“Turning Points: Jonah… It’s More Than Just A Fish Story” Part 2  

I always considered “Jonah and the Big Fish” a children’s story. Wrong! Yet, Jonah was also never meant to become a pass/fail exam on how to ‘correctly’ interpret the Bible. It took a stranger’s silent condemnation to inspire me toward restudying this short book. What I discovered was an unforgettable lesson on our tendency to judge and God’s remarkable tendency to forgive.   

In last week’s column, Jonah was instructed by God to go to the hated and feared city of Nineveh. Instead, he took a ship heading in the opposite direction but after a harrowing boat ride and three days of fishing and praying from the inside… out; Jonah is spit up on the beach. Ecch! Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh and deliver the message of judgment I have given you.” This time Jonah obeyed… (Jonah 3:1-3)

For three days, Jonah walked from one end of this great city to the other. What was his message? “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” (3:4) Here is the amazing part. The entire city listened and repented of their sins. Excuse me but did you say everyone? Yes! Every man, woman and child began to fast and pray for God’s forgiveness. Wow! That’s incredible! 

Actually a better word might be… absolutely impossible! Maybe not! We know the Assyrians studied astrology so suppose as some scholars suggest, there was a solar eclipse just as Jonah entered Nineveh with a message from God? A fearful city would be ready to listen and obey. The king then issues a decree that everyone is required to pray and ask forgiveness. In our democratic society we forget that in those days, if the king said to repent, you repented or else! 

Is Jonah happy? After all, it may be the biggest mass religious conversion in history. No! He’s miserable! Why? Because he wanted Nineveh destroyed. He said to God, “I knew you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love… just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive because nothing I predicted is going to happen.” (4:2-3)

Don’t be too hard on Jonah. We all have our prejudices, our mortal enemies and our personal grievances. Imagine someone who committed such vile atrocities, who is so evil he is absolutely beyond normal redemption. Then he attends your church claiming the miracle of God’s grace. “He’s faking!” you say. “She’s insincere!” you exclaim indignantly. “How can God do this to you?”

“Is it right for you to be angry about this?” the Lord replied. (4:4)  

Jonah, still furious builds a shelter just outside the city still hoping Nineveh will be destroyed, anyway. God provides a leafy plant to grow and provide shade from the hot sun. Jonah is pleased. But, the next day, a worm eats the stem and the plant dies. The afternoon is a scorcher and Jonah grows faint and begins to whine. Again he cries out, “Death is better than this!”

Here comes the lesson…. Don’t miss it… God says to Jonah: “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. And a plant is only at best, short lived. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?” (4:10-11) Lesson taught! End of story! Did you catch it?

A furious Jonah said it best: “God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and filled with unfailing love.” Jonah sought righteous judgment against his hated enemy but God extended the hand of forgiveness. The intimidating stranger used the book of Jonah as a Biblical litmus test to judge me unworthy and totally missed God’s point. We seek judgment while God extends grace.

In our own way, we are all disobedient before God. We make mistakes and fall short of God’s expectations. We judge and condemn others when we ourselves deserve judgment and condemnation but through it all God offers total forgiveness and the healing balm of grace. Jonah finally understood God’s lesson, which became his life-changing turning point. Did you? Will you?

Do you have a prayer need? Click here

Larry's most recent series: Turning Points

    Whether it is about healing or forgiveness...

    Whether it is about what changed David or Job...

    In the end... reading Turning Points may change you!