SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/28/2025
My Worship Time Focus: PT-2 “A Final Admonition”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Jonah 4:9-11
Message of the verses: “Then God said to Jonah, “Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant? And he said, “I have good reason to be angry, even to death.” Then Yahweh said, “You had pity on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came to be overnight. So should I not have pity on Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”
Now in response to the question that God asked in Jonah he replied “I have good reason to be angry, even to death.” Now previously when God has asked Jonah if he had good reason to be angry on account of His grace toward Nineveh, Jonah did not respond as seen in Jonah 4:4 “4 The LORD said, "Do you have good reason to be angry?" Here is that question, but as stated there is no response from Jonah. Now in this case, Jonah openly claimed to have good reason for his anger. He had greatly needed the plant, and he was deeply incensed when the Lord took it away. The problem was that Jonah assumed his anger was justifiable—both when God extended His grace to Nineveh and when God removed His grace by destroying the plant that Jonah enjoyed to keep him cooler in the hot sun. Blind to his inconsistency, the prophet was so convinced his position that he boldly declared he had the right to be angry at the grace given to his enemies and the grace removed from him, even to death. As we compare Jonah 1:12, and 4:3 which both speak of Jonah’s desire to die they evidenced his sinful folly. “12 He said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.” “3 “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life."
Now as I look at Jonah 1:12, the thought came to me that I wonder if Jonah would have said that he had sinned by running away from the Lord and confessed that sin to the Lord and was willing to go to Nineveh, would God have calmed the sea and then the sailors took Jonah back to where he left from. I don’t know the answer to that question, but it did not happen so I just have to believe that Jonah’s heart was not in the right place.
Now having heard these words from Jonah’s mouth, the Lord proceeded to explain all that Jonah had acknowledged. The prophet not only confessed the goodness of God’s grace (since he was angry when it was removed) but also revealed that he had pity on the plant. Now the term pit carries the notion of compassion and concern for another as can be seen in Nehemiah 13:22, especially toward those who are needy or destitute as can be seen in Deut. 7:16; Ezek. 7:9 and Joel 2:17. We will look at all of these verses in a moment. Now although arising from selfish motives and a skewed mindset, Jonah felt sympathy for the wilted plant. Now as I go through this last chapter of Jonah it is easy for me to be upset with Jonah over his not wanting to see the Ninevites saved, but I also see the love of God as he is dealing with Jonah and not just causing some kind of judgment on him. This is one thing that I can learn from his chapter, that God is patient and God is kind. Now I will quote these verses mentioned above as I close out this Spiritual Diary for today.
Nehemiah 13:22 “And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.”
Deut. 7:16 “16 “You shall consume all the peoples whom the LORD your God will deliver to you; your eye shall not pity them, nor shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.”
Ezek. 7:9 “‘My eye will show no pity nor will I spare. I will repay you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst; then you will know that I, the LORD, do the smiting.”
Joel 2:17 “Let the priests, the LORD’S ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, ‘Where is their God?’’”
11/28/2025 10:20 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment