God's patience
| Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live." 9 But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?" "I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die." (Jonah4:5-9) |
God's gracious compassion doesn't touch him - it infuriates him.
He stomps out into the desert to a safe distance, hoping that God will change his mind and do a Sodom and Gomorrah on the city of Nineveh.
If I were God, I'd have lost patience with this selfish prophet - After the storm, the fishmarine and Nineveh's amazing response, Jonah still doesn't get it!
But God persists.
He lovingly provides a vine which provides cool refreshing shade. Jonah is happy about the vine, but the clear impression that one gets is that he considers this his right and prerogative, rather than a blessing to be grateful for.
The next morning Jonah is still there. Still waiting for the fireworks and still unmoved by the gracious provision of shade and so God provides a worm to munch the vine and a hot wind and sun to remind Jonah of how good he had it.
(As an aside... one can't help but notice the humour here. Like the fish distancing himself from Jonah, it's as though the worm is saying "well, if the vine doesn't soften your heart, then maybe you don't deserve it!" There was nobody else in the fish-tummy and no-one else out in the desert so the only way we know all of this is because Jonah spoke about what happened. It would seem he realised his behaviour in retrospect.)
It doesn't take long for Jonah's short-lived happiness to boil over into toxic anger again. Yes, God does send the worm, some wind and sun but it's a gentle incision that reveals Jonah's festering tumour. God isn't giving up on Jonah. He's already reached Nineveh through the angry prophet, now God is desperately trying to reach the angry prophet...
Will it work?
We'll see tomorrow....
