Angry at God
In Luke 15, the religious leaders complain about Jesus, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." In response, Jesus tells three stories: one about a lost sheep, one about a lost coin, and one about two lost sons. In the third story, the younger son squanders his inheritance in wild living. When he finally comes to his senses and decides to go home, he plans to tell his father, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight." But while he's still a long way off, his father runs out to hug and kiss him. He barely starts his speech before his father announces plans for a giant party. Then the older son hears about the party. He gets angry and refuses to join the celebration. When his father comes out to plead with him, he won't call him "my brother." Instead, he talks about "this son of yours." All he can see is his sin. His dad's mercy is unforgivable.
Read Exodus 34:6-7 and Jonah 4:1-2
In Hebrew, the word "rāʿâ" repeats throughout the book of Jonah (1:2, 7-8; 3:8, 10; 4:1-2, 6). Depending on the context, it gets translated as evil, disaster, or distress. It describes Nineveh's evil and the storm that threatened the sailors. It's the disaster God decides not to bring on Nineveh. He spares the city from judgment and the sailors from the storm. But now Jonah is feeling "rāʿâ" (greatly displeased). God's decision to withhold 'evil' (disaster) from the Ninevites is a great evil to him. Kevin Youngblood explains, "The event that calmed God’s wrath is the same event that has provoked Jonah’s wrath." We finally learn why Jonah fled to Tarshish: he knew that God was merciful. In Exodus 34, God famously describes his character to Moses, "The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin." That's exactly Jonah's complaint: "I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster." Jonah has personally experienced this from God. A miraculous sea creature rescued him from death. Jonah has thanked God for being kind to him, but he still doesn't want God to be kind to others. Jonah should get an "A" on any test about God's character. He quotes the right verse to justify his complaint. It would be upsetting if God's mercy meant bad people never face any consequences. But he stops one verse short. Exodus 34:7 assures us that God "will not leave the guilty unpunished." Jonah doesn't want the Ninevites to receive mercy, so he argues that God is not being just. Jonah's argument assumes God's mercy cancels justice. But God never ignores evil or neglects accountability. Instead, "God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance" (Romans 2:4). That's what the Ninevites do: turn away from evil to seek God's forgiveness.
Jonah's temper flares up as he complains that God is "slow to anger." What makes it hard to connect our knowledge about God to our love for others?
When have you used a true statement about God to oppose what God is doing?
The older son wouldn't call his brother "brother." Who do you want God to punish, with no hope for mercy?
Pray Exodus 34 for a friend: "Lord, you are a compassionate and gracious God, and that includes [their name]. You are slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, and that is good news for [their name]. You maintain faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin, which is the mercy that [their name] needs. I know you will not leave the guilty unpunished, including [their name]. God, I ask that your kindness would lead them to repentance. Amen."