Thayer Thursday – Jonah and the Boston bombers
Jonah 4 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It epitomizes why I like the Old Testament so much: what we are didactically taught in the New Testament about God’s heart and character, we also find painted in wonderful stories throughout the Old Testament.
These stories strengthen my understanding of God.
They nourish my soul.
Last week we saw in chapter three of Jonah that he finally made it to the city of Nineveh. He shared the message God gave him – that because of their wickedness God was going to destroy the city in 40 days. Then the Ninevites repented, they turned from their evil ways and God spared them.
This week, we see that almost drowning, spending three days in the belly of a fish, and getting vomited onto land did nothing to change Jonah’s attitude toward the Ninevites. Jonah was angrier than ever that God didn’t destroy them. He sits down outside the city, presumably hoping God would change His mind and destroy the Ninevites anyway!
So once again, God uses a creature and violent weather to teach Jonah a lesson.
As he sits outside the city, waiting to see what would happen, God provides a plant that grew and gave Jonah shade from the hot sun. This makes Jonah happy. Then, God provides a worm that kills the plant and sends a scorching wind that makes Jonah feel miserable. Jonah gets so upset that he actually wanted to die. He throws a temper-tantrum and gives new meaning to the word overdramatic. God then asks him if he really has any right to be angry about the plant.
Jonah replies that he does and He exclaims in exasperation: “I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
God points out to Jonah that he did nothing to make that plant. It grew in a day and was gone the next. If Jonah can get so concerned about a plant that provided him shade that he had nothing to do with, how much more concern should God have for Nineveh – for the over 120,000 people and the animals.
How much more should God be concerned for His creation – something He formed, tended, and cared for?
How much more should He want to rescue them?
I’m in awe at this picture of God; it gives me hope while at the same time challenging me.
Our attitude and heart should be the same as God’s, not the same as Jonah’s. We should never delight in the death of the wicked. We should always want them to turn to the Lord. Our desire should be for their rescue, not our retribution. It’s hard though. Sometimes, just like with Jonah and the Assyrians, people’s crimes are so heinous that we don’t want there to be any hope for them.
Praise God that He doesn’t feel this way about us – or them.
As the people of God, we can (and should) cry out for and pursue justice, but we should not delight in the destruction of anyone, whether an individual or a nation. This is the lesson God taught Jonah 2700 years ago – a lesson we still need to hear today, perhaps especially today.
As I think about the Boston bombing and the subsequent capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, I’m driven back to this lesson God taught Jonah. My heart breaks for the people who lost loved ones, limbs, and their sense of security. I’m glad that the perpetrator was captured.
However, Jonah reminds me that I should not delight in the destruction of Dzhokhar, or Tamarlen. While he will face the consequences of his crime, I hope that my heart can reflect God’s – that I wouldn’t delight in Dzhokhar’s destruction, but desire to see his redemption by our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.
This is God’s heart – it should be the heart of His people.
Chris Thayer
Sermon: “Running in Circles”
Categories: Biblical Theology, Blog, Hebrew Bible, Political/Social issues