The Book of Jonah

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JONAH STUDY #4 [Jonah 4:1 - 4:11]
(Our final study of the book of Jonah)

Note: In the previous chapter, Jonah finally obeyed God and delivered the proclamation to Nineveh regarding their impending destruction by God. Nineveh repented just as Jonah feared they would, and God forgave them and spared Nineveh also just as Jonah feared He would.

It must be pointed out that God had never asked Nineveh to repent, He simply sent word to them through His Prophet Jonah that He had had enough and was to destroy them in forty days. God nor Jonah told Nineveh to repent, nor did they make any promise to Nineveh that if they repented that they would be spared. The show of great faith by the heathen of Nineveh no doubt touched the Lord's heart; and for the sincere change of the heart of ones whom were before such great heathen, God turned away His wrath from them. God was no doubt pleasantly impressed by the new-found faith that these once heathen people had in God's willingness and ability to forgive and show mercy.

In the New Testament we also see Jesus impressed by the new found faith of one who was beforehand a heathen. And in the scripture below, we not only learn that there are rewards for the new found faith of a non-believer; but that there is also punishment for those who first believed and then lost faith:

Matt 8:5-13
5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. (KJV)

Jonah knew that there was a good chance that Nineveh would repent if he told them of God's wrath towards them. Jonah also knew the prophecy that foretold of God allowing Assyria (of which Nineveh was the Capitol) to invade and take the ten Northern Tribes of Israel captive, because they themselves had angered God by idol worship [Mica 1:5-6].

Jonah felt that if Nineveh brought God's wrath down upon themselves they could not then take his beloved Israel captive. Jonah loved God and had remained a true follower of Him, but Jonah also loved his people Israel even though they had lapsed into idol worship [2nd Kings 17:5-41 & 2nd Kings 18:9-12]. That is why Jonah disobeyed God and tried to flee from God's command.

But finally, through Jonah's obedient delivery of God's proclamation, Nineveh repents and is spared by God. In this final chapter, chapter four below, we will see that Jonah is angry that he had to help save those whom he new would eventually enslave his own people Israel, for Jonah believed prophecy.

It's not written in this book of Jonah, but in 613 BC, Assyria would lay siege to Samaria (the ten Northern Tribes) and in 611 BC would accomplish taking the House of Israel captive. Israel would end, become a Province of Assyria, and drop out of history, just as Jonah had feared.

NOTE: Most modern chronologies place the fall of Samaria at 722 BC due to their overlooking of the 'lo-ammi' periods (in Hebrew it means: not my people). There are 110 years that must be deducted from the normal reckoning of time due to the years that God called Israel 'lo-ammi.' These 110 years must be removed for the chronologies to mesh. See the Companion Bible (click to review) appendix numbers: 50(6), 50(11), & 57(11) for an in-depth explanation. The 198 appendixes in the back of the Companion Bible are packed full of valuable, almost lost,.information; as is the companion margins that are throughout this King James Version Bible by E. W. Bullinger (1837-1913). Highly recommended as a study Bible!

But what Jonah did learn was that God's Will must be done, for all prophecy must come to pass exactly as it is written; that is why we today can be confident that the prophecies written to our generation will come to pass exactly as they are written.

Isa 48:3-9 (God speaking)
3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.
4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.
6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.
8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.
9 For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. (KJV)

John 14:29 (Christ speaking)
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. (KJV)

CHAPTER 4

Jonah 4:1-11:

1 But it*1 displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry*2.

Explanation: *1 it = Nineveh's repentance, and thus God's sparing of them because of it. *2 displeased . . . . = Jonah was vexed and upset by the fact that now that Nineveh had been spared the wrath of God, they might well be in position to fulfill prophecy and take his beloved Samaria (ten Northern Tribes of Israel) captive. Jonah was a man of God, but he wasn't acting like one here. Jonah should have been teaching God's Word to the now converted people of Nineveh, but instead he is angry at God for showing mercy.

2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country?*1 Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil*2.

Explanation: *1 was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? = Jonah is basically saying to God: "Didn't I tell you that this would happen?" Jonah is skating on thin ice here, talking to God this way. *2 for I knew that . . . . = Jonah is saying that he knew that God was patient, merciful, and quick to forgive all those that repent.

In Jonah's mind, he has been forced by God to not only witness, but to actually take part in an event that would result in the captivity and eventual disbanding of his beloved people Israel (The ten lost Tribes of Israel). And while Jonah did act disobediently, he was not a wicked man. In love, Jonah was willing to sacrifice (misguidedly of course) himself to save his people.

What Jonah could not have realized was, due to the scattering of the Ten Tribes, God's Word went forth and salvation has been opened to the world. For the ten "lost Tribes of Israel" were never lost to the Lord, He had a purpose for their dispersion. The ten Tribes of Israel would go on to migrate north over the Caucus Mountains (that's where we get our term 'Caucasian') and populate Europe, and eventually sail Westward to settle the Americas.

It is written that they would lose their heritage and not even know who they are. Has this prophecy not been fulfilled? How many people in America know that they are decedents of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel?!? That does not mean we are Jewish, the 'Jews' are only part of one of the twelve original tribes of Israel (Judah).

The lesson to be learned is that God moves in mysterious ways sometimes hard for man to understand. How many times have you asked God for something in your life, and it did not always come to pass exactly the way you wanted it to. God can foresee if something will be hurtful to you, and He will not give you that which will hurt you. God did not let you down any more than He let Jonah down. You've heard the old saying: "Be careful what you pray for because you just might get it!" God wants to bless us, but sometimes our idea of a blessing and God's idea of a blessing are two entirely different things, for God sees the bigger picture.

3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

Explanation: Jonah is so angry and distraught that he just wants to die and be done with it.

4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

Explanation: It isn't going to any good for Jonah to get angry. God's getting a little disappointed in Jonah for not realizing the necessity of what is being done here. God will go on to teach Jonah a lesson as to what He is doing here with Nineveh.

5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth*1, and sat under it in the shadow*2, till he might see what would become of*3 the city.

Explanation: *1 booth = Hut, to protect him from the heat of the sun. *2 shadow = Shade. *3 become of = Happen to. Jonah was hoping for Nineveh's overthrow. Jonah doesn't realize the backwardness of him, being a man of God, sitting there hoping for the death and destruction of some 120,00 people of Nineveh; those people of Nineveh who have now repented and became believers of The One true God. As we read on we will see God teach Jonah the error of his thinking.

6 And the LORD God prepared*1 a gourd*2, and made it to come up over*3 Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd*3.

Explanation: *1 prepared = Anointed. This is the word used to describe the great fish that swallowed Jonah. This particular Gourd plant and the particular fish that swallowed Jonah were very special ones prepared by God for this one purpose. *2 gourd = A 'Kikayon' plant. This plant had very large leaves that shaded Jonah from the hot sun and gave him comfort in the heat of the day. *3 glad of the gourd = Very glad because of the shade and comfort that the Gourd plant provided.

7 But God prepared*1 a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

Explanation: *1 prepared = Anointed. Once again this is a specially prepared Worm. This Worm killed the Gourd plant that had been shading Jonah from the suns rays.

8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise*1, that God prepared*2 a vehement east wind*3; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted*4, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live*5.

Explanation: *1 when the sun did arise = The next day. *2 prepared = Anointed. This was also a Divinely special wind. This also completes the four things Divinely prepared by God in the book of Jonah: The Fish, the Gourd, the Worm, and the Hot Wind; the number four in Biblical numeric's denotes creation, the world, and the earth. ie: The 4 compass points, 4 seasons, 4 great variations of the lunar phases, the 4th Commandment is the first to refer to the earth, the 4th clause in the Lord's Prayer is the first that mentions the earth . . . . So then, is not this whole book of Jonah, through the 'type' of Christ (who would offer salvation to the whole world), and the plan of God for Nineveh to be saved, eventually taking Israel captive causing their dispersal throughout the world (were-by God's Word could be spread and preached to all the peoples of the world), clearly complimented by the number of the earth as shown in the four things specially anointed by God in the story of Jonah? *3 vehement east wind = The exceedingly hottest wind there could be. *4 fainted = Heat stroke, fainted because of the exceeding heat. *5 wished in himself to die. . . . = This is the third of four times Jonah would wish himself to die [1:12, 4:3, 4:8, 4:9]. God would not grant this wish however, for as we read on we will see that Jonah is not killed, but rather is taught the great lesson of God's love and His will that all come to repentance and thus salvation. As we learned in the preceding chapters of this book of Jonah, Jonah was a 'type' of Jesus Christ, he was a view of what was to come. For as Jonah was willing that he, being one man, would die to spare the Nation of Israel, Jesus likewise, being one man, would some 719 years later on April 3rd in the year of AD 29, be crucified and die on that cross as a one time for all sacrifice for the sins of the world.

9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd*1? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

Explanation: *1 for the gourd = For the loss of the Gourd. It seems that Jonah was so concerned that the Gourd plant perished, but he was fully willing that the 120,00 children of God should perish in Nineveh. Below we have the meaning of the parable that God put Jonah through with the heat of the day, and the relief of the shade of the Gourd.

10 Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd*1, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow*2; which came up in a night, and perished in a night*3:

Explanation: *1 had pity on the gourd = Because of the withering and dying loss of the Gourd plant. *2 thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow = Jonah didn't earn the Gourd, it was given by the grace of God to the disobedient Jonah. Jonah did not plant, water, nor prune the Gourd plant for his protection from the heat, God prepared it up out of nowhere to comfort him. You remember that Jonah had made a little hut to protect himself from the harsh elements, but it was inadequate; just as without God's Grace through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, our own attempts at righteousness and salvation are in vain. *3 perished in a night = The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away as He sees fit. Nineveh was spared by the Grace of god because they truely repented in their hearts. God gave Jonah the Gourd plant to save him from perishing in the heat, but all Jonah would do is be bitter at God for sparing 120,000 of His children. Because of this, God took away the blessing of the Gourd in the heat of the day, and Jonah suffered the chastisement of God through a heat stroke and the misery of near death.

11 And should not I spare Nineveh*1, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons*2 that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand*3; and also much cattle? (KJV)

Explanation: *1 And should not I spare Nineveh = Would you have Me not spare the people of Nineveh? *2 sixscore thousand persons = 120,000. *3 cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand = They didn't know anything about God, they didn't know any better.

The people of Nineveh didn't know any better than to worship their false gods, for until Jonah came proclaiming God's Word, they hadn't had the opportunity to learn the truth. They were brought up on their traditions and false religious systems. Many today never have the chance to hear the true Word of God because of what they are being taught in the corrupted religions of our day.

But many will have an opportunity in the thousand year period in [Rev 20:1-10] to be taught. God will judge no one to eternal perdition in their ignorance, all who perish will perish by their own doing, having heard the truth and rejecting it.

Our Heavenly Father a fair God, and He loves all His children the same. He doesn't like what many of them are doing, but he still loves them all the same. If you had two sons, one good and one evil; would you, being a mere mortal, not visit the evil son in prison on his birthday? How much more then does God, whom is perfect and whom loves only perfectly, visit all who are in the prison of sin and ignorance? For God loves all His children, both good and evil, and he wishes that all would come to repentance and everlasting life:

2 Pet 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (KJV)

We sometimes forget that God has emotions, but we were created in His image [Gen 1:26-27] and we have emotions. We know through the Bible that God does have emotions, but we seem to only pay attention to God's emotions of wrath and anger. Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, and in the shortest verse of the entire Bible we see:

John 11:35
35 Jesus wept. (KJV)

But the saddest thing of all is that God will have to eternally destroy many of His beloved children whom He created to love Him and give Him good pleasure by their company in the eternity:

Rev 4:11
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (KJV)

How about you friend? Have you given God any pleasure lately? All He really wants is your love. He tells us how to be approved by Him, He wants us to study His Word, to learn of Him, so that we will not be sidetracked into perdition by the wicked one satan. In the Bible, our Heavenly Father has written us a letter of love, caution, instruction, and direction, but how many of us refuse to even read it? We are either too lazy, too busy, or we just don't care. If you want to capture the emotion that that brings forth, write a letter to your husband of wife, son or daughter, boyfriend or girlfriend; and then imagine watching for months and years as they don't esteem you enough to even open that letter, much less absorb it's content; only coming to you when THEY need something.

2 Tim 2:15-16
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. (KJV)

Matt 11:28-30 (Jesus speaking)
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (KJV)

End of chapter four. End of the book of Jonah

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