The prophecy of Jonah contains over 1,000 words. However there are very few that are truly words of prophecy, that is, words predicting the future: e.g., “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jon. 3:4). We must conclude, therefore, that the fate of Nineveh is not the primary focus of the Book of Jonah. Instead, its primary focus is the prophet Jonah and his struggle with the character of his God.
Jonah belied his feelings when, speaking to God, he said, “For I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil” (Jon. 4:2). This attitude was manifest in ways that were contrasted in the life of Jesus.
Jonah “went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city… till he might see what would become of the city” (Jon. 4:5). In effect, he was waiting (and wishing for?) its destruction — as God had promised. But Jesus, on approaching Jerusalem, “when he was come near… beheld the city, and wept over it” (Luke 19:41).
Jonah, in response to God’s words, “Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?” (Jon. 4:9), says, “I do well to be angry, even unto death.” This contrasts with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, when he said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death” (Matt. 26:38).
So the prophet who was “greater than Jonah” (Matt. 12:41) was moved with compassion for the city of Jerusalem, though he knew that compassion carried with it a great cost. That cost was his own life. His compassion drove him to lay down his life for sinners, whereas Jonah’s lack of compassion drove him to bitterness. Bitterness was in Jonah’s heart even though he was aware of God’s compassion.
Does our knowledge of God cause us to be selective in our preaching? Do our actions show that we feel there are some people to whom we should not preach? We may say that our meetings are open to all, but our hearts tell us what we feel about the presence in our halls of some who do not meet out standards of dress, lifestyle, or cleanliness.
Are we like Jonah or Jesus?
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One