Mercy for the Enemy: The Heart of God
Jonah should be celebrating. His preaching produced the greatest revival in prophetic history. An entire city repented. God showed mercy.
Instead, Jonah is furious.
The prophet's anger
"But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry."
This is the heart of the book revealed. Jonah did not flee because he feared failure. He fled because he feared success. He knew God was merciful, and he did not want Nineveh to receive that mercy.
"O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster."
Jonah quotes the great confession of God's character from Exodus 34. But he speaks it as an accusation, not a praise.
Jonah is angry that God is gracious.
Preferring death to grace
"Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live."
Jonah would rather die than see his enemies forgiven. The depth of his bitterness is staggering.
God responds with a question: "Do you do well to be angry?"
Jonah does not answer. He goes out of the city, makes a shelter, and waits to see what will happen. Perhaps he still hopes God will destroy Nineveh.
The lesson of the plant
God appoints a plant to grow over Jonah, giving him shade. Jonah is exceedingly glad about the plant.
Then God appoints a worm to attack the plant, and it withers. God appoints a scorching east wind, and the sun beats on Jonah's head. Again he asks to die.
God asks: "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?"
Jonah answers: "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die."
Jonah cares more about a plant than about a city of people.
God's final question
"You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"
This is the climax of the book. God exposes the absurdity of Jonah's values.
Jonah grieves a plant he did not create. God pities a city of 120,000 people who do not know right from wrong.
The question is left unanswered. The book ends abruptly, leaving the reader to respond.
Should not God pity Nineveh?
The heart of God revealed
The book of Jonah is not primarily about a fish. It is about the character of God.
God pursues the rebellious prophet. God warns the wicked city. God relents when they repent. God patiently teaches the angry prophet.
This is the God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. The God who desires all to come to repentance. The God whose compassion extends beyond the boundaries of Israel to embrace even Israel's enemies.
God's mercy is the scandal of the Bible.
Final reflection
The book ends with a question because we are meant to answer it.
Should not God pity Nineveh?
Should not God show mercy to your enemies? To the people you despise? To the nations you fear?
The answer, of course, is yes. And if God pities them, should not we?
Jonah's problem was never theology. He knew God was gracious. His problem was that he did not want God to be gracious to those he hated.
May we not make the same mistake.
Closing prayer
Father, forgive us when we resent Your mercy toward others. Forgive us when we want grace for ourselves but judgment for our enemies. Give us hearts that reflect Your compassion, that rejoice when the lost repent, and that embrace the scandal of Your relentless love. In Jesus' name, amen.
