Jonah: An Unhappy Ending to the Story (Jonah 4:1-11)

The book of Jonah teaches about the relentless pursuit of humanity, the restorative power of repentance, the sovereignty over all creation, and God’s ability to work through us despite self-sabotage and our weaknesses to accomplish purposes and reveal truth and love to others.

On Sunday, May 26, at River Corner Church, Pastor Jeff McLain looked at Jonah 4:1-11, in his message "An Unhappy Ending to the Story," which looks at how the narrative of Jonah ends with a confession of God's character and a challenge from God to see how God is at work in our lives, even in the seasons where life is not going the way we would like. Jonah's resentment towards God's mercy on Nineveh mirrors our own reluctance to accept God's grace in ways we don't anticipate. The sermon encourages examining our hearts for hidden biases, training our eyes to recognize God's character and compassion in all situations, trusting in God's sovereignty, and remembering that our struggles and growth enable us to lead others more effectively.

Who we are together.
River Corner Church is a growing church community of everyday people who gather to worship God, follow Jesus, and journey through life together.

What we practice together.
Our small church community is uniquely caring, simple, laid-back, and intergenerational. As a church, we want to be a welcoming, safe, and healing community for those who are seeking, hurting, or need a place to belong. Our practices are contemplative (reflective) charismatic (Spirit-driven), conversational, and informative. The times we share together are intentional and intimate, and a mix between modern and traditional. We want to be a place in which love and honor are lived out, where humility is central, and where hospitality is woven into the threads of our community. There is room at the table.

When we gather together.
River Corner Church gathers weekly on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM to worship and experience God, study the scriptures, journey through life together, and partner with the Holy Spirit. We meet in a simple worship meeting house at 524 River Corner Road in Conestoga, Pennsylvania. You are welcome as you are, just be yourself. There are other times that we hold small groups, events, and more.

Our Pastoral Leader.
As the pastor of River Corner Church, Jeff McLain leads our church community and helps others to think differently about Jesus, life, and everything in-between. Jeff also serves as the Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission, where he works with those facing homelessness and poverty. Jeff, Katie, and their three wander-filled daughters look to lead quiet lives. Committed to lifelong learning, Jeff is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Kairos University and completing a Master of Business Administration with a focus on Executive Leadership at City Vision University. These academic pursuits complement the two masters he completed earlier at Fuller Seminary. Jeff has a passion for baseball, boardwalks, beaches, bays, and books, but above all, his greatest joy lies in spending time with his family and guiding our church community on our journey of faith together.

Learn more about us at rivercornerchurch.com.

Transcript

We enjoy movies that have happy endings. Even when we can predict the conclusion of a film or TV show, we still delight in the last-minute theatrics that bring about restoration and reconciliation. Lovers come together, wrongdoers repent, and the downtrodden find freedom. We cherish stories where heroes achieve great things for deserving people. The problem is, real life often doesn't mirror these idealized endings.

We all crave storybook conclusions in life, sometimes expecting them at every turn. Yet, more often than not, moments lack resolution. We don't always find meaning in the midst of trouble, sometimes only realizing it in hindsight. Much of life is about simply coping with challenges as they come.

The story of Jonah resembles real life more than a Hollywood blockbuster. It concludes without resolution, reconciliation, or repentance. There is no happy ending for the main character. While the troublemakers in the story find redemption, the Jewish prophet we expect to understand God's heart and the right way of living does not.

This week, we conclude our Jonah series by examining Jonah 4, a chapter that leaves us hanging. Chapter 1 ends with Jonah being swallowed by a big fish after trying to run away. In Chapter 2, Jonah recommits to God and is vomited onto dry land. Chapter 3 sees Jonah’s resolve to fulfill God's mission, leading to Nineveh's repentance. Even the wicked king hears Jonah's message, repents, and seeks to make amends. Jonah remains faithful to his mission, and God accomplishes great things. The story should of, could have, and even would have made more sense to end in Jonah 3 and the turn-around story of Ninevah. Jonah could have went home happy.

Yet, the story ends with Jonah disgruntled about the success of his ministry. Despite his initial reluctance and resistance, enduring extreme trials to change his perspective, Jonah finds himself unhappy. God sustained him through difficult and dangerous situations, and transformed enemies into friends, and yet the story concludes with Jonah feeling disillusioned and disappointed with God's actions. Similarly, we often struggle to accept how God works in our lives and in the lives of others. Instead of appreciating how we have been provided for, we become grumpy because it wasn't what we wanted or how we would have planned it.

I invite you to follow along with me in Jonah 4. We will be reading Jonah 4:1-11. Even if you are familiar with this passage, I invite you to look at it with fresh eyes. There is some symbolism in this story about how future destruction is coming to Israel, from the Assyrians, and many other things but I want us to read it like a person reading another person’s story and what we can take from it.  Allow the story to come alive to you in new ways today. I will be reading Jonah 4:1-11 out of the New International Version this morning. Jonah 4:1-11, which picks up after the repentance of the whole city of Nineveh, goes like this:

But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah had gone 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. Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 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.”

But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

The story ends with a question. The question is directed at Jonah but is for all readers of the Jonah narrative. It is a question from God. This question from God jars at the end. It speaks to the way that God’s ways are not our ways. It jars us to consider how we have become disgruntled with the ways in which God is working through our lives and the world around us.

This final installment of the Jonah story begins with Jonah's anger. The idea that Nineveh repented did not sit well with him. He believed the last thing they deserved was the grace and mercy of God. From the moment God called Jonah to this mission, Jonah resisted because he did not want these people to receive any good. While Jesus calls us to love our enemies in the New Testament, the Old Testament prophets, including Jonah, show us how challenging this can be. It hurts when people who have wronged us succeed in life. It hurts when those who seem rebellious and wayward receive favor and blessings, experiencing the richness of life while God seems to ignore our prayers for liberation or help. Jonah's story resonates with these feelings. He didn't want the Ninevites to prosper; they were mean and wayward. They weren't the kind of people he wanted to see win, especially while his own country was struggling with so many needs.

Theologian Craig Keener writes that Jonah is not only upset but also “theologically scandalized that Yahweh should offer compassion so readily.” Jonah essentially says, "God, don't you know who these people are and what they do, and yet you love them? You give them compassion?" Forgiving them and showing compassion seemed too easy, too readily given, for such bad people known for their cruelty. After all, it doesn’t seem that the Ninevites turn and follow Yahweh; they merely seek to appease Him. History tells us that in a few years, they will become even bigger and more violent. This appears to be a short and cheap reprieve to a way of life, and God seemingly honors them for it.

Jonah admits that this is why he ran from God in the first place. He self-sabotaged because he didn't want the good things God intended for these people and didn't want to be the instrument of their redemption. He also confesses that he knew God would win out. He tells God that he tried to stall the inevitable by running. Jonah not only knew the character of God, but he also knew what God was going to do and wanted to do through him. These people were too mean, too bad, too hurtful for Jonah to want good things to happen to them. We have people like that in our lives. Lord, I will love anyone but those people. I will bring goodness to anyone but not them; they are too bad, too mean.

In his funk, Jonah confesses one of the most quoted Old Testament confessions about the character of God. This seems to be the climax of the story. In many ways, it seems as if this is the point of Jonah itself, though it is not how it ends. It appears near the ending, the big aha moment, the central point of the narrative of Jonah's life and ministry. Jonah jabs at God, but in doing so, he gives us a theological confession: “You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” This is what we are to take away from this story. It is what Jonah learns through his rebellion. It is what Nineveh learns about God by being spared. It is what we, the readers, learn by seeing a story of rebellion turn into a story of God’s grace and mercy for everyone.

We have all had people in our lives like Jonah, and if you don’t, you might be that person. Jonah basically says, “I didn’t get my way,” so he wants to give up and die. Now, I am not talking about true struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts. This is an emotional temper tantrum. How God parents is stupid and upsetting to Jonah, and he decides he is going to be angry about God doing a good thing. We are supposed to laugh at that reality. It only makes sense that we laugh at Jonah’s irrationality. God just did something amazing—God showed the love of God for the whole world, sent the best of God’s prophets to those outside of the people of God, and introduced His character and identity to them so that they could be saved. Yet, Jonah doesn’t like that he was part of this incredible act. So, he decides he has no reason to live. He wants to do the ultimate self-sabotage and make himself completely unusable to God. As a prophet, he is supposed to speak about the heart of God and the things of God, but he wants to put a stop to that as he lies on the ground, throwing a temper tantrum.

I also get an image of Jonah just sitting on the ground, looking at Ninevah, waving his hands at God, and telling him how much he hates the way things worked out.

Though I laugh at such an image, do you know how many times I have also told God how upset I am at how things have worked out for me? I don’t think I have ever said, “I want you to take my life!” However, I know I have said, “I give up.” I know I have thought, “If you don’t give me what I want, I am not sure what this will mean for our relationship.” I have looked at the success of others and asked, “What about me, God?” I have seen people blatantly living in ways contrary to God’s teachings, yet seemingly raking in the blessings. Meanwhile, I question where my own blessings are.

I have been so focused on reward for my outward circumstances that I neglect to reflect on my inward state. Outwardly, Jonah did the right thing, but inwardly he did it for all the wrong reasons. My life might look okay on the outside, but I overlook the inner turmoil and wonder why I'm not receiving the same rewards as others. It’s easy to fall into this mindset, especially when life feels unfair. I question why people who don't follow God seem to be flourishing while I struggle. If we are all honest, I am sure we have all had these thoughts.

Like Jonah, I have moments where I am frustrated with God's plans and timing. I want things to go my way and struggle to accept when they don't. I fail to see the bigger picture and the lessons God is teaching me through these experiences. Instead of trusting in God’s wisdom and timing, I throw my own version of a temper tantrum, demanding answers and rewards that I believe I deserve.

Yet, deep down, I know that God's ways are higher than mine. God’s understanding is far beyond my own. God sees the whole tapestry of my life, while I can only see a single thread. God sees the whole tapestry of everyone’s life. When I reflect on this, I realize that my frustrations are often rooted in a lack of trust and patience. God's grace and mercy are not just for those I deem worthy but for everyone, including myself. God is working all things together for good, even when I can't see it – for me, for you, for everyone because God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love, who relents easily from having to send trouble to someone’s life.

In those moments of doubt and frustration, I am reminded of Jonah’s story. It serves as a powerful lesson in humility and trust. It teaches me to focus not on what I think I deserve but on the incredible grace and compassion God extends to all of us. Instead of comparing my journey to others, I am encouraged to look inward, align myself with God’s will, and trust that God is guiding me toward the greater purpose that God has for my life. This is what Jonah missed.

God responds to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Have you ever been in a funk and heard God's voice of conviction, or felt a whisper from the Holy Spirit asking, “What do you think you are thinking and doing right now?” Jonah seemingly hears the audible voice of God, whether that was externally or internally, as it often is for many. This question from God still extends compassion to Jonah. God longs for Jonah to hear the conviction and the still small voice, urging him to change his ways and realign himself with God's ways.

When God gives us that whisper of conviction or the prompting of the Spirit, we need to recognize it as a moment to check ourselves. God hopes we hear that invitation to change, to better understand His heart and character. So much of dealing with our problems is not about looking for God's rescue from them but about training our eyes to see God at work within them.

Let me say that again: so much of dealing with our problems is not about looking for God's rescue from them but about training our eyes to see God at work within them.

In the next few verses, we see just how deep Jonah's funk really is. Have you ever been so upset with someone at work, maybe a boss, that you thought, "If so-and-so isn’t doing their job, then I’m not doing mine"? You decide to sit in your office and do nothing, hoping they'll realize your value. This is exactly what Jonah does. He walks out to the east side of the city, makes a shelter, and sits in the shade. He is sitting there, marshmallows in hand, waiting for the fire and destruction of the city. He’s ready to roast marshmallows and make s'mores on the ashes of these evildoers.

There was no reason for Jonah to stay near the city. He could have started his journey home. He could have gone to another city to proclaim God's message. He could have even stayed in Nineveh to disciple the people into a newer and greater way of life. But no, Jonah walked into town, dropped the mic, gave the threat, and walked out to eat his popcorn while waiting for God's judgment to rain down fire and brimstone.

Jonah isn’t talking anymore to God, because he is mad. He is blistering in the sun and his anger. Despite this, God still shows how gracious and compassionate the heart of God is, it feels sorry for Jonah, and allows a leafy vine plant to climb the trellis of shade that Jonah has made, and it offers a place of harbor from the heat. Even with his bad attitude, God is caring for Jonah. Yet, Jonah’s eyes are trained for judgment and for anger, not compassion, and he totally misses the beauty of God’s care for him. In fact, the word for “give shade for his head,” I have read is related to the idea and word for deliverance. God is delivering Jonah from the heat. This story reminds us that God even cares for us in our rebellion and in our stagnant hearts and minds. 

Some scholars have pointed out that this plant is usually thought of as a gourd family plant. However, like in the story of the fish swallowing Jonah, we don’t learn more about the details of the plant. The point for me is that God controls waves, whales, wayward kings, and not even the wile plants to accomplish his mission, but also his care for us. God shifts the way things work to make life a little easier for Jonah. He doesn’t change his battle, he doesn’t force his mind to change, he doesn’t remove him from the mission or make him win the lottery – but God does show that the presence of God is with us in all things and making relief for us. That is why we must train our eyes to see the presence of God at play in the trials we are in. 

It's noteworthy that Jonah finds happiness in the plant but fails to thank God for it. He doesn't perceive it as a blessing; instead, he remains in his funk, munching on popcorn, clutching his bag of marshmallows, and observing the city. His attention isn't directed towards God or God’s intentions for him; instead, he allows himself to be sidetracked by watching others. Don't let distractions steer you off course during your journey, especially in challenging detours. Keep your focus on God, not on others. I need to be reminded of this all the time.

So, God raises the challenge to try to get Jonah to see all that is going on in that mind of his.  God allowed a worm, showing God is again able to control the wild things to accomplish the plans that God has for us. Again, some scholars point out that this insect that destroyed the gourd plant, is most likely some aphid. I understand that Aphids are small insects that feed on plant sap, often causing damage to crops, though they also play a role in ecosystems as a food source for other insects. The removal of the plant, starkly demonstrates that God's sovereignty extends beyond acts of compassion; as the giver of life, God also possesses the authority to bring it to an end. God gives, and takes away, as God sees fit.

Jonah remains unmoved, still seething with anger, now even more so over the plant, once again lamenting, "This isn't fair; I just want to die," his emotional response evoking a wry chuckle, yet Jonah fails to grasp the irony. What's particularly intriguing about this story is how Jonah, amidst the ungodly nation of Nineveh, is learning the same lessons we often assert: that one can only teach what they've been taught, know what they've experienced, and lead where they've been led themselves. It reveals that God's people must undergo the same lessons as everyone else, unable to advocate for something they haven't personally understood, and underscores that God equally extends goodness and good news to all nations and people.

Jonah's desire for destruction isn't merely directed at a few individuals; it encompasses an entire nation. According to some Assyrian scholars, the population of Nineveh, including both the city and the surrounding countryside, was estimated to be around three hundred thousand during its heyday. It's plausible to believe that it was about 120,000 during Jonah's time, they suggest. This staggering number underscores the magnitude of Jonah's disdain, as he harbors animosity toward an entire populace, not just a handful of individuals.

If Jonah’s statement on the compassionate and gracious character of God is the climax of the story, the jarring comments that Jonah ends with are the second most important takeaways. The Message puts a creative spin on it and relates it to us like this –  “God said, “What’s this? How is it that you can change your feelings from pleasure to anger overnight about a mere shade tree that you did nothing to get? You neither planted nor watered it. It grew up one night and died the next night. So, why can’t I likewise change what I feel about Nineveh from anger to pleasure, this big city of more than 120,000 childlike people who don’t yet know right from wrong, to say nothing of all the innocent animals?”

In our modern context, we can relate to this passage by reflecting on how easily our emotions can fluctuate over trivial matters like ungrateful children. Just as Jonah's feelings shifted from pleasure to anger over a simple shade tree that he had no hand in nurturing, we too may find ourselves becoming irrationally upset over minor inconveniences or disappointments in our daily lives. God's question to Jonah challenges us to consider why we allow ourselves to be consumed by negative emotions over things that ultimately have little significance in the grand scheme of things. Overall, this passage challenges us to reflect on the fleeting nature of our emotions and the importance of maintaining a perspective that is grounded in compassion, understanding, and forgiveness, even in the face of adversity.

In the narrative, Jonah's perception of the Ninevites' accountability for their wicked actions is challenged. Contrary to Jonah's belief, the Ninevites are depicted as lacking moral discernment. The expression "who cannot tell their right hand from their left" doesn't refer to children but rather underscores the individuals' incapacity to make sound moral judgments. We see that we serve a God who compassionately judges nations and people based on their understandings.

This insight holds relevance for us today as it urges us to consider the complexities of moral responsibility. Just as the Ninevites struggled to distinguish right from wrong, we encounter situations where individuals may act in ways that are morally questionable due to various factors such as upbringing, societal influences, or personal circumstances. Rather than hastily assigning judgetment, this narrative encourages us to approach others with empathy and understanding, recognizing the nuanced nature of human behavior and the multitude of factors that contribute to moral decision-making. We are called to not be Jonah, but rather know the kind of grace that is extended to us, and extend it to others. This closing challenge from God prompts us to reflect on our own moral perceptions and how they may be influenced by our experiences and biases, encouraging a more compassionate and discerning approach toward others. Salvation comes to many, and it comes from God alone.

There are three takeaways from us this morning from this Jonah 4th passage.

Sermon Points:

1.    When we are in a disappointing and funky season, we must examine our hearts.

Jonah's reaction to Nineveh's repentance invites us to examine our own hearts. Do we harbor resentment or judgment toward those we perceive as undeserving of God's grace? By reflecting on our attitudes and biases, we can confront any lingering prejudices and open ourselves to God's transformative work in our lives.

2.    When we are in a disappointing and funky season, we must train our eyes to see God’s character.

Jonah missed the opportunity to see the character of God at play in his life. Jonah failed to train his eyes to see how God was gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, relenting from sending calamity. Jonah missed how God did that in his own life, not just the Ninevites. We must train our eyes to see how God is bringing us plants and whales, waves, and more with reason. God’s character is good and gracious even in the funky seasons.

3.    When we are in a disappointing and funky season, we must remember God’s compassion for us, so we can model it for others.

Despite Jonah's reluctance, God demonstrates unwavering compassion toward the people of Nineveh. This challenges us to embrace God's expansive love, which extends to all, regardless of their past actions or background. As followers of Christ, we are called to embody this same compassion in our interactions with others, extending grace and forgiveness without reservation.

4.    When we are in a disappointing and funky season, we must trust in God’s sovereignty.

Sovereignty refers to God’s supreme authority and power to exercise control and make decisions for our good.  Jonah's frustration with God's actions highlights our tendency to question God's sovereignty and wisdom. Yet, God's response to Jonah reminds us of God’s often unfathomable ways and God’s concern for all creation, including those we may consider unworthy, including the animals in the land. By trusting in God's sovereignty and surrendering our own agendas, we can find peace and fulfillment in His divine plan for redemption and reconciliation.

5.    When we are in a disappointing and funky season, we must remember we can’t lead where we haven’t been led.

This calls us to see the situations we are in as a season of growth, of pruning, and learning something God wants us to see so that he can work through us in greater ways in the future. 

As we delve into Jonah's response to God's compassion in chapter 4, may we be challenged to examine our own hearts and attitudes toward others. Let us embrace God's boundless compassion, extending grace and forgiveness to all, just as we have received from God ourselves.

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