Christian Living

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Jonah 4

Jonah was angry because he couldn't be God. He wanted the city of Nineveh to be destroyed, but it was God's will that they be saved. Jonah figured that if he couldn't have his way, he would rather be dead.

Jonah was a very stubborn and childish person. He did not care about others and rather die than not get his own way. Jonah should have been honored that God wanted to use him to save the lives of other people, but instead, Jonah wanted to choose who would live and who would die. He wanted his will to be to be done.

The Lord tried to teach Jonah a valuable lesson by providing shade for Jonah and then taking it away. Instead of gettting the point that the Lord gives to who He wants and takes away from who He wishes, Jonah felt sorry for himself and still wanted to die. He was a miserable, selfish person, who not many of us would want to be around. The Lord tried to teach Jonah, just as he was sad about the plant that was shading him dying, should not God be sad that those people in Nineveh were going to die if God did not intervene and save them.

The book of Jonah ends on a sad note. It doesn't make clear that Jonah ever got the picture. It is very possible that Jonah died a broken, lonely, stubborn, miserable man. This book teaches us that whenever God calls us to do something, whatever it might be, we should be happy and willing to do it. Soemeone will benfefit and we will get joy in knowing that we had a part in doing God's will, and God, as He always should, will get the glory. Never let pride keep you from doing God's will. Mankind should never want to take God's place and be Him. This was Satan's plan. Always remember, whatever God wants, He will get. If He wants something, it is for good, not for evil.

In the end, God got the glory for the city of Ninbeh being saved. The Ninevites were spared and Jonah continued to stew in his misery and stubborness. A bittersweet account one man's self - pity and God's pity for others.

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