Anger

Earlier this year our Senior Saints visited a museum with early Christian artifacts. Among the many pieces of funerary items, several depicted Jonah as well as Christ. On one side would be Jonah and the great fish – the other would show Christ and the cross.

I think we’ve lost the significance over the centuries, but the story continues to fascinate. It’s one of the stories that catch children’s imaginations. Even the youngest Sunday School attendees can tell you about Jonah and the whale.

Adults should focus more on two other aspects: Jonah’s disobedience and his anger.

Jonah doesn’t tell us at first why he went to Joppa to sail to Tarshish, just that he was fleeing. Did he think God would not be there? That God was confined to Israel? If that sounds funny to you, think for a moment where you believe God to be.

Jonah’s actions affected other people. But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. (Jonah 1:4 KJV)

As a valid prophet, Jonah knew the why as well as the what to do: And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. (Jonah 1:12 KJV)

Not until God spares Nineveh do we get to Jonah’s anger and he tell us why he fled: But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 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. (Jonah 4:1-2 KJV)

“I knew it would turn out like this – why did You make me go through it?”

Maybe for one line in one chapter of the New Testament: The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. (Matthew 12:41 KJV)