#bookofjonah

[laertesoaj]

“So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging” Jonah 1:10-16

[unfoldingmoments]

Jonah 4: When Your Emotions Are Out of Control

Context: After Jonah reluctantly preached to the people of Nineveh and they repented, God chose to show mercy and did not destroy the city. Jonah became angry because he wanted to see Nineveh punished for their wickedness. In his frustration, Jonah left the city and sat outside, hoping to witness its destruction.

The Plant (Jonah 4:6-8): God, in His compassion, provided a plant (sometimes referred to as a gourd or vine) to grow over Jonah, offering him shade from the sun, which gave Jonah comfort. However, the next day, God sent a worm to attack the plant, causing it to wither and die. Following that, a scorching east wind and intense heat made Jonah feel faint, and he became even more upset, wishing for death.

Why Did the Plant Die? The plant’s death served as an object lesson from God. Jonah was deeply grieved over the death of the plant, which had provided him temporary comfort, but he showed no compassion for the people of Nineveh, a large city with many people and animals. God used the plant to illustrate Jonah’s misplaced priorities:

1. Jonah’s Attachment to the Plant: Jonah cared more about a plant that he didn’t work for or cultivate than the lives of thousands of people in Nineveh. This showed Jonah’s self-centeredness and lack of concern for others.

2. God’s Compassion for Nineveh: God was demonstrating that if Jonah could care so much for something as insignificant as a plant, how much more should God care for the people of Nineveh, who were created in His image. God’s mercy extended to them because they repented, even though Jonah felt they deserved punishment.

3. Teaching Jonah a Lesson: The death of the plant emphasized Jonah’s narrow perspective. He was angry when his personal comfort was taken away, yet indifferent to the spiritual well-being and fate of an entire city. God’s message to Jonah was that His compassion is far greater and more comprehensive than Jonah’s limited, human viewpoint.

Key Takeaway: The death of the plant in Jonah 4 highlights the contrast between Jonah’s anger and selfishness and God’s boundless mercy and compassion. God used the plant as a tool to reveal Jonah’s heart and to teach him about the importance of caring for others, especially those who repent and seek God’s mercy. ------ Further Reading/ Podcast to listen: Life.Church with Craig Groeschel: When Your Emotions Are Out of Control | Jonah | Part 4, 29 Sep 2024

If you're gonna let these evil people off, I don't even want to live. Jonah, the prophet of God.

He did the will of God, but he wasn't happy about it. And what did he preach? 40 days from now, you better turn / God will destroy you.

He shows us it's possible to do the will of God without the heart of God. It's possible to do what God wants, but to do it with the wrong attitude / with the wrong motives. & sometimes we'll do that.

We're gonna see God provide 3 more things. The Lord, God, provided a leafy plant & made it grow over Jonah to give him shade, for his head to ease his comfort. We serve a gracious God.And Jonah was what? He was very happy about the plant. So first, God provided a fish to save Jonah, then God provided a plant to cover him, and he was very happy. He was very happy, again. The Hebrew word is weyismah, and it means rejoice greatly, or it means exceedingly overjoyed.

Jonah loved receiving the provisions and blessings from God, but you know what God was about to do?

God was about to teach him a lesson.

Jesus is the good teacher. God wants to promote us by sometimes allowing us to pass some tests. And he's about to give Jonah a little object lesson.

And Jonah didn't like lessons. He's like some of us. Jonah wanted to skip God's lessons & go straight to God's blessings.

God provided a plant, and Jonah started to get comfortable in the shade. Here's what I've noticed. About the time you start to get comfortable is when God has a way of stretching your faith.

The moment we start to get comfortable, God tends to teach us that we still need him. And we're gonna see God provide two more things. Verse 7 tells us this.

But at dawn the next day, God provided a worm. He provided a fish, a plant, and a worm which chewed up the plant so that it withered. And God provided a worm which chewed the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, watch this, God provided a what? A squirching, uh-oh, there it is again, east wind.He had erratic mood swings, ranging from courageous obedience to extreme dissatisfaction and anger, suggesting underlying frustration and the need to control. Check for me. But only one. The next one says this. He had entitlement tendencies, focusing on his own views of justice and expecting God and others to operate within his parameters. Check. The third one. He had depressive symptoms manifesting true feelings of burnout, sadness, anger, and hopelessness. I don't know about you, the good news is, for me, that was not true today, but it has been true before. Check. It's so easy to criticize this guy's emotional tantrums, all the drama. But I get it. And I want to talk to those of you who are real enough to admit it. You might sometimes, as well, because I can like obey God with great faith one moment, and then ignore God and do my own thing the next. I can be in the presence of God like worshiping him with this passionate, authentic, heartfelt adoration. And then the next day, I can be apathetic, and even act like he doesn't even exist. I can be completely obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. God prompts me to say something, and the next day, God prompts me, I'm like, eh, that's not God.That must be the devil. And just walk on. I hate the lessons, but oh, I love God's blessings. But God said to Jonah, is it right for you to be angry about the plant? Jonah's like, it is! I'm so angry, I wish I was dead!But the Lord said, you've been concerned about this plant, though you didn't tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. I'm the Lord of the plant, God says.

Why are you so freaked out about it? And shouldn't I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than 120,000 people, people who need the grace of God, all these people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and also many animals? There it is. And also many animals. Like, come on, God, you're the author & finisher of our faith, & that's how you end the story. I mean, I need something better than that.

I want more, right? Come on, God. Did you change Jonah's heart? I want to know. Did he submit to the things of God and say, I was wrong, I just want to live for you? Did he die?

And if he did, how? Did he get mercury poisoning from the fish? Did the worm eat him?You know, I don't, I want to know. And also many animals.

So God says to him, Jonah, you're gonna throw a fit over a plant and cry over a plant, but you won't cry over those people who don't know me, God says. Chapter 4 is tough. No, no, God, I want my will, but I really don't want your will, if your will involves me sacrificing.There is a main character in the book of Jonah. Hint, it's not Jonah. The main character is God, the Lord God.Jonah had issues just like you, just like every single one of you. He had issues, and so do I. But I want you to notice this. Jonah's attitude never changed God's character. The way he acted, no matter what he did, no matter how he acted, no matter how he complained, no matter how he rebelled, God was still God. God didn't change. Why? Because our God is always a gracious, compassionate God who is slow to anger and abounding in love. Who is our God? Our God is always gracious and a compassionate God. He's slow to get angry when we disobey him. Why? Because he is abounding, overflowing in love.

In other words, love isn't just something he does, it's who he is. It's his nature. It's who he is.

[angelwing44]

March 9 -Luke 11:29-32 “There is Something Greater Than Jonah Here”

[hollywoodumc-harmonytolucalake]

Beginning in 1 week: Jonah - A new Bible study opportunity led by Pastor Mark starts on Thursday, January 21st at 7:15 pm via Zoom. From what may seem like a familiar “tall tale” comes great insight into the compassionate and merciful heart of God. (Link in bio under EVENTS). . . . #BookOfJonah #Compassion #Mercy #BibleStudy #SmallGroup #HollywoodCampus #HollywoodUMC #Hollywood #Community #HUMC #HarmonyTL #TolucaLake #NoHo #StudioCity #Burbank #Inclusivechurch #affirmingchurch #churchfamily #AllAreWelcome https://www.instagram.com/p/CKB83cCAOU-/?igshid=1s4ab2orkpgje

[hollywoodumc-harmonytolucalake]

Beginning in 2 weeks: Jonah - A new Bible study opportunity led by Pastor Mark starts on Thursday, January 21st at 7:15 pm via Zoom. From what may seem like a familiar “tall tale” comes great insight into the compassionate and merciful heart of God. (Link in bio under EVENTS). . . . #BookOfJonah #Compassion #Mercy #BibleStudy #SmallGroup #HollywoodCampus #HollywoodUMC #Hollywood #Community #HUMC #HarmonyTL #TolucaLake #NoHo #StudioCity #Burbank #Inclusivechurch #affirmingchurch #churchfamily #AllAreWelcome https://www.instagram.com/p/CJv3-kSrw8Z/?igshid=wn8fs88ots10

[newworldman]

#jonah 2:2a #yunus 2:2a #bookofjonah #bellyofthebeast #godlistens #godanswersprayers https://www.instagram.com/p/B_lwvLDFxNNUjW9KTs318XXVt6K36KjJkpvGho0/?igshid=1l13vbg14d1d1

[whiteashflies]

"And the Lord appointed a great fish...": Zander's Sunday Sauce presents The Book of Jonah, followed by a poem by John Donne, on White Ash Flies.

[candid-beiley]

Not to give up our conviction but to be kind to everyone. ~ #PastorHunterBarnes ❤️&✌🏼 #BookOfJonah . . . . . . . . . . #JESUSisLORD #JESUSCHRIST #LiveLoveServe #ZarephathChristianChurch #love #hope #peace #truth #life #LoveLife #faith #inspiration #inspiringquote #inspirational #word #bestoftheday #quoteoftheday #photooftheday #zcc #GODisincontrol #blessed #blessings #beilzdevotion #YouAreLoved https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz54YuwnGR9/?igshid=snykaisiw32x