Though I am not endorsing Mark Twain, what he said about anger is worth repeating. “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”

Today we are going to see that Jonah had a problem with anger.

Transition

As we look at Jonah’s anger, I want us to learn the Biblical way to deal with anger.

Jonah Got Angry With God

  1. Jonah’s anger was sinful
    In April 2014 when we studied Ephesians 4:26, we learned that anger can be godly or ungodly.

    1. Godly anger is unselfish, controlled, and constructive
      1. We should be angered by harm done to God and to others. For example: attacks on God and His Word, abortion, promotion of filth in society, and injustice.
      2. Jesus got angry at the hardness of unbeliever’s hearts. Mark 3:5. Moses got angry when the people made and worshipped a golden calf, Exodus 32:19.
    2. Ungodly anger is selfish, uncontrolled, destructive
      1. Anger is ungodly when:
        1. It results from someone displeasing me
        2. It is explosive or uncontrolled
        3. It seeks to harm others
      2. Often anger is a heated feeling or outburst because something did not go my way, someone displeased me, or someone harmed my possession. Anger often results in uncontrolled words or actions that hurt others or dishonour God.
      3. Ungodly anger is always sin.
  2. Jonah’s anger was aimed at God
    1. He had an angry attitude. God’s choice displeased him (v.1). He still lacked compassion and he was bitter.
    2. He had angry actions. He prayed an angry prayer to God (v.2). Notice how he angrily describes God.
      1. He said “I knew you were like this when I was still in my own country.”
      2. He said, “That is why I fled to Tarshish.” He did not want God to have mercy on Nineveh.”
      3. He said, “I knew you were gracious (helpful), merciful (compassionate), slow to anger, of great kindness, and willing to repent or change your mind about judging those who humble themselves.”
    3. Jonah was angry that God was this kind of forgiving God. He obviously forgot that God had forgiven him. He obviously overlooked that fact that he was still a sinner needing forgiveness.
      ☆ We must not forget that the Lord has rescued us from hell! We must not wish God’s judgment on even the worst sinners. Jonah was so self-righteous that he could not see his own sin of bitter anger. Admitting anger is the first step to victory.
  3. When angry, Jonah was not rational
    1. Jonah was so angry that he asked God to take his life (v.3). He did not really want to die, but his anger was out of control.
    2. God asked him if it was good that he was angry (v.4). Evidently, Jonah stomped off without answering God.
      ☆ If you struggle with sinful anger like Jonah’s, you must deal with it God’s way or it will ruin your Christian testimony, quash your fellowship with God, and will cause you to do things you will regret. You must put it away – stop it with God’s help. No excuses! Call it sin and calm down!
      ☆ (Ephesians 4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
      ☆ Then do as God said, put off the old man (Eph 4:22), allow the Holy Spirit to renew the spirit of your mind (Eph 4:23), then put on the new man (Eph 4:24).

Jonah Angrily Pouted While He Waited

  1. He went out of the city
    1. He could have encouraged the people or taught them about God, but instead he went out.
    2. He went to the east side of the city. Why east? East was the opposite way to Israel. Maybe there was a high hill on that side that would provide a better view if God sent down fire.
  2. He made a booth to sit under
    1. A booth was a shelter made from tree branches and leaves.
    2. Jonah sat under his booth to pout and sulk in his bitterness at God. He had no compassion, no mercy, no love for the people of Nineveh. Perhaps this was because the people of Nineveh had been national enemies of Israel. Maybe Jonah knew of some who had died in battles with Assyria. It could be that he just had a typical Jewish feeling of hatred for anyone who was not a Jew.
    3. Many times Christians think they are not sinning as long as their anger is not outward and explosive. That is not true. Inward anger is bitterness and that too is sin. Jonah was no longer spitting fire at God, but he was still angry or bitter on the inside and that was sinful.
    4. Jonah’s actions were not Godly. They were selfish and sinful. He should have admitted his wrong and asked God for forgiveness.
      ☆ I can see myself in Jonah. There have been times when I was angry about something and tried to blame everyone else for the problem. I pouted and felt bitter inside. It wasn’t until I humbled myself and admitted my own sin that I was able to get right with God and with others.
      ☆ (Proverbs 16:32) He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
      ☆ (Proverbs 25:28) He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
      ☆ (James 1:19) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Jonah Got Angry Again When the Gourd Died

  1. God tried to teach Jonah a lesson
    1. God caused a gourd to grow up over Jonah’s booth (v.6).
      1. American Tract Society Bible Dictionary “It has been supposed that Jonah’s gourd was the Ricinus Communis, or castor-oil plant. It grows in the East to the height of eight to twelve feet, and one species much higher. Its leaves are large.”
      2. God caused this plant to grow up very fast.
      3. The gourd gave shade to Jonah for which he was happy.
    2. The next day, God caused a worm to eat the plant and kill it (v.7).
    3. Then God used the sun and a hot wind to cause Jonah to be miserable (v.8). Again he wished to die. His bitterness caused him not to think right. He was being selfish!
    4. Jonah again responded in anger (v.9). This time when God questioned him, he claimed that he had good reason to be angry. It is amazing how often we try to justify our anger.
  2. God explained why he was merciful
    1. God pointed out that Jonah had pity on the gourd which he did not plant or make it grow (v.10).
    2. Yet, Jonah had no pity on the thousands of people who lived in Nineveh (v.11). There were 120,000 in the city were too young to know which hand was their right or left. If these were the young children, there would be hundreds of thousands of older children and adults.
    3. God does not want anyone to perish.

Conclusion

The book of Jonah ends with God’s mercy and Jonah’s anger. God had mercy on the repentant city. There is hope for reaching unbelievers yet today!

Did Jonah ever confess his anger and get right with God? We do not know. If you have a problem with anger, deal with it God’s way. Do not excuse it. Admit it. Call it sin. Remember, bitterness is just as much sin as explosive anger. With God’s help, stop your anger. Allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind. Then put on the right actions of the new man. Then get right with those your anger has hurt.

If you are not a true Christian, you will never get full victory over anger. You need God’s saving help.

Song: Just As I Am – 249
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Jonah’s Anger
13 December 2015 AM – Jonah 4:1-11 – Jonah2015 – Scott Childs