We all have our opinions, and ideas about how things should happen or be. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, lord, have done as you pleased. A couple of the key themes we find in this book are gods sovereignty the fact that he is in control. Jonah 4 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Jonah, chapter 4 united states conference of catholic bishops. The first two questions reveal something about jonah s heart, while the third question reveals something about the heart of god. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackclothfrom the greatest of them to the least. The major question of jonah 4 is connected to the books abrupt ending. And everyone of them from the greatest to the least obeyed the kings directive. Summary of the book of jonah the story of the bible. Paul said that, for indeed jews ask for signs and greeks search for wisdom i corinthians 1. Jonah 4 jonah trying to run god a sermon on jonah 4.
In chapter 4, god deals with jonah and teaches him about his love and compassion. Set in the reign of jeroboam ii 786746 bc, it was probably written in the postexilic period, some time between the late 5th to early 4th century bc. Summary far from being pleased at the fruitful outcome of his preaching, jonah was angry that the lord had spared the ninevites. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a. These are the last words of jonah recording in this book, but thankfully. The only prophetic message that jonah announced was the one about the coming judgment over nineveh jonah 1. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate god, slow to anger and abounding in love, a god who relents from sending calamity. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan.
He was gods instrument to carry out gods will on earth. And it was in the sense that he was speaking to god. This was strange, because usually the preacher is pleased when the congregation repents, but jonah wasnt. His complaint of gods mercy revealed his rebellious heart 4. Notice how jonah s irrational anger blinds him to what god is doing. David guzik commentary on jonah 4, where jonah expresses his complaint. This is strange, because usually the preacher is pleased when the congregation repents, but jonah wasnt. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Jonah repines at gods mercy to nineveh, and is reproved. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Literary unity of jonah 4 a a great evil came upon jonah his anger 4.
Sermon jonah 4 angry jonah and our compassionate god. The book seems to drop off a cliff without any further resolution. The following structure is based on a careful analysis of the content of jonah in the hebrew text. Jonah acknowledged gods sovereignty verses, and submitted to it verses 4 9. Jonah 4 is the fourth and the last chapter of the book of jonah in the hebrew bible or the old testament of the christian bible. One of the very reasons he had fled to tarshish was so that the lord would not be merciful to the ninevites, because he knew that the lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in. When studying scripture, it is critical to gain understanding of the historical background and cultural setting of the book or passage being studied. God loves jonah and shows himself to be the god of longsuffering and grace all throughout this book.
We must keep our hearts soft lest anger and bitterness come in. The book of jonah demonstrates the sovereignty of the almighty as he employs his creation to accomplish the divine plan. The contents of the book may be analyzed further as follows. From a structural point of view, jonah displays five parts rather than four. The book of jonah was written roughly 3000 years ago by the prophet jonah. Jonah 4, new international version niv the bible app. But to jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. We must realize we dont see it all, we dont understand it all. Notice that gods pride is not wounded by jonah s bitter heart, shunning silence, andor irrational anger. His making use of us is an evidence of his being at peace with us.
The second movement is in verses 56 and the third movement is in verses 79. As you read this chapter you cant help but notice the interplay between god and this heartless prophet. Jonah, however, had gone below, had lain down in the hold and was fast asleep. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate go. In contrast to all other prophets of the ot his ministry was directed to the heathen inhabitants of nineveh and not to the people of israel. So jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city. Jonah prayed for salvation in chapter 2, but against the ninevites salvation in chapter 4. Now the word of the lord came to jonah the son of amittai, saying, arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it.
The book of jonah chapter 4 is taken from jimmy swaggarts, the expositors study bible. Jonah 4 niv bible but to jonah this seemed very wrong. If this was a movie or someone writing a fictional book, you wouldnt end the way this book does. Jonah 4 new international version niv jonah s anger at the lord s compassion. He is probably seen as a traitor in israel, and god was now blessing the people that he saw as the scum of the earth. His grief is not a physical thing, but a trouble in his mind. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord. But it displeased jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. Chapter 4 of jonah is a short passage that represents the climax of the narrative and closes the book, but curiously does not present an end. Chapter 5 the sign of jonah jesus said that an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. The prophets life was filled with several twists and turns after hearing the call to go to nineveh.
Jonah was angry that god had spared nineveh, rather. God spoke to jonah in his own unique and powerful way and he told jonah to do two. The most difficult and troubling passages often open their meaning and significance in the most beautiful way when the. It has subdivisions of jonah s displeasure, anger, and complaint, and gods lesson to jonah. Jonah, chapter 4 king james version christian answers webbible. Jonah s displeasure at the repentance of the people of ninevehbut it displeased jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. He prayed to the lord, isnt this what i said, lord, when i was still at home. Chapter 4 we read, with a great deal of pleasure, in the close of the foregoing chapter, concerning the repentance of nineveh. This whole chapter of eleven verses deals almost exclusively with jonahs disappointment, anger, and resentment because of the conversion of the ninevites, and with the gentle persuasion of the lord, who provided motivation for jonah, pointing him toward a more acceptable attitude. Jonah 1, new international version niv the bible app. Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Returning to god a heartless prophet jonah 4 lifeway.
In chapter four, we find that god asked jonah three questions. In chapter 4 of jonah, we see a man who is angry, because god decided to have mercy. Jonah becomes even more proud, when god makes a gourd come up out of the ground to shade him. There was something about the whole matter that displeased jonah. That is what i tried to forestall by fleeing to tarshish. Jonah 4 niv jonahs anger at the lords bible gateway. Chapter 4, the last in the book of jonah, should be filled with great thankfulness and rejoicing then. Next chapter of jonah the book of jonah, chapter 4 we hope that you find the content of the book of jonah, chapter 4 from the douay rheims version of the catholic bible helpful to your bible studies and for references which allow you to read the books and individual verses of this chapter. He really felt far from god at this point of sure death. A brief look at the final chapter in the book of jonah in the old testament of the bible. It tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to prophesy the destruction of nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission. In this sermon, jerry gifford deals with how the book of jonah ends.
1424 202 472 1368 483 692 557 131 290 571 557 1148 739 843 953 92 830 1238 1012 1561 300 1189 252 922 747 1121 1109 507 603 1377 797 416 363 1536 637 661 1163 1074 1275 1372 1296 930 685 1143