The most quoted thing within the Bible is the description God gives of Himself when He is showing Himself to Moses. Jonah quotes it as well. He says, “I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” I’m pretty sure he’s the only one who says it like it’s a bad thing.

Jonah didn’t want God to relent from sending a disaster.

There’s something that’s not sitting right with me in this story. Let me explain. Jonah’s message was that the city was going to be destroyed. The word doesn’t come true, but Jonah was a true prophet of God and sent by God.

God doesn’t allow the words of His prophets to fail. Do you see there’s something off here?

In Jonah’s proclamation, he just pronounced disaster. There was no call to repentance. How many of the other prophets speak of destruction, but they also speak of repentance, turning back, the possibility of God relenting?

I wonder if Jonah only delivered half of the message.

Jonah is upset with God for delivering Nineveh. He complains to God, “Is not this what I said when I was yet in my country?” We didn’t hear that part in the beginning of the story, but apparently, Jonah made the argument to God something like, “But if I tell them that, they will repent and You will relent.”

It seems to me like Jonah may have still tried to keep them from deliverance by altering the message. Of course, God’s redemptive purposes can’t be thwarted.

Jonah still needs a lesson. God sovereignly grows a plant to shade Jonah, and then He sovereignly kills it off and sends a scorching heat.

God points out how Jonah cares more about that plant, because he cared about himself, than about all the people and animals of Nineveh. God had compassion on the people of Nineveh. They would have died for their lack of knowledge. They didn’t know “their right hand from their left.” God’s desire is always life. God made a Way for all to have life.