Jonah is the third one who wanted to die. His is the saddest case. It is possible to understand that Moses became very tired, very stressed from leading a nation that was not easy to lead. We can appreciate after several times when they complained about his leadership that he became so totally frustrated that he wanted to quit, to exit, to die. He needed others to come alongside and carry some of the burden that was so exhausting.
It is possible to understand in part how Elijah became emotionally, physically and spiritually whipped. He performed with great courage and faith to defend God's honour and call Israel back to loyalty. I know how it feels to be tired and "down" after strenuous spiritual service. If I multiply what I've experienced by 100 and add a threat to his life and a feeling of being alone, I can sympathize with Elijah's strong desire to retire from the field of spiritual battle; to quit, to die. He needed rest, food, time with God and encouraging news. He needed a new perspective.
But it is not so easy to identify with Jonah's desire to die. Jonah, after first disobeying and running from God, chose to obey the second time God told him to go to Nineveh. He faithfully went and preached the coming judgment of God. To his horror, "the Ninevites believed God." They and their king humbled themselves and repented. (Jonah 3:5 - 10) God saw their change of heart and life and chose not to bring the disaster that He had threatened.
But the Ninevites were enemies of Israel, and Jonah, prophet of Israel was not happy. In fact he was very angry. He wanted God to judge, condemn and destroy Nineveh. That was why he had run away; it was why he had not wanted to preach to them in the first place. He knew how compassionate God was and feared that Nineveh would repent and be saved.
So Jonah says: "Now, O Lord, take away my life for it is better for me to die than to live." (4:3) God tries to soften Jonah's heart and move him toward compassion. But this short book ends with Jonah still "angry enough to die." Jonah needed a heart operation; a renewed heart; a heart of compassion.
It is possible for followers of Christ to lose their love for people. Sometimes even while serving people and doing the right thing (as Jonah did), we can develop hard hearts. We can love people theoretically and theologically and yet actually not love nor even like people for whom Jesus died.
Are you compassionate as God was - and is - toward those who have not yet believed?
It is possible to understand in part how Elijah became emotionally, physically and spiritually whipped. He performed with great courage and faith to defend God's honour and call Israel back to loyalty. I know how it feels to be tired and "down" after strenuous spiritual service. If I multiply what I've experienced by 100 and add a threat to his life and a feeling of being alone, I can sympathize with Elijah's strong desire to retire from the field of spiritual battle; to quit, to die. He needed rest, food, time with God and encouraging news. He needed a new perspective.
But it is not so easy to identify with Jonah's desire to die. Jonah, after first disobeying and running from God, chose to obey the second time God told him to go to Nineveh. He faithfully went and preached the coming judgment of God. To his horror, "the Ninevites believed God." They and their king humbled themselves and repented. (Jonah 3:5 - 10) God saw their change of heart and life and chose not to bring the disaster that He had threatened.
But the Ninevites were enemies of Israel, and Jonah, prophet of Israel was not happy. In fact he was very angry. He wanted God to judge, condemn and destroy Nineveh. That was why he had run away; it was why he had not wanted to preach to them in the first place. He knew how compassionate God was and feared that Nineveh would repent and be saved.
So Jonah says: "Now, O Lord, take away my life for it is better for me to die than to live." (4:3) God tries to soften Jonah's heart and move him toward compassion. But this short book ends with Jonah still "angry enough to die." Jonah needed a heart operation; a renewed heart; a heart of compassion.
It is possible for followers of Christ to lose their love for people. Sometimes even while serving people and doing the right thing (as Jonah did), we can develop hard hearts. We can love people theoretically and theologically and yet actually not love nor even like people for whom Jesus died.
Are you compassionate as God was - and is - toward those who have not yet believed?
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