Considered one of my favourite books of the Bible that I’ve not but taught by means of is Jonah. Apart from being fantastically and creatively written, it’s a robust examine of God’s character. All through the Previous Testomony, we frequently learn that God is “a gracious and merciful God, sluggish to anger and plentiful in lovingkindness” (Jonah 4:2 NKJV; Exodus 34:6). All through this e book’s narrative, this side of God’s character is proven repeatedly.
Mercy in His Pursuit
Jonah, regardless of being a prophet of God, resisted God. When God commanded him to go and warn the Ninevites of the wrath to come back (Jonah 1:2), the prophet as an alternative fled on a ship crusing to Tarshish (1:3). But, God was form to him—gracious and merciful. The place he might have destroyed Jonah, God pursued him, even inflicting a terrific storm to overhaul the ship.
God confirmed mercy once more as, when Jonah admitted that he was the trigger and was thrown overboard, the storm ceased instantly. God spared the lives of the sailors and passengers—all of whom acknowledged the ability of Jonah’s God (1:10).
And God’s mercy—his lovingkindness—was proven to Jonah once more as God brought about a terrific fish to swallow him, sparing the prophet’s life. And this kindness was compounded not merely due to the looks of this mysterious sea creature, however as a result of Jonah didn’t die inside it!
Mercy in Jonah’s Repentance
It’s no surprise that, in mild of God’s mercy, Jonah responded with a repentant prayer. He praised God as the one one worthy of worship and vowed to worship him alone, whereas additionally together with a warning that those that worship idols “forsake their very own mercy” (2:8 NKJV). And as he ended his prayer, he mentioned, “Salvation is of the Lord” (2:9 NKJV)—it comes from him alone.
Jonah was proper, after all. Salvation belongs to God. And this implies God has the fitting to be gracious to whom he can be gracious and present compassion to whom he’ll present compassion (Exodus 33:19). “The sovereign Lord acts in line with his good pleasure—both in judgment or in grace.”1
That is precisely what God did in displaying compassion to Jonah in sparing him from loss of life. And it’s what he would do once more when Jonah lastly arrived in Nineveh.
Mercy in Jonah’s Preaching
Jonah arrived in Nineveh, but it surely was apparent that he had little interest in calling the Ninevites to repentance. In any case, these have been vile and depraved individuals—merciless and vindictive to their enemies. So all he mentioned to them was, “But forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4 NKJV). That was all we’re advised that Jonah mentioned. And after he delivered this message of doom, he left city to sit down and wait to see what God would do.
And that is how gracious and merciful God confirmed himself to be. With out, apparently, being provided a name to repentance, when the Ninevites heard Jonah’s warning, they repented. They believed God, placed on sackcloth, and proclaimed a quick (3:5). Seeing this, God “relented from the catastrophe that He had mentioned He would convey upon them” (3:10).
Mercy in Jonah’s Anger
When Jonah turned indignant as a result of the individuals weren’t destroyed, his purpose had all the things to do with God’s character. “I do know that You are a gracious and merciful God, sluggish to anger and plentiful in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing hurt’ (4:2 NKJV). However God as soon as once more put his character on show. He brought about a plant to develop to offer Jonah shade whereas he waited for judgment to come back (4:6). However greater than that, he questioned Jonah, encouraging the wayward prophet to consider the Ninevites from God’s perspective, these individuals who couldn’t “discern between their proper hand and their left” (4:11 NKJV).
Mercy within the Message
Jonah is a brief e book, one that’s straightforward to learn, however its message is difficult. It’s one which serves to remind us of our want for God’s grace and mercy and the way he has already lavished it upon us. Aside from God’s grace in Christ, we’re simply as hopeless and depraved because the Ninevites have been—doomed to destruction. We should always be thankful for this. (I do know I’m.)
We’re additionally simply as liable to be as petulant as Jonah, and to change into indignant with God when he doesn’t act the way in which we wish him to. However as a result of he’s good to us, he doesn’t do what we wish. He all the time does what is correct, even when we don’t perceive it. And this too, ought to lead us to be grateful.
And the mercy within the message of Jonah reminds us that nobody is outdoors the attain of God’s grace—not even these we assume are most deserving of his wrath. God is healthier than that. He exhibits mercy to whom he exhibits mercy; he exhibits compassion to whom he exhibits compassion (Exodus 33:19). He needs that individuals will come to repentance. And he desires us to need the identical.
Picture credit score: Gustave Doré, Public area, by way of Wikimedia Commons
Associated
