The prophets life was filled with several twists and turns after hearing the call to go to nineveh. Notice that gods pride is not wounded by jonah s bitter heart, shunning silence, andor irrational anger. This is strange, because usually the preacher is pleased when the congregation repents, but jonah wasnt. The second movement is in verses 56 and the third movement is in verses 79. The book seems to drop off a cliff without any further resolution. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. He really felt far from god at this point of sure death. 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. 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. Jonah, however, had gone below, had lain down in the hold and was fast asleep. Jonah, chapter 4 united states conference of catholic bishops.
It has subdivisions of jonah s displeasure, anger, and complaint, and gods lesson to jonah. Jonah repines at gods mercy to nineveh, and is reproved. Paul said that, for indeed jews ask for signs and greeks search for wisdom i corinthians 1. In chapter 4, god deals with jonah and teaches him about his love and compassion. 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.
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. And everyone of them from the greatest to the least obeyed the kings directive. Literary unity of jonah 4 a a great evil came upon jonah his anger 4. He was gods instrument to carry out gods will on earth. The book of jonah demonstrates the sovereignty of the almighty as he employs his creation to accomplish the divine plan.
Jonah 4, new international version niv the bible app. 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. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackclothfrom the greatest of them to the least. Sermon jonah 4 angry jonah and our compassionate god. In this sermon, jerry gifford deals with how the book of jonah ends. God loves jonah and shows himself to be the god of longsuffering and grace all throughout this book. A brief look at the final chapter in the book of jonah in the old testament of the bible. That is what i tried to forestall by fleeing to tarshish. The first two questions reveal something about jonah s heart, while the third question reveals something about the heart of god. And it was in the sense that he was speaking to god. These are the last words of jonah recording in this book, but thankfully.
His grief is not a physical thing, but a trouble in his mind. We must keep our hearts soft lest anger and bitterness come in. Jonah 4 niv bible but to jonah this seemed very wrong. Summary of the book of jonah the story of the bible. As you read this chapter you cant help but notice the interplay between god and this heartless prophet. We must realize we dont see it all, we dont understand it all. After jonahs complaint, god explains in verses 1011 why it is silly for jonah to care so much about a plant and so little about a city full of peopleand thats the end. 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. David guzik commentary on jonah 4, where jonah expresses his complaint.
Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. If this was a movie or someone writing a fictional book, you wouldnt end the way this book does. God spoke to jonah in his own unique and powerful way and he told jonah to do two. His making use of us is an evidence of his being at peace with us. Jonah 4 niv jonahs anger at the lords bible gateway. In chapter 4 of jonah, we see a man who is angry, because god decided to have mercy. Jonah 14 new king james version nkjv jonah s disobedience 1 now the word of the lord came to jonah the son of amittai, saying, 2 arise, go to nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it. But to jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. The only prophetic message that jonah announced was the one about the coming judgment over nineveh jonah 1. 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. 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. The book of jonah was written roughly 3000 years ago by the prophet jonah.
Jonah s displeasure at the repentance of the people of ninevehbut it displeased jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 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. The major question of jonah 4 is connected to the books abrupt ending. The most difficult and troubling passages often open their meaning and significance in the most beautiful way when the. Chapter 5 the sign of jonah jesus said that an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign.
There was something about the whole matter that displeased jonah. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a. Jonah becomes even more proud, when god makes a gourd come up out of the ground to shade him. Chapter 4 we read, with a great deal of pleasure, in the close of the foregoing chapter, concerning the repentance of nineveh. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord. When studying scripture, it is critical to gain understanding of the historical background and cultural setting of the book or passage being studied. Jonah 4 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, lord, have done as you pleased.
Returning to god a heartless prophet jonah 4 lifeway. Jonah 4 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Jonah prayed for salvation in chapter 2, but against the ninevites salvation in chapter 4. His complaint of gods mercy revealed his rebellious heart 4. Jonah 4 jonah trying to run god a sermon on jonah 4. The book of jonah chapter 4 is taken from jimmy swaggarts, the expositors study bible. He prayed to the lord, isnt this what i said, lord, when i was still at home. Jonah, chapter 4 king james version christian answers webbible.
We all have our opinions, and ideas about how things should happen or be. Jonah acknowledged gods sovereignty verses, and submitted to it verses 4 9. But it displeased jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. From a structural point of view, jonah displays five parts rather than four. The contents of the book may be analyzed further as follows. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate go. Chapter 4, the last in the book of jonah, should be filled with great thankfulness and rejoicing then.
In chapter four, we find that god asked jonah three questions. 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. Notice how jonah s irrational anger blinds him to what god is doing. Summary far from being pleased at the fruitful outcome of his preaching, jonah was angry that the lord had spared the ninevites. The following structure is based on a careful analysis of the content of jonah in the hebrew text. Jonah was angry that god had spared nineveh, rather. Jonah 1, new international version niv the bible app. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate god, slow to anger and abounding in love, a god who relents from sending calamity. Jonah 4 new international version niv jonah s anger at the lord s compassion. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. 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. A couple of the key themes we find in this book are gods sovereignty the fact that he is in control.
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