Some People Just Want To See Others Burn!

Some People Just Want to See Others Burn!

Solo song: Peace in the Valley.

Virtually everyone knows the story of Jonah.

God told him to warn the Ninevites.

Jonah refused and went the other way.

Jonah was swallowed by a big fish for 3 days and nights

Jonah prayed and was released

Jonah warned Nineveh and they repented.

Have you ever wondered why Jonah refused to warn the Ninevites and went the other way?

Although the Bible doesn’t say, there appears to be some history between Jonah and Nineveh!

Everyone around Israel hates Israel and maybe they attacked or did some other thing to Israel that Jonah didn’t like?

We don’t know what may have happened but for some reason Jonah had some really hard feelings towards Nineveh!

Have you ever had someone do something to you that was so personal that you could not forgive them?

Forgiveness is a wonderful thing. Isn’t it wonderful to be forgiven! It’s like a big weight has been taken off!

Have you ever had someone who held a grudge against you and no matter how hard you wanted to fix it, they just wouldn’t forgive?

That’s certainly not a good way to be!

Jonah 4:1-4

1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”

4 Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah knew God was a gracious merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness and one who relents from doing harm. And that made Jonah so mad he wanted to die!

Like, what???

So whatever history there was between Nineveh and Jonah, Jonah didn’t want Nineveh to be forgiven by God. Jonah didn’t want God’s gracious, mercifulness to be shed on Nineveh.

He wanted to see Nineveh BURN! And if he couldn’t have that he wanted to die!

Jonah didn’t want Nineveh to get any of God’s wonderful forgiveness!

Wow, is that any attitude for a man of God to have?

God asks Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

God is dealing with Jonah’s unforgiving heart, and Jonah won’t have any of it, he’d rather die!

Take a lesson from this, don’t be unforgiving like Jonah was! It’s not a good way to be!

Jonah 4:5-8

5 So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. 6 And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

So why was Jonah sitting outside the city off to the east for 40 days?

He was there hoping to see the city of Nineveh be destroyed!!! Wow, Jonah, don’t be that way!

So while Jonah was waiting for Nineveh to be obliterated, it was sunny and hot, and so God made a plant to cover his head, and Jonah was grateful for that.

Then God made a worm eat the plant, and Jonah was suffering back under the sun.

Jonah then wished he would die again!

It’s sort of comical really, seeing God push his buttons, if it weren’t so sad about Jonah’s heart.

Jonah 4:9-11

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!”

10 But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”

God is dealing with Jonah’s hard heart but Jonah won’t give in.