Extending Mercy

KEY VERSE: “He prayed to the LORD, ‘O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. 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 4:2, New International Version

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 4:1-5, 11

WHEN JONAH WAS ejected from the great fish, God sent word to him again, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” (Jon. 3:1,2, NIV) This time Jonah obeyed and faithfully took the long journey to Nineveh, and delivered God’s message to the people. Not much detail is given about that message, but it is summarized as: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” (Jon. 3:4) God had indicated that a great evil was to befall these people.—Jon. 3:10

The Hebrew word translated “evil” in the King James Version can be translated a variety of ways, and other translations use words such as “calamity,” or “destruction.” The residents of Nineveh knew that Jonah’s message indicated clearly that a great calamity would befall them which would destroy them. Led by their king, they all repented of their evil ways in sackcloth and ashes. When God saw that this reformation was sincere, he did not carry out the threat of annihilation.—Jon. 3:10

Jonah’s reaction was one of great displeasure and anger. These people clearly deserved the punishment God had proclaimed he would inflict upon them, and he prayed using the words of our Key Verse. In this prayer it becomes clear that the motivation for Jonah’s original flight to Tarshish was to avoid having this mercy manifested by God. He was so mortified by the change of events that he wanted to die. God asked Jonah, “Have you any right to be angry?”—Jon. 4:4, NIV

We read that Jonah then went out of the city and prepared a shelter for himself, and waited to see what would happen to the city. Perhaps he expected that they might revert to their evil ways, and God would destroy them. By God’s providence, a vine grew up quickly, spreading over Jonah’s shelter, giving him shade and relief from the hot sun. This made Jonah happy. However, the next day God permitted a worm to destroy the vine so that it withered away. Along with this loss of shade came a hot east wind and blazing sun that made Jonah faint, and again he asked God that he might die.

By means of this vine Jonah was taught a lesson in mercy. He felt sorry that the vine had withered and died.

On the other hand, God had much more reason to feel sorry for the people of Nineveh. When Jonah said that he had a right to be angry about the vine dying, God told him that he had been concerned about a vine which was not his responsibility. Should not God be concerned about the 120,000 people who did not know the difference between right and wrong, and had to be taught?

The narrative ends on this note, but the answer to God’s question is clear. All of us have to acquire the virtue of mercy. As Jesus said, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36) There are many Christian people in the world who believe that they are the only ones who will be saved, and that the great majority of mankind will perish. These lack mercy and believe they deserve to perish. But God is merciful and has a plan of salvation that is merciful. The Gospel message is truly a message of good news!

| Home Page | Table of Contents |