And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil." I. The Grace Of God. v 2 for I knew that thou art a gracious God Seen In HIS CONSIDERATION "to be gracious, considerate; to show favour." 2. The Mercy Of God. v 2 and merciful Seen In HIS COMPASSION "to have compassion, be merciful, pity." 3. The Patience Of God. v 2 slow to anger Seen In HIS CONTROL - Psalms 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 4. The Kindness Of God. v 2 of great kindness Seen In HIS CONCERN ". . . abundant in lovingkindness. . . " 5. The Pardon Of God. v 2 and repentest thee of the evil. Seen In HIS CLEMENCY ". . and repentest thee of the evil. II. THE DESIRE OF THE PROPHET. (3) - "Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live." A. Jonah’s Strange Request Psalms 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. B. God’s Solemn Response 4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry? C. Jonah’s Soon Retirement (5) - "So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city." III. THE DISCIPLINE OF THE PROPHET. (a) Jonah's Provision 6 And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

(a) It's Source And the LORD God prepared a gourd

(b) It's Sufficiency and made it to come up over Jonah,

(c) It's Security that it might be a shadow over his head

(d) It's Succour to deliver him from his grief, from his evil situation

(e) It's Solace So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

(b) Jonah's Profession 8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. I. GOD IS IN OUR COMFORTS: "God prepared a gourd." "'Tis God that Hits our comforts high,Or sinks them in the grave; He gives, and blessed be his name! He takes but what he gave." II. GOD IS IN OUR CROSSES But God prepared a worm 2 Cor. 12 v 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

III. GOD IS IN OUR CHALLENGES. God prepared a vehement east wind; "When the wind is in the east, 'tis neither good for man nor beast. " IV. GOD IS IN OUR CORRECTIONS. Isa 55:8-9 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (c) Jonah's Profanity 10 Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? (a) His Piorities were Wrong 10 Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd (b) His Pity was Wrong Thou hast had pity on the gourd, (c) His Protest was Wrong 11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city,