Jonah 4

Angry with God

Jonah 4

Jonah 4:1

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. (use)

Jonah 4:2

And he prayed to the LORD and said, "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. (use)

There is indeed no doubt but that he exhorted the Ninevites to repentance; but his own heart was as it were closed up, so that he could not allow them the mercy of God.

Calvin, J., 1555. Commentary.
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Hast thou known what it is to dwell securely in God, to enter into the Most High, and laugh to scorn the anger, the frowns, the sneers, the contempt, the slander and calumny of men; to ascent into the sacred place of the pavilion of the Most High, and to abide under the shadow of the Almighty, and to feel thyself secure? And mark thee, thou mayest do this. In times of pestilence it is possible to walk in the midst of cholera and death, singing— Plagues and deaths around me fly, Till he please, I cannot die. It is possible to stand exposed to the utmost degree of danger, and yet to feel such a holy serenity that we can laugh at fear; too great, too mighty, too powerful through God to stoop for one moment to the cowardice of trembling.

Spurgeon, C.H., Oct 14, 1855. The Glorious Habitation.
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Jonah 4:9

But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die." (use)

God has left this example on record to show that an inconsiderate man is not fit to be employed in his work; and he chose this one example that it might serve as an endless warning to his Church to employ no man in the work of the ministry that is not scripturally acquainted with God's justice and mercy.

Clarke, A., 1831. Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible.
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Jonah 4:7

But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. (use)

Jonah 4:11

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? (use)

Consider the stars in the sky; When it is darkest they shine out the brightest Consider the stars in the sky In every anguish, Oh, child take courage 

Getty, K., 2015. Consider the stars.
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Do not be afraid Do not be afraid He who made all of this, and who holds all of this, Holds you in his hands

Getty, K., 2015. Consider the stars.
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So that thus it is, that natural Men are held in the Hand of God over the Pit of Hell; they have deserved the fiery Pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his Anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the Executions of the fierceness of his Wrath in Hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that Anger, neither is God in the least bound by any Promise to hold 'em up one moment; the Devil is waiting for them, Hell is gaping for them, the Flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the Fire pent up in their own Hearts is struggling to break out; and they have no interest in any Mediator, there are no Means within Reach that can be any Security to them.

Edwards, J., 1741. Sinners in the hands of an angry God.
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The book ends abruptly, but its object is accomplished. Jonah is silenced; he can make no reply; he can only confess that he is entirely wrong, and that God is righteous. He learns the lesson that God would have all men saved, and that that narrow-mindedness which would exclude heathen from his kingdom is displeasing to him and alien from his design.

Spence-Jones, H.D.M., 1880. The Pulpit Commentary.
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It remains to the author a question of deepest interest whether Israel will accept his call to cast aside its hate of the heathen, recognise their readiness to welcome the truth, and accept the mission long before assigned to it to preach the knowledge of Yahweh to the Gentiles.

Peake, A., 1919. Commentary on the Bible.
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We're going to be surprised to see people there who we didn't think would be, and we're going to be surprised that we don't see people there who we were sure would be there, because we simply don't know the internal status of a human heart or of a human soul. Only God can see that soul, change that soul, and preserve that soul.

Sproul, R.C., 2014. The Fall of a Believer.
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Topics and Themes

About God

Miracles

Key Verse

Jonah 4:11

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? (use)