God Ministered to Jonah
April 6, 2022
Commentary
Though Jonah is angry at God (vv. 1-4), God still cares for him and demonstrates this by preparing a gourd to grow up and provide shade for Jonah’s head. Jonah was happy for the provision of this plant, but apparently he does not recognize it as having come from the hand of God (v. 6). However, the next verse shows how this plant was prepared to serve God’s purpose and not Jonah’s comfort (v. 7).
As Jonah sits under this plant he is neither praying for Nineveh or himself, nor resting to gather strength to continue his spiritual ministry, but is in complete dejection and self pity. Jonah enjoyed for one day the shade of the gourd but at dawn the following day the Lord prepared a worm to bore its way into the plant, causing it to dry up and die (v. 8). God once again asks Jonah if his anger over the plant’s destruction is ethically justifiable (v. 9). He declares that he is justly angry. In fact, it reached the place he even wanted to die. Jonah’s distorted sense of values is clearly shown. He was more concerned with a plant than he was with people (vv. 10-11). When asked before whether his anger was justifiable, Jonah didn’t answer. But this time he answered, for his comfort was at stake.
As the chapter ends we can see how even the animals benefit when leaders and adults are in a right relationship with God. On the other hand, when the messenger is deliberately disobedient, God will cause even His creation to bring correction to His messenger and fulfill His purpose in the world.
Application
I should stop and ask myself if I am more concerned about my selfish desires or what God wants to accomplish in and through my life.
Jonah 4:6– 11 (NET)
6 The Lord God appointed a little plant and caused it to grow up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to rescue him from his misery. Now Jonah was very delighted about the little plant.
7 So God sent a worm at dawn the next day, and it attacked the little plant so that it dried up. 8 When the sun began to shine, God sent a hot east wind. So the sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint. So he despaired of life and said, “I would rather die than live!”
9 God said to Jonah, “Are you really so very angry about the little plant?” And he said, “I am as angry as I could possibly be!” 10 The Lord said, “You were upset about this little plant, something for which you did not work, nor did you do anything to make it grow. It grew up overnight and died the next day. 11 Should I not be more concerned about Nineveh, this enormous city? There are more than 120,000 people in it who do not know right from wrong, as well as many animals.”